Deloitte survey: 67% of frequent business travelers receptive to ...

The survey indicates airline loyalty programmes are not as effective as they could be in driving loyalty among their core audience of frequent travelers. A surprising 72% of "high-frequency" business travelers participate in two or more programmes, while more than one-third participate in four or more.

"Our survey findings demonstrate that airlines should consider taking a hard look at how they are engaging with their loyalty programme members if they want to cultivate genuine brand loyalty," said Jonathan Wall, assistant director, hospitality and real estate advisory at Deloitte Middle East. "With increasing competition and heightened consumer pragmatism, airlines may need to focus on personalizing the customer experience in a way that makes individual travelers feel special."

Where's the loyalty?

Considering airlines use reward programmes to drive brand loyalty exclusively, a remarkable 50% of overall respondents are enrolled in two or more airline loyalty programmes, with one-third of overall respondents participating in two or more programmes. Participation in multiple programmes among business travelers increased to nearly 44%.

Furthermore, the survey shows two-thirds of overall respondents are receptive to the idea of switching to a competing loyalty programme -- even after achieving the highest status level with their current programme.

Do loyalty programmes matter?

The survey indicates the share of wallet for a "preferred" airline is significantly low. Only 44% of all travelers and 40% of business travelers fly at least three-quarters of their air miles on their "preferred" airline, while nearly one-third of business travelers fly fewer than half of their air miles on their "preferred" airline.

Perhaps even more worrying for airlines, the survey reveals that the importance of loyalty programmes appears to be surprisingly low. Travelers overall - and business travelers specifically - ranked loyalty programmes as only the 19th and 18th most important attribute when selecting an airline (out of 26 attributes), respectively. However, despite their low nominal rankings among overall respondents, loyalty programmes remain valuable to high-frequency business travelers, ranking as the second most important attribute - even higher than safety. As such, loyalty programmes still remain a viable way for airlines to drive customer loyalty, particularly if those airlines can differentiate their programmes to stand out from the rest.

One size doesn't fit all

According to the survey, characteristics one type of traveler views as being important in a loyalty programme, another may view as less important. For example, 76% of high-frequency business travelers view more opportunities to earn and redeem points as vital, as opposed to just 64% of all respondents. Meanwhile, only 40% of all respondents believe access to airport lounges to be important whereas 68% of high-frequency business travelers value such access.

Additionally, the survey reveals significant differences about how passengers plan and book travel. An overwhelming 83% of respondents visit price comparison sites to book travel and 72% consult family members when planning a trip. In comparison, respondents' social media usage was far less popular - with only 13% using social media networks to research or plan and just 27% using an airline application. Results are similar when it comes to how airlines engage with passengers with 80% of all respondents preferring email while just 26% favor engagement via social media.

Because the survey's overall findings reveal both subtle - and not so subtle - differences in the behaviors and expectations of the flying consumer, they underscore a need for differentiated, more targeted approaches to building loyalty. Still, at a time where brand loyalty is under more duress than ever before, what can airlines do to tackle these issues, and strengthen their loyalty programmes?

"Bottom line: airlines should consider making their loyalty programme rewards personally meaningful," Wall advised. "For example, our research showed that only 38% of respondents had a positive reaction when asked whether they would serve as an airline brand ambassador. Airlines need to keep in mind that a flying passenger has the potential to serve as an airline's most effective marketing tool. They should consider providing customized experiences for individual travelers, and encourage loyalty with unexpected and in-the-moment, accessible rewards, to help them not only redefine and reshape the customer experience, but also ultimately build lasting relationships with their customers."

Source: http://www.ameinfo.com/deloitte-survey-67-frequent-business-travelers-353728

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