In this episode, we speak with Brad Anderson, Vice President of Hilton Honors at Hilton about how one of the world’s largest hospitality loyalty programs is evolving to deliver more value, flexibility and recognition for its more than 250 million members.
Brad shares how Hilton Honors fuels direct bookings, and strengthens hotel owner economics, while creating more meaningful experiences for guests through benefits, partnerships and news ways to stay. He also discuss recent updates to the award-winning program, including enhanced elite tiers and new rewards designed to give members more certainty and choice when they travel.
The conversation explores Hilton’s expansion across key international markets and its focus on delivering consistent yet locally relevant experiences across more than 9,200+ properties globally, while still reflecting the unique character of each destination. At it’s core, Hilton’s approach is rooted in listening to members and delivering stays that are not just seamless, but memorable – turning travel moments into lasting connections.
Hosted by Bridget Blaise-Shamai
Show Notes:
4)The Ride of a LifeTime – Book Recommendation
PAULA: Hello, and welcome to Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV, a show for loyalty marketing professionals.
PAULA: I’m Paula Thomas, the founder and CEO of Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV, where we feature insightful conversations with loyalty professionals from the world’s leading brands.
PAULA: Today’s episode is hosted by Bridget Blaise-Shamai, former president of the AA Advantage program, the award-winning Travel Rewards program of American Airlines.
PAULA: Bridget is a global C-suite executive and is currently advising VC-backed startups in loyalty, travel and payments.
PAULA: Enjoy.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Welcome everyone to this edition of Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Our guest today is Brad Anderson, Vice President of the Hilton Honors Program.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Founded in 1919 by Conrad Hilton, Hilton is a US based global hospitality company comprised of 27 well-known brands, like the storied wall of Historia, Graduate, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, and Hampton Inn, and operating over 9,000 properties in 143 countries and territories.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: While these statistics are impressive, they are just a part of what distinguishes Hilton and sets it up for success, as it is once again named a top place to work here in the United States.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Enjoy the podcast.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Welcome, Brad, to Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.
BRAD ANDERSON: Thank you so much, Bridget.
BRAD ANDERSON: So excited to be here.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’ve been excited about being on Let’s Talk Loyalty for a while now.
BRAD ANDERSON: So very excited we can make it happen.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: We are too.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: We’re delighted to have you, delighted to have the award-winning Hilton Honors program featured on the show.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And of course, the really successful Hilton company in general.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So thank you, we really, really appreciate that.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So before we come and dive into matters of how Hilton affects customer loyalty, customer engagement to contribute to the success of Hilton, we’d like to ask just a few questions about you so the audience can get to know you a little bit better.
BRAD ANDERSON: Sounds great.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: With that, the founder of Let’s Talk Loyalty is Paula Thomas.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And she has a question she’d like to always ask as a kickoff to these interviews.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And that is, what is your favorite or most influential non-fiction book that has really affected your thinking on customer engagement, customer loyalty, leadership, or just general business practices?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, it’s a great question.
BRAD ANDERSON: I do really love autobiographies or biographies.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I think my pick will have to go to a book called Ride of a Lifetime.
BRAD ANDERSON: I don’t know if you’ve read it by Bob Iger, who is the current Disney CEO.
BRAD ANDERSON: Was the former CEO and I think he’s still retiring again.
BRAD ANDERSON: And it’s a story about how he started his career media at ABC in New York and came into the Disney business.
BRAD ANDERSON: And what I love most as a hospitality professional, just how Disney drives the most emotive, magical experiences for customers.
BRAD ANDERSON: Actually, my family and I were, we just took our young children to Disney World two weeks ago.
BRAD ANDERSON: This hotel behind me is the Baker K Curio in Florida.
BRAD ANDERSON: We had some fun at the beach too.
BRAD ANDERSON: But what I love when you go to Disney World is just kind of how Bob’s leadership takes a really inspirational way to drive the best in class customer experience across all these markets.
BRAD ANDERSON: And they do the small touches so, so beautifully well.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we also approach it, a last thing I’ll say is we stayed at the Waldorf Historial Orlando, which is great.
BRAD ANDERSON: The guest can also use the Lazy River at the Connected Signia by Hilton.
BRAD ANDERSON: So it’s just a great home base after going to the parks with our family.
BRAD ANDERSON: So that’s the book I would choose.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I’m envious of all that you have just said, certainly on the vacationing and the gorgeous places you were able to go enjoy with your family.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And while I have not read this book, I’m a fan of Bob Iger.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I think he’s done a lot of great things and clearly coming back is reflective of his impact and his leadership.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And I agree with you.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I mean, we’ve had the opportunity to go to Disney World and Disneyland, it just is a moment of awe when I’ve been there just to see how they are able to interact with every sort of person who is there.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You know, young, old, English is their first language, it’s not their first language.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Some folks who may need some assistance and they do it without effort.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: It’s so beautiful to observe, so respectful, and so individual, so human-like, and I really, really admire that about the brand.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So I’m glad you called that out as we really kind of get further into this interview.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Listeners would also love to know a little bit more about you and your background and what your current role is at Hilton.
BRAD ANDERSON: Absolutely.
BRAD ANDERSON: So my most important role is a father of two amazing kids, as I mentioned, and support of my partner and wife of over 13 years.
BRAD ANDERSON: But professionally at Hilton, I serve as the Vice President of Hilton Honors, which as you said, is our award-winning guest loyalty program.
BRAD ANDERSON: But today reaches nearly 250 million members all around the world.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’ve been with Hilton for almost for over nine years now.
BRAD ANDERSON: And in all that time, I’ve been with Hilton Honors, and I’ve had the privilege of shaping the program into a program that’s more flexible, more personal, and more rewarding for a member.
BRAD ANDERSON: So my direct team oversees the global strategy of the program, product design, member experience, hotel facing engagement of the program.
BRAD ANDERSON: Really anything to do with points and the economics of the program.
BRAD ANDERSON: We work on enrolling new members.
BRAD ANDERSON: I think we did around 32 million last year, and big operations of the program across 9,000 plus hotels.
BRAD ANDERSON: So very large remit for a product that touches every single Hilton portfolio hotel, all across the world, across 140 countries and territories.
BRAD ANDERSON: So huge privilege.
BRAD ANDERSON: Prior to Hilton, I did work in strategy and innovation consulting, where I really developed that passion for loyalty and customer experience, consumer programs, and bringing that passion to life at this global scale, is kind of a pinching moment to really impact millions of travelers lives.
BRAD ANDERSON: So awesome opportunity to drive the program forward.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well, one, you’ve had two great career positions in such a short period of time.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And two, clearly, you all are doing a lot of right.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Just looking at the stats on enrolments over a short clip of time, it is staggering what you’ve accomplished.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And now to boast of a quarter of a billion people active in your program is really something to be very proud of.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So well done.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well done for you all.
BRAD ANDERSON: That’s a passion to love.
BRAD ANDERSON: Don’t, it’s all good.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: The smile on your face tells it all.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Okay, so let’s wrap this section up with, what are your personal favorite loyalty programs to participate in?
BRAD ANDERSON: Awesome.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’m a member of hundreds of loyalty programs.
BRAD ANDERSON: But I’m going to go a little non-traditional.
BRAD ANDERSON: So if you be on that journey with me, that’s okay.
BRAD ANDERSON: I won’t mention a major global program.
BRAD ANDERSON: However, I am very Hilton Honors biased, but one program, air quotes for listeners, I love to stay inspired by is actually my local ice cream shop.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s called Tipped Cow in personal Virginia.
BRAD ANDERSON: So if you are all global travelers listening, it’s only 30 minutes from the Washington DC Dulles Airport.
BRAD ANDERSON: And they have a super simple program.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s a buy 10, get one free spin of a wheel, physically in the small local shop.
BRAD ANDERSON: They know my kids’ names.
BRAD ANDERSON: They have a super high quality product of ice cream, of course, which you need for any loyalty program from local farms out there.
BRAD ANDERSON: And the options on the wheel are always fun.
BRAD ANDERSON: They’re from simple, free scoop of ice cream to ice cream for a year.
BRAD ANDERSON: So it kind of gives you that emotive element, which is fun.
BRAD ANDERSON: And the reason I mention this one and I take inspiration, is we always obviously run a really large 250 million member program.
BRAD ANDERSON: And the goal is always personal one-to-one relationships, obviously done at scale.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we need to take the spirit of a local ice cream shop.
BRAD ANDERSON: And I also just love the simplicity of how we can keep our program simple with complex global operations and have a member that sticks with you.
BRAD ANDERSON: So the last reflection I’ll say is just how much my family obviously loves ice cream.
BRAD ANDERSON: But there is also five shops in our small town.
BRAD ANDERSON: So competition is still fierce and this small, seemingly small edge of a loyalty program may be the difference.
BRAD ANDERSON: So of course, running up points and program at scale is a little different, but I’d say the spirit stays with me and I inspire the team to do that as well.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well, listen, I love everything you said and I really love that you also brought in the importance of keeping it simple.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You know, you don’t want to make it so involved or so complicated that, you know, customers just abandon it or just human inertia comes in.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And I love also the fact that the tipping cow has something that one could argue is a bit more predictable, like get your 11th scoop for free or in something really fun and magical and over the top ice cream for the year.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So love the example that you shared with our audience.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So thank you.
BRAD ANDERSON: Absolutely.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s fun.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So as we get into this further, one thing I just wanted to ask you to start the conversation off with is about the culture at Hilton.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And how is it that the employee-centric, customer-centric approach that Hilton takes has been an integral part of its success?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, it’s a great question.
BRAD ANDERSON: We always start with culture as a company.
BRAD ANDERSON: So our commitment is very, very strong to continue to invest in the workplace culture.
BRAD ANDERSON: And it’s really centered on enabling the career growth for our team members who are at the heart of providing service.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so we do have some internal company data that might be interesting to share.
BRAD ANDERSON: The vast majority of Hilton team members globally, that’s above and on property, the company is a great place to work, over 90 percent.
BRAD ANDERSON: And you can get this sense because nine out of ten believe they can continue to learn and grow.
BRAD ANDERSON: Over nearly 90 percent of team members believe they can carry out their goals here at a company.
BRAD ANDERSON: And nearly two-thirds of recent hotel and corporate leadership roles have been filled by internal candidates.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we’re investing in the folks that give longevity to us.
BRAD ANDERSON: And a lot of folks have been here, 32 percent have been here over a decade.
BRAD ANDERSON: So longevity speaks for itself.
BRAD ANDERSON: And I’d say the most important thing is that we were also named, again, the number one best place to work by fortunate and great places to work for the second time in three years.
BRAD ANDERSON: So here’s why it matters for a loyalty experience.
BRAD ANDERSON: You know, we’re people serving people business.
BRAD ANDERSON: And Hilton Honors is one of the best ways to experience the fullness of the Brandon Hilton experience.
BRAD ANDERSON: Where we have the most engaged, the best place to work, and we’re taking care of our team members, they deliver that light and work the hospitality, which is our company’s vision.
BRAD ANDERSON: And it just means our members will have a better experience.
BRAD ANDERSON: So it starts with the team members working with our guests and members.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we’re super proud of that as a company, we will always continue to invest in that experience.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You hit on something again that I’m happy to amplify is, you really aren’t going to have guest engagement and the absence of employee engagement.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And the fact that Hilton invests in this, and the proof is in the pudding, to be once again recognized with other very elite companies.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: But once again, I think really just sets it out there on my own about what Hilton is doing.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So well done and congratulations certainly to you and everyone at Hilton on that honor yet again.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So, as we both know, we’ve talked about it, winning the customer, winning their wallets really requires the brand to bring everything to bear, right?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: It’s not just a matter of that you have a terrific incentive based program that allows you to measure acquisition, activation, and retention.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Really, it’s got to be everything that the brand brings to bear.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: In the hotel space, you’ve got your own complexities, right?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You have to have your relative location, right?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You have to have the price point that’s attractive to the customer.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Then really, what’s the local culture?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: What is it that the feel, the vibe that is going to be relevant to the customer?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Combined with, what’s the customer experience?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: That’s really back to the employees that we’ve talked about, how they’re empowered, how they’re trained, etc.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Then things like tech capabilities.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: That altogether then wrapped around a big bow of what you take care of, really gets you to this matter of customer loyalty for Hilton.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Let’s start with the first piece about your properties, your 27 well-known brands.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Talk to us a bit about what you have, and then why you have what you have.
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, it’s great.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s a great question.
BRAD ANDERSON: The loyalty program is only as good as the branded product that you’re supporting as well.
BRAD ANDERSON: Hilton is one of the largest global hospitality companies in the world.
BRAD ANDERSON: We have a very broad set of hotel brands from our focused service elements.
BRAD ANDERSON: So think Hampton Inn, if you’re familiar with that, or Spark by Hilton, one of our newest focused service elements, all the way up to the highest end luxury with our Waldorf Astoria brand and Conrad brand.
BRAD ANDERSON: So and then obviously full service, all suites and luxury lifestyle in between.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so we have a diverse portfolio that really spans also very regionally, so across the entire world.
BRAD ANDERSON: And we’ve always been very laser focused as a company on drawing clear distinctions or swim lanes between our brands to make sure we’re meeting every need of every customer at every price point with a distinct offering, and make sure that we are relevant for every stay occasion that is desired by our guests.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we’re very intentional.
BRAD ANDERSON: We will mostly build our own brands.
BRAD ANDERSON: Anything we’ve launched, I think we have 27 now, as you mentioned, when I started, I think we had 14, nine years ago.
BRAD ANDERSON: So anything we’ve added is to offer that unique position within our portfolio, to also give our owners opportunities to build these amazing hotels in these key locations.
BRAD ANDERSON: So our Hilton Honors members, you can stay across all those brands.
BRAD ANDERSON: And with 250 million members who book direct and deliver those benefits, we want them to have that diversity of experiences, so they don’t just think of one brand per se.
BRAD ANDERSON: So they can trial us for their business trips on the Hampton and then maybe use those points at a Waldorf Astoria if that’s what they want to do.
BRAD ANDERSON: The last thing I’ll say is that we’ve also been investing in new ways to stay, which we can talk a bit more about.
BRAD ANDERSON: There’s some really exciting partnerships like the small luxury hotels of the world.
BRAD ANDERSON: So beyond our three branded luxury hotels, including LXR Collection Brand, we’re adding on some new aspirational travel opportunities in these smaller hotels.
BRAD ANDERSON: I think we have over 500 participating in that partnership.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we’re always adding to that branded experience which makes the program stronger.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well, a couple of points.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: One, we’re in this era of insatiable demand for premium experiences.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And Brad, it’s my view that we’re going to be in this space for decades.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I really think the demographics are supportive of people who have health, who have wealth, and they want to go have the experiences they want to have.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And so I love hearing about LXR.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: But you’ve also done something very interesting with Yotel that really takes on a different purpose, really helping to provide affordability and make your metropolitan areas.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Any color you’d like to add on that?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, Yotel is fresh news in March 2026.
BRAD ANDERSON: So last week, we announced an exclusive agreement with Yotel that will provide guests another way to stay within our growing portfolio.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so these are really efficient hotels and urban markets, and they’ve really pioneered new ways for guests to stay through their really smart design and their tech-enabled features.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so what’s exciting about Yotel is it will be the first brand in the newly established Select by Hilton.
BRAD ANDERSON: And Select by Hilton is a brand designed to create those new ways to add in these really strong brands in themselves, so they can join Select by Hilton, and that will allow them to retain their own identity and brand management while they connect into Hilton Honors and our Hilton distribution platform.
BRAD ANDERSON: So it’s just even one more way for our members to get other experience through booking and staying with us at Hilton.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So I admire all of this.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: It’s decades now when I recall that hotels starting to create these additional brands, like they had the mother brand and then brands underneath that.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And, you know, my background in the airline business are getting to customer and product segmentation, segmentation was much after the hotels, but you all have been long at this.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: But it does present a complexity, and, you know, something that, you know, has to be carefully managed.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And what I’d love to talk now about is the customer experience.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Because, you know, clearly there’s going to be an experience at the Waldorf versus the Hampton Inn.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: But there’s also going to be that, without a doubt, Hilton experience that’s going to be experienced at any of the 27 brands.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So what can you tell our listeners about?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: How do you make that happen?
PAULA: This episode is brought to you by Zeta, AI-powered marketing.
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BRAD ANDERSON: Learn more at zetaglobal.com Yeah, I think it starts with what we talked about a few minutes ago, that we’re in the business of people serving people.
BRAD ANDERSON: And we’re also really focused on providing a reliable and friendly hotel stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: That may be a little bit different based on the branded experience we’re talking about.
BRAD ANDERSON: A luxury hotel, that might mean something slightly different than a really efficient Lean Hampton.
BRAD ANDERSON: But the stay is the heart of what we do.
BRAD ANDERSON: Hilton is for the stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: So, and as we have guests that stay longer with us, it may be an all-sweets or a hotel where you can stay a very, very long number of nights, like a Live Smart by Hilton.
BRAD ANDERSON: That might mean something different, because they might know who you are as you’re in room X, and you’re there for 30, 60, 90 days.
BRAD ANDERSON: So, I think it speaks to the personality of each brand is really important to us.
BRAD ANDERSON: And it’s really driven by our founder of Conrad Hilton, is making sure that that personality speaks for itself.
BRAD ANDERSON: And when you layer in the Honors program, it really is adding something on top of that amazing premium estate that we talked about.
BRAD ANDERSON: So, anything we do with the program, which I’m sure we’ll talk in-depth about, we want to enhance that and make the state better, or make sure you’re being rewarded in ways that have you a trial out a few different brands.
BRAD ANDERSON: So, that is totally fine.
BRAD ANDERSON: There are members that really love Hampton, and that’s what they love to do, and they may trade up for that vacation.
BRAD ANDERSON: But making sure we keep that personality of each brand is super important.
BRAD ANDERSON: So, it starts and ends with hospitality.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we are very focused on that as a company, in any product or brand itself.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well, I’m a Hilton Honors member, and I enjoy my stays at Hilton very much.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And I’m a broad user of your brands.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I haven’t stayed at all 27, but I’ve stayed at many.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: What do you find with your customers?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Do you see them taking advantage of this breadth?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Or do you see some really going deep or a mix of both?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, it kind of depends on the customer, of course, but I’d say there are pretty power uses of certain brands.
BRAD ANDERSON: So there are definitely folks that love Hampton Inn, and that is 90 plus percent of what they stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: I think you also see a lot of members trial out different experiences.
BRAD ANDERSON: So they may go on a business trip to a Hilton Hotel, Hilton Hotel and Resort.
BRAD ANDERSON: They may then go to a luxury experience on their vacations, and they may trial out something like a graduate, which is new to our portfolio, for their college visits back with their children.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we kind of, as I said, we want to have a stay for every occasion.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’d say what’s new also is we’re adding places that we haven’t added before.
BRAD ANDERSON: So apartments by Hilton is another example of something we announced earlier this year, where we entered into a new lodging category, adding really unique spacious furnished apartments, as that was the area we could invest upon.
BRAD ANDERSON: We’re doing that in partnership with a company called Placemaker, as we enter in that and add these places in the coming months.
BRAD ANDERSON: But that’s another example of like, we heard that loud and clear from some of our customers.
BRAD ANDERSON: They wanted that experience, and we went out and sought the best in class way to bring that forward.
BRAD ANDERSON: So that is another type of stay that a member might have as they journey through with us.
BRAD ANDERSON: But I’d say the red thread between all of it is the program and it doesn’t matter to me, which brand you stay at, but let’s reward you for each of those and make sure you can and use your points on a really, really magical stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: That’s, I’m sure something we’ll get into a little bit later.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well, I really, again, respect the attention and the efforts that Hilton places in being relevant and really acting upon changing tastes and preferences by customers and just making those bets, making those investments to bring the relevant product to the customer.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Really love that and certainly have enjoyed my graduate stays in Nashville and Evanston, Illinois.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well done with that property.
BRAD ANDERSON: Thank you for your loyalty.
BRAD ANDERSON: Thank you for your loyalty.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Enjoy it very, very much.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Now we have the opportunity to talk about what’s immediately in your remit and that’s that Hilton Honors program.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: We’ve already talked about if you don’t have the core product right, there’s not enough incentives or whatever that you can apply against it, you know.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: There was certainly a period in the airline industry many years ago where things were kind of tough and you really had your loyalty programs that you had to really lean in on.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: But now it’s really a broad set of offerings, much like yourselves, that the Hilton Honors program can just really go do its thing as an amplification, as a tie together.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So let’s start with how would you describe the strategic positioning of the Hilton Honors program as a key lever of how you acquire, activate and retain customers?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yep.
BRAD ANDERSON: That’s a great question.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I won’t belabor the point, but making sure we have the strongest brands is a key positioning point for us as Hilton Honors.
BRAD ANDERSON: And make sure we can do that at scale, across anywhere you want to go is a starting point.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’d say once you get into the program itself, my vision for the program with my amazing team globally is to make sure you have the best loyalty experience, writ large, cross-industry, right?
BRAD ANDERSON: So making sure our perks and the status that we have folks seek for, and the point currency that we build is the strongest across different elements.
BRAD ANDERSON: And also make sure we have some space for that once in a lifetime experience, maybe at the Grammys or some of our experiences platform.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’d say put most simply though, Hilton Honors makes staying more rewarding for you as a guest.
BRAD ANDERSON: So what does that mean?
BRAD ANDERSON: So in some ways, let’s say you have only one stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: We want to make sure that you get a constant value, whether that’s free Wi-Fi, or you can use our amazing digital experiences, like digital key share, which is unique in the industry.
BRAD ANDERSON: Then for those power users, right?
BRAD ANDERSON: So when you want that dream stay, it’s making sure that you can get fifth night free to make sure you can stretch your points further.
BRAD ANDERSON: I have a really flexible points to money slider.
BRAD ANDERSON: So no matter how many points you have, you can combine that to get to that stay, which is ultimately what the program is about.
BRAD ANDERSON: And then for those elite tiers, so you get to gold, diamond, and we’ll talk a bit about diamond reserve, making sure we’re elevating the stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: So that’s a food and beverage experience, best in class upgrades experience, and confirming it 72 hours ahead of time.
BRAD ANDERSON: Like the differentiation of an upgrade experience really matters to our loyalty guests that travel 80 plus nights a year.
BRAD ANDERSON: Last thing I’ll say is having a strong co-branded credit card product is really important to us with our Mercury Express partners.
BRAD ANDERSON: Make sure you can engage in the program when you aren’t traveling is also important to keep you thinking about Hilton and top of mind in between your trips.
BRAD ANDERSON: So that is the spirit of core of the program.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Wow.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I’m a fan.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I enjoy it and really appreciate that description you just provided to all the listeners.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Now what I want to talk about is y’all have been very busy.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: In January 1, you went live with a whole set of changes.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Love to hear the what and why with the objectives and the impetus for the changes, the designs and how success is being measured and any sort of early reads on the impact of the changes.
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah.
BRAD ANDERSON: I know we have an audience of loyalty professionals as amongst other travelers.
BRAD ANDERSON: And you can see a few of my gray hairs.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’m guessing they know how hard it is to launch some of the most significant changes to the program we’ve done in a year.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I’d say when we thought about making changes, we’re very thoughtful.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’d say we want to make sure we’re recognizing folks in meaningful ways and just not acknowledging them, but really celebrate them.
BRAD ANDERSON: So all these new elements we launched, we’re listening to customers.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we have a transfer report we do every year, and 56 percent of travelers say having a lead status in a program is important to them, understanding and underscoring the demand for this important recognition.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we looked across the loyalty landscape, not just the travel industry, and they do sometimes feel interchangeable.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we know how crowded it is.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we want to stand out when we make these changes.
BRAD ANDERSON: So as I said before, getting the right offering to match how many nights you have as a member to provide is really important.
BRAD ANDERSON: So a lot of these changes is on the higher end, the more frequent travelers, which we thought there was a chance to differentiate more.
BRAD ANDERSON: So the big part of the change is adding a new tier, which folks have asked me probably for nine plus years about.
BRAD ANDERSON: We’re calling Diamond Reserve.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so this tier is created truly for our road warriors.
BRAD ANDERSON: We know that not every traveler can get to 80 plus nights, but want to make sure they feel rewarded along the way.
BRAD ANDERSON: So the qualifications for that new tier are 80 nights or 40 stays and $18,000 USD spend.
BRAD ANDERSON: This is truly the best of the best of the best.
BRAD ANDERSON: And this unlocks really exclusive, elevated experience and benefits tailored to those frequent travelers.
BRAD ANDERSON: So the ones I’ll call out are something called the Confirmable Upgrade Reward, which in my opinion is the strongest in the industry, where it allows you to choose and confirm your premium room upgrade up to and including a one bedroom suite at the time of booking for up to seven full nights.
BRAD ANDERSON: Hugely valuable to our members for that amazing stay that they need for their family.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s at Disney like myself.
BRAD ANDERSON: Highest bonus point earning at 120 percent bonus as you earn more points in our program than others.
BRAD ANDERSON: A very important elevated customer service diamond reserve desk.
BRAD ANDERSON: One that I love personally, as I like to linger in hotels longer, guaranteed 4 p.m.
BRAD ANDERSON: late checkout, truly guaranteed no questions asked across all of our portfolio of hotels.
BRAD ANDERSON: Those were the ones asked most for by our members, and we intend to deliver that at scale.
BRAD ANDERSON: The other thing we did with these changes, is to lower the qualifications for gold and diamond status, to make those tiers more attainable, while literally not changing the current benefits across those tiers.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we saw that from our program, from silver, which is generally 10 nights, to gold, which is 40 nights, that 30 night gap may be too big for some travelers, particularly in region, which I think a lot about.
BRAD ANDERSON: So making that tier achievement threshold to make more sense, we brought gold diamond down by 10 nights, but just making sure the pacing is right, as we heard that from Emer.
BRAD ANDERSON: So what that means is our Hilton gold status is now the most valuable mid-tier lead status in the industry, with the only loyalty program that offers FMB credit, FMB developments, either continental breakfasts or credits, at 20 nights of loyalty, across thousands of loyalty, full service lifestyle luxury brands.
BRAD ANDERSON: So super proud of that, but those are the main changes we made.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So again, going at it at both ends like you have, I think makes a world of sense, right?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Now the high end and doing more about what really matters, like that dedicated service line, you know, a wonderful way for more personal connections to be created between employees and customers and just the high touch experiences they’re going to have.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And then a late day checkout is, I mean, that’s just top of the mark.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And then on the other side where you’ve lowered the requirements for gold, for example, I think it also makes a world of sense because, you know, it’s just a matter of getting them into the ecosystem, right?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And let the marketing and the partnerships and all that really makes up entirely the program do its thing to get them even more engaged.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So I think, you know, even stepping down a bit actually can result in getting more from the customer.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So I really look forward to how this all plays out for you.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And in the meantime, really congratulations, because these are big accomplishments.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And yes, those of us in this space understand greatly what you would have gone through both internally and making the tech work and getting training out, etc.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So super well done for you all.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And so as we think about this, I want to talk a bit about returning value to customers, right?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I mean, I appreciate the things about the stay and the F&B credits, etc.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: But how are you thinking about redemption?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: How do you think about the points for the stay or for the upgrade?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: How is that position within Hilton?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, that’s a great question.
BRAD ANDERSON: Our team is really focused on making the strongest value per point we can in the industry.
BRAD ANDERSON: And I come back to it, it matters where you stay in the hotels that are in the system.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we’ve really focused on adding, as I said, those small luxury hotels to add as much value as we can.
BRAD ANDERSON: Hilton actually adds almost three hotels a day to the system, so it’s always something new for members to experience.
BRAD ANDERSON: And that’s the benefit of being one of the fastest growing global hospitality companies.
BRAD ANDERSON: There’s always something new and exciting to redeem upon.
BRAD ANDERSON: If you’re interested in top redemption hotels, we have several.
BRAD ANDERSON: You know, the Grandma Leia in Maui, if you’ve been.
BRAD ANDERSON: That’s an awesome hotel.
BRAD ANDERSON: It has seven pools, seven slides for your family if you enjoy that.
BRAD ANDERSON: Conrad, Tokyo, the New York Hilton Midtown, World of Astoria, Las Vegas, and the Hilton, Cancun, Mar-Cory Bay all-inclusive.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’ve stayed at four of these five, but I definitely need to get down to Cancun with the family.
BRAD ANDERSON: But in terms of keeping it fresh and exciting, we have a lot of new openings in 2026.
BRAD ANDERSON: So what I’m really excited about is the World of Astoria Admiralty Arch, which you can literally see Buckingham Palace from the rooms.
BRAD ANDERSON: We have some really exciting Conrad’s in Greece that are opening in Athens and Corfu.
BRAD ANDERSON: For the US listeners, we have a canopy in Deer Valley in Utah.
BRAD ANDERSON: That will be, I’m guessing, very highly redeemed upon property.
BRAD ANDERSON: And then in Asia, we have the Nomad Singapore, the Canopy Okinawa and the Waldorf in Kuala Lumpur.
BRAD ANDERSON: And the reason I mention those is that that is where the value comes in these programs.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we are really excited about those.
BRAD ANDERSON: And the last thing I’ll say on Redemption is, we also have a really broad Hilton Honors experiences platform.
BRAD ANDERSON: So you can bid on some of our exclusive partnerships like McLaren.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so I think some of the highest redeemed properties are experiences with the British Grand Prix in Silverstone and the Singapore Grand Prix in Singapore.
BRAD ANDERSON: So having McLaren as a partner really unlocks a few more emotive elements for the point currency beyond just hotel stays.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: For sure.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I mean, providing members access to something they can only get through Hilton is as important as getting redemption for the Waldorf in New York.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And the thing that strikes me is you describe some of the most desired redemptions and some of the new venues coming online is that you’re really marrying like some of these really sought after top of the line brands with exceptional locations.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You know, just to hear the description of the Waldorf just outside of Buckingham Palace, for example.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: You know, that’s just going to be extraordinary.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And each of those that you listed out have that element to them.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So, you know, well done Hilton, you know, leaving nothing to chance on this.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So let’s talk a little bit about the other side of partnerships.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Where you can earn some Hilton Honors points as you extend your experiences for your customers beyond what can be more episodic, hotel stays.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Things that you’re doing to kind of create something that may be more routine or habitual or certainly more frequent than a hotel stay.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: What can you share with us about, you know, your unforgettable experiences or Lyft or, you know, shopping with Amazon, et cetera?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, so Lyft is a great example of kind of a travel-adjacent experience.
BRAD ANDERSON: We’ve had a great partnership with them over, you know, I want to say seven or eight years now.
BRAD ANDERSON: So this allows you, our partnership with them, to earn Hilton Honors points, amongst other partners we have, to earn three points per dollar on any ride in the US and Canada, kind of rack up those points, whether they’re on a business trip or even around town.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so then that also allows you, we also have a partnership with them to redeem your points on Lyft, if that’s what you want to do, in addition to using points at hotels.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we look most for these kind of broad based experiences with any partner that wants to issue points to their guests or their members as well.
BRAD ANDERSON: What’s unique about Lyft, I would say, is that we also took it a step further, integrated them right into the Hilton Honors app.
BRAD ANDERSON: So you can open it up, you can click the link in the stay card, it actually puts the hotel address right where you need it.
BRAD ANDERSON: So how many times have you had to fumble around, where am I staying, what’s going on?
BRAD ANDERSON: So it kind of reinforces the digital experience for a partner like that.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I’d say that’s the best example across a fully integrated member experience, but we’re always seeking things like that.
BRAD ANDERSON: I’d say our credit cards are also one of the best ways to earn points while you’re at home.
BRAD ANDERSON: And we’ve had a long storied relationship with American Express.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we have over 70 years of partnership with them.
BRAD ANDERSON: And I’d say, arguably, we have the best cart portfolio in the industry.
BRAD ANDERSON: And we just refreshed them, actually, in 2023 with some new enhanced perks across different cards.
BRAD ANDERSON: So it’s a great experience with them as well to earn some more points.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Yeah, no, agreed.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I mean, all these are really awesome examples of how you extend the Hilton brand experience for customers.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And I’m a big fan of the Lyft Hilton Hilton Honors tie-up.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So thank you very much for that.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So let’s talk a little bit about the integration of these partnerships.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Is there any sort of joint tech or joint community efforts or co-sponsorships?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Is there anything else that you are doing together that are just a little more outwardly facing and even at a higher level than what is happening at the customer level?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, it’s a great question and I’ll use American Express as well on that one.
BRAD ANDERSON: Any partner you want at as broad base as you possibly can, American Express is one of the strongest partners in the world.
BRAD ANDERSON: So last year actually in an unfortunate situation, during the Los Angeles wildfires, we partnered together with AMEX to make 20,000 hotel rooms available at no charge to folks across the Los Angeles area.
BRAD ANDERSON: And I could send you some tearjerker videos about what that meant to be cared for during one of the worst moments of people’s lives.
BRAD ANDERSON: We also did something similar during the pandemic where we offered 2 million rooms collectively with that experience for first responders who are affected by these crises.
BRAD ANDERSON: So free rooms are important when they’re important.
BRAD ANDERSON: And in most difficult times, we want partners that can go above and beyond, who really deeply care for guests and customers.
BRAD ANDERSON: So that’s where the power of a Hilton and AMX combined can really deliver.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Yeah, and really celebrate and enable and support community.
BRAD ANDERSON: Absolutely.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Those are really very generous and thoughtful and moving examples that you just shared, Brad.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So thank you very much.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And so, what is understanding customer engagement and retention in the absence of measurement?
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Measurement, measurement.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So talk to us a little bit about some of your data, insights, capabilities, what you do measure, what really are those metrics that you know that the business is working well.
BRAD ANDERSON: I love me a good KPI, the business leader.
BRAD ANDERSON: So yeah, we use data in a couple of different ways to engage with customers and also to measure our business and make sure we’re keeping ourselves accountable for a complicated hospitality business.
BRAD ANDERSON: So the first thing kind of where I start with data is customer information, right?
BRAD ANDERSON: So how we did all these changes was talking to our customers, observing where they’re staying, what’s going on with what they need as a guest.
BRAD ANDERSON: That’s kind of where Guarantee of the Checkout came from and the focus on upgrades is paramount to us.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so that’s obviously a key place we look at.
BRAD ANDERSON: On the business side, we are working with amazing hotel owners who build the assets and then we bring our branded experience and our expertise there.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I’m very closely looking at how are we delivering for that stakeholder.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so the program is delivering a pipeline of loyal customers.
BRAD ANDERSON: So as we grow the program, we want to make sure more members are staying and booking direct with them.
BRAD ANDERSON: So there’s a KPI called Loyalty Occupancy, which is a number of member nights as a percent of all those occupied nights.
BRAD ANDERSON: So right now, as we speak, two out of every three guests in our 9,000 plus hotels are Hilton Honors members, and they’re booking direct.
BRAD ANDERSON: So what that means is it’s a more advantageous booking through our direct channels, lower cost for our hotel owners, than going out to an online travel agent to secure that booking.
BRAD ANDERSON: So the more we drive that, delivers more revenue for the hotels, they can build more amazing assets across the globe in the places we talked about.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I think those are a few things that I spent a lot of time thinking about.
BRAD ANDERSON: And I think the last thing I’ll say is how we grow in other parts of the world.
BRAD ANDERSON: So I spent a lot of time thinking about growth in China, Middle East Africa, the Caribbean, Latin American markets, as well as Europe.
BRAD ANDERSON: And we’re very focused on new and exciting ways to be relevant in the region.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so I looked at that very closely on how we’re growing internationally cross-border, as that’s a lifeline of cross-border travels critical in the hospitality world.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Yes, it is.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I mean, you know, Hilton is a truly global company.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And one thing and we’ve talked a bit about complexity, but it’s across many brands around the world and at scale, as you have mentioned.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And so I think all of that really just makes me admire you all even more on how well you execute.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And so with that, I want to just say we’ve covered a lot here and all good stuff.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I just want to give you the opportunities.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Anything else you’d like to share with the listeners?
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, it’s a really in Japan loyalty program.
BRAD ANDERSON: So we could talk for five hours, but it’s been a pleasure.
BRAD ANDERSON: I think everything we’ve talked about today is a labor of love for me and the team truly deeply.
BRAD ANDERSON: And it’s been in the works a long time, these changes.
BRAD ANDERSON: And really, we truly listen to our customers.
BRAD ANDERSON: And so when you make changes like this, and while the details are very important, it does come down to the personal stories that will emerge from a future stay.
BRAD ANDERSON: That is how we hold ourselves accountable.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s like as a dad of two kids, I know the needs of other moms and dads out there who just need that little bit extra space from a confirmed upgrade to let your kids run into your arms, whether it’s at a Waldorf or other places, and have some space to build a pillow for it, which may or may not be a true story.
BRAD ANDERSON: But that’s why we do what we do.
BRAD ANDERSON: We create most rewarding stays, rich in stories, you tell your friends and family when you return, and excited to repeat it again and again, all in lock by Hilton Honors.
BRAD ANDERSON: That’s really why I spend every hour of my day driving it forward.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s an amazing global team.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I say well done.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And so with that, we’d love to make sure that listeners can get in touch with you.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: So we’ll provide their LinkedIn profile if that works for you.
BRAD ANDERSON: Yeah, for folks who want to learn about Hilton Honors, just go to hiltonhonors.com.
BRAD ANDERSON: But if you want to connect with me professionally, you can find me on LinkedIn.
BRAD ANDERSON: It’s very easy.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Well, thank you.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Really can’t thank you enough for being here today.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: And to our listeners, thanks for joining us.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: I think this was an excellent episode and I hope you enjoyed it.
BRIDGET BLAISE-SHAMAI: Take care.
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