Crafting Loyalty with a Luxury Touch: Inside Lalit Suri Hospitality Group (#712)

Monika: The Lalit has been at the forefront of supporting some initiatives.

Monika: For example, education of underprivileged, skilling of marginalized communities.

Juber: The paid program gives you a flat discount.

Juber: So it’s a dynamic.

Juber: You come, you pay for an amount, and you get these benefits.

Juber: You get straight away a 40%, 30% discount when you dine with us.

Juber: And it’s like an instant gratification.

Juber: It’s a delightment for us that the generation, of course, and the members have that mindset that before they redeemed the points for stay or for food and beverage or for spa, they also have donated the points.

Monika: And the new program is designed with a long-term vision where it comes with a broader relationship strategy.

Juber: We were given an opportunity to go through a learning process and we had a capstone project and where one of the project was a loyalty program.

Juber: We really did along, I think, very few company and few hotel brands will invest in the learnings of the team members.

Juber: So I’m fortunate to be part of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.

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: If you work in loyalty marketing, join us every week to hear the latest ideas and insights for loyalty marketing specialists around the world.

Paula: Hello and welcome to today’s episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.

Paula: It’s Paula Thomas here and I’m delighted to be today chatting with Monica Sharma and Juber Shaikh from the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, one of the leading privately owned domestic hotel brands in India.

Paula: The Lalit Group operates and manages hotels, palaces and resorts with a focus on the luxury segment.

Paula: In today’s episode, Monica and Juber share the strong brand that the group has created, the history of loyalty in the group and how the program proposition fits with the brand’s proposition, to create what they believe to be a loyalty program with a difference.

Paula: I hope you enjoy today’s conversation with Monica Sharma and Juber Shaikh from the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group in India.

Paula: So Monica Sharma and Juber Shaikh, welcome to Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.

Monika: Thank you so much, Paula.

Monika: Thanks a lot.

Monika: Pleasure to be here.

Paula: Thank you for joining me, Monica and Juber.

Paula: Welcome to you.

Juber: Thank you.

Juber: Thank you, Paula.

Juber: Thank you.

Juber: It’s a pleasure.

Juber: It’s a pleasure.

Juber: Thank you.

Paula: Great.

Paula: Great.

Paula: I know you’re both listeners of the show.

Paula: You watch Loyalty TV, which of course gives me a huge buzz.

Paula: Just to know that the content we produce is of huge value in the Indian market, in your professional journeys as well.

Paula: And now you’re getting to have your first appearance on the show.

Paula: I know what we’re going to talk about today is hot off the press, a brand new loyalty program.

Paula: And so we won’t be talking about results, but we will be talking about the origins, the background, and of course, what your vision is for what you’ve created.

Paula: So lots to talk about.

Paula: But before we get anything, you know, specifically about loyalty, as you know, we always start with something a little bit broader.

Paula: And Monica, I’m going to come to you first and to ask you about any book particularly that has inspired you either recently that you read or even if you read it 20 years ago, it doesn’t really matter.

Paula: Tell us about a book that you feel our audience would be interested in hearing about.

Monika: So thank you so much, Paula, first of all, for the opportunity.

Monika: So grateful to be doing this with you today.

Monika: Very happy about that.

Monika: And for the book, so there are a lot of favorites.

Monika: And one book that I recently read, it’s something that I really enjoyed reading.

Monika: It’s called Thinking Out Loud, Keeping Nothing Behind.

Monika: It’s by an Indian author.

Monika: His name is Tapan Ghosh.

Monika: The reason why I like that book is because it’s questions, common beliefs, rituals, norms, something that people, most people follow blindly.

Monika: So it talks about life topics and it questions, you know, some of the norms and rituals people, people just follow without thinking too much about it.

Monika: So an interesting book and a must read.

Paula: Indeed.

Paula: Yes.

Paula: It sounds like they’re advocating that we shouldn’t be keeping all these secret thoughts that we all have and maybe be a little more open and transparent.

Paula: Would that be fair?

Monika: Yes, absolutely.

Paula: Okay.

Paula: Fantastic.

Paula: Great.

Paula: Okay.

Paula: And of course, as our audience knows, we will link to that book in the show notes.

Paula: And actually, we’re building a specific page now for all of the books that our guests recommend.

Paula: So you can always look back on them later.

Paula: So Juber, over to you.

Paula: I think you also have a very interesting book for our audience.

Paula: So tell us what book would you recommend that we all read?

Juber: Thank you, Paula.

Juber: So my favorite nonfiction book is Delivering Happiness by Tony Sia.

Juber: It’s a simple, powerful reminder that culture and customer obsession are the foundations of loyalty.

Juber: That book shaped a lot of my thinking about loyalty.

Juber: It’s not just transaction endpoints.

Juber: It’s about creating meaningful experiences that people tell their friends about.

Juber: In hospitality, we compete on service and memory.

Juber: Delivering Happiness gives practical examples of how a strong culture and relentless focus on the guest experience can work into long term loyalty.

Paula: Oh, that’s absolutely beautiful, Juber.

Paula: Thank you for that.

Paula: And I would know Tony Hsieh, I don’t know if I’m pronouncing it right, but I know him as the founder of Zappos.

Paula: And I do remember reading something quite extraordinary that he advocated and practiced within the Zappos business, which I think is still the biggest online shoe retailer in the United States.

Paula: But I remember reading that actually when he trained his staff, and he would actually give them a bonus if they wanted to leave at the end.

Paula: So the choice was, I mean, it sounds counterintuitive, but the choice was, if you don’t really, really want to be here for the long term, we’re happy for you to go.

Paula: And but if you want to be part of this company and this culture, then it will be really worth your while.

Paula: But you make that decision early on.

Paula: And it was, as I said, counterintuitive.

Paula: But the man was a total genius.

Paula: I know he passed prematurely.

Paula: I’m not sure what the reason was, but I know there’s a lot of very senior business people, very sad to see such an industry leader passing so soon.

Paula: So thank you for the book and Delivering Happiness.

Paula: I mean, who doesn’t want to deliver happiness that’s listening to this show?

Paula: So that’s perfect.

Paula: We’re off to a great start.

Paula: So let’s get into your personal journeys, I suppose, before we even talk about The LaLit Group.

Paula: Super inspiring, what I’ve learned so far.

Paula: So Monica, I’ll come to you first.

Paula: Tell us a bit about your background in loyalty and how you got into your role, where you are today.

Monika: Well, Paula, I started my career long back, you know, when I was in US and I didn’t have any money at all, did some small cash jobs at that time.

Monika: I have come a long way and my loyalty journey started in 2016.

Monika: Very, very organically, I got an opportunity to move into this space, been there since then, so it’s about nine years.

Monika: I have mostly been on the service side of loyalty.

Monika: What that means is I have been working for organizations that manage loyalty or provide loyalty services to brands.

Monika: I must say I have worked very hard to be where I am today and happy to be a part of the Lalit family at this time.

Paula: Perfect.

Paula: Juber, tell us about you.

Paula: I know you also have a wonderful career and background, and I know you’re a CLMP.

Paula: I know our friends at the Loyalty Academy will be delighted that you’re on the show.

Paula: Tell us, how did you get into the industry and into this role?

Juber: Thank you.

Juber: I’ll start with Namaskar.

Juber: This is a greeting that we practice at our organization, the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.

Juber: About me, I’m Juber Shaikh, Regional Head Loyalty Program at the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group and a certified loyalty marketing professional, as Paula mentioned.

Juber: Over the past 14 years, I’ve specialized in designing and relaunching loyalty programs across hotels, restaurants, and QSR.

Juber: My focus has been on turning loyalty into a purposeful and measurable business results.

Juber: So more than the earn points, burn points, I think the preposition more beyond the transactional loyalty, I think emotional loyalty is something which has been a long thought for me, and it has been throughout my journey.

Juber: So I think, Lalit, I lead the strategy and execution of a loyalty program while guiding a high performing team.

Juber: So I think in the bits, that’s what I would want to, of course, brief the audience.

Paula: Amazing.

Paula: Absolutely.

Paula: We’ll get into the program proposition in a moment, Juber.

Paula: So thank you for that wonderful career.

Paula: And again, I always credit the Loyalty Academy with teaching me exactly what you’ve said.

Paula: It’s about driving profitable behavior change.

Paula: So we can do the emotional side of Loyalty, but we also need the commercial side.

Paula: And at the end of the day, it’s why I fell in love with Loyalty.

Paula: So I think we’re all totally aligned with that.

Paula: But given that our audience is global, of course, we have people listening and watching today in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and who knows how many countries.

Paula: Monica, I’m going to ask you, if you don’t mind just to introduce the overall group, if you don’t mind as a business, give us a sense of the scale of the properties and even the brand as well, because I know that’s a key part of what the program has evolved from.

Paula: So yeah, just introduce the whole business to us and the brand values.

Monika: Sure, Paula.

Monika: So the Lalit in India has about 12 properties across India.

Monika: Some of them are very iconic, very large properties.

Monika: Some of them are heritage properties as well.

Monika: Now, we as a brand, when we say the Lalit, we don’t just stand for business.

Monika: We also stand for a lot, many other things, as in we also stand for giving back to society.

Monika: What I mean by that is, so the Lalit has been at the forefront of supporting some initiatives.

Monika: For example, education of underprivileged, skilling of marginalized communities and diverse communities, and also environmental sustainability.

Monika: So those are some of the initiatives the Lalit has been supporting for many, many years.

Monika: And as far as the work culture is concerned, we are committed to a safe and inclusive work culture for all.

Monika: You know, one that is, you know, one where there’s no discrimination based on social background, gender or identity and equal opportunities are extended to all.

Monika: And beyond our workplace, as I just mentioned, Lalit has been supporting some initiatives and those initiatives have become a part of the program, The LaLit Loyalty.

Monika: So we’ll talk about that, you know, in a few minutes.

Paula: We sure will.

Paula: Absolutely.

Paula: And Juber, I know you’re very passionate about the palaces, the destination focus that Lalit has.

Paula: So I mean, obviously, in the overall context, you know, 12 hotels is a small group.

Paula: And that’s a wonderful experience, of course, because you have so much more opportunity, I suppose, to impact the guests that come to stay with you.

Paula: So tell me your perspective, like, is that why you joined Lalit Group?

Paula: It must be wonderful to have access to staying at properties like this and working for them.

Juber: Thank you.

Juber: Thank you.

Juber: It’s indeed an honor to work for the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.

Juber: And as rightfully our CMD, Dr.

Juber: Jyotsna Suri, is not only we develop hotels, but we develop destination is what she always, Dr.

Juber: Jyotsna Suri, she always refers that.

Juber: And why do we say that is that we have a hotel called the Temple View Khajuraho, which is in Madhya Pradesh in India.

Juber: So it’s like developing complete destination and not just one hotel.

Juber: Similarly, for palace hotels, we have beautiful hotel in Srinagar.

Juber: It’s again a palace hotel.

Juber: And also we have a hotel in Udaipur.

Juber: It’s a tourist destination.

Juber: It’s a leisure property.

Juber: Both the properties are luxurious and amazing.

Juber: And it’s something which our members do wait for that when of course, they will be getting a chance to redeem their points and earn points.

Juber: So I think there’s the two beautiful palaces that is part of our, it’s like a jewel that we have.

Juber: And of course, we do have resort properties.

Juber: We have resort properties in Goa.

Juber: We have resort property in a vehicle, which is in Kerala.

Juber: Again, it’s definitely it’s on the mind of tourists.

Juber: So I think that’s the right mix.

Juber: And we as a brand have palaces, we have resorts, and then we have hotels, city hotels across India.

Paula: Beautiful, beautiful.

Paula: I often say, you know, when I travel on business, for example, I often like to go for branded properties, which might be consistent around the world.

Paula: And of course, there’s value in that.

Paula: But I think when I’m traveling for leisure, the idea of staying in a palace, in a destination that is absolutely unique, and again, only in one place in the world, there’s a real attraction to that as well.

Paula: So you certainly piqued my interest in coming to stay with the Lalit Hospitality Group.

Paula: So thank you for explaining, I suppose, the business.

Paula: And Monica, you touched on the idea of the brand values.

Paula: And I suppose it’s always been a very cause-driven company from what you’ve explained to me even when we met before today.

Paula: That seems to have really taken on a whole new identity for the business, particularly with the DEI, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion.

Paula: So I’d love you just to speak about that because it seems, I suppose, first of all, very innovative in the Indian market.

Paula: Obviously a massive country.

Paula: The last time I checked, I think India had just taken over, in fact, as the biggest country in the world in terms of population from China.

Paula: So I think you guys are still holding that.

Paula: But yet still very traditional in many ways.

Paula: So talk to us about this journey that you’ve been on, because it’s quite brave to come out and have this very strong stance about something that in some places can be seen as quite controversial.

Paula: But it’s obviously something so meaningful for you guys.

Monica: So DEI or inclusivity, for that matter, is in the Lalit’s DNA.

Monika: As I mentioned, the brand has been supporting the skilling of marginalized communities, for a very, very long time.

Monika: The Lalit has been a pioneer in supporting LGBTQI community for a very long time.

Monika: So these are some of the initiatives the brand has been supporting.

Monika: And as I just said, the brand doesn’t really stand only for business.

Monika: It also stands and is known for supporting all these initiatives.

Paula: Beautiful.

Paula: So it’s all about the humanity, which leads us perfectly on to the loyalty propositions.

Paula: So Juber, I know you’ve been involved with this for quite a few years.

Paula: I think you said seven years in total and it has evolved.

Paula: So as much as we’re talking today about the relaunched proposition, a program with a difference, would you take us back a little bit in terms of the history?

Paula: Again, our global audience won’t be familiar with what you’ve done before and why you’ve made these changes and then perhaps, Monica, you can talk us through exactly what you’re seeing in terms of these new changes.

Paula: I know you’re fairly new into Lalit, even though you’ve got all that amazing agency experience, but so much goes into, I suppose, learning from a proposition, noticing when it’s time to have a relaunch.

Paula: So Juber, you’re the expert, I think, in terms of the history.

Paula: So talk us through what’s been done in the past and we can talk through then where we’re at now.

Juber: Sure.

Juber: So I’ll just go back and I’ll just proudly showcase this Peoluv batch which Monika did set.

Juber: So one of the things that we normally do, Peoluv, this is the champion, the Lalit Loyalty Champion batch which we all wear.

Juber: And also this is the Peoluv batch and we are proud in wearing this.

Juber: It’s a Peoluv campaign that we do and we open our doors to all our guests.

Juber: We don’t make any difference.

Juber: We are open for all.

Juber: It’s all inclusive.

Juber: That’s what the message it gives.

Juber: Of course, coming to the next question that you asked us about the evolution of loyalty program at the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.

Juber: We had the program by and large from 20, 25 years.

Juber: A subscription-based loyalty program, which is one of the largest and of course in India, we’ve been there most loved because of the hotels that we had.

Juber: As I said about the palaces, the resorts and the hotels across all 12 major cities in India.

Juber: The loyalty program, the subscription-based loyalty program, the need for us from evolving from the subscription-based loyalty program to a point-based program, was simple that we wanted our guests to be more, of course, the age is now digital age and that the program that we had was a traditional paper-based, voucher-based program.

Juber: We wanted to, of course, take it to digital and of course, wanted to give more features and more accessible to our members.

Juber: Hence, this point-based program was launched on 20th of July, that is, just two months back, 20th of July, and it happens to be a birthday of our respected CMD, Dr.

Juber: Jyotsana Suri.

Juber: And it has been a great experience in the last two months.

Juber: The program has been widely accepted throughout our guest and member base.

Juber: And definitely, we look forward to have, definitely to excel with this program throughout.

Paula: Amazing, absolutely.

Paula: And just for our general knowledge, Juber, you told me when we met the last time about this subscription model being something that has been quite prevalent.

Paula: But I suppose in a very different way historically in that it sounds like you did charge, obviously, the subscription fee, you had some significant numbers, which I’d love if you could share with our audience as well.

Paula: But in return, they were getting discounts, so there were no points, no earn and burn.

Paula: So why did you feel that that was something that needed to shift or change?

Paula: And I suppose, is subscription still a model in India?

Paula: Or is all of the hospitality properties going in this direction for points and earn and burn?

Juber: Right, Paula.

Juber: So we’ve not kind of closed the program.

Juber: We’ve evolved from the program to a point-based program, but we’re still going to have a subscription-based model.

Juber: We’re going to have the program where our members will be given an option, of course, to be a member of both the subscription-based as well as the point-based program.

Juber: And as you rightly said, the subscription-based model in India is very, very successful.

Juber: And of course, the clientele and the member base to enjoy the subscription-based model.

Juber: Now, what happens is that when you are based out of one city, the paid program gives you a flat discount.

Juber: So it’s a dynamic.

Juber: You come, you pay for an amount, and you get these benefits.

Juber: You get straight away a 40 percent, 30 percent discount when you dine with us.

Juber: And it’s like an instant gratification.

Juber: And as you would say that the Gen Zs, and of course, there is a clientele which will not wait for earning the points, and then waiting for another six months to earn sufficient points and then burn out, burn it on the, of course, the rooms or the food.

Juber: So hence, I think both the programs holds its significance.

Juber: And at the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, we are relaunching the program, of course, a subscription-based program that’s going to be, of course, lined up in a couple of months.

Paula: Okay, amazing.

Paula: And Monica, again, you’re, you, I think, joined literally the Lalit just before the launch.

Paula: So I guess a lot of the thinking had been done.

Paula: But what was your, I suppose, expert view?

Paula: You do have nine years in loyalty of the role of subscription.

Paula: And now particularly, what appealed to you about this idea that, you know, the earn and burn proposition was a second proposition that would be important for your guests.

Monica: So as Juber said, there has always been a loyalty program at the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, but the format was different.

Monica: It was an annual subscription based format.

Monica: Now we have moved to the earn and burn format, right?

Monica: And the new program is designed with a long term vision where it comes with a broader relationship strategy.

Monica: It encourages desired, not just desired behavior, also a change in the mindset.

Paula: Yeah.

Monica: And of course, it reinforces the brand values as well.

Paula: Okay.

Paula: So that’s back to the DEI, I guess, then that you referred to earlier.

Paula: Yeah.

Monica: Yes, absolutely.

Monica: So when I say, you know, so the program is actually an extension of the brand’s ethos in that sense.

Paula: Okay.

Monica: And we are saying, it’s not just a transaction.

Monica: It’s not just about transactions.

Monica: It’s also about transformation.

Monica: What I mean is that we have partnered with an organization called Points for Good, which has tie-ups with NGOs across India.

Monica: And through this partnership, we are giving members of our program a choice to donate their points.

Monica: So what we are saying is, your points, your choice.

Monica: It’s not that, you know, it’s something that is being forced on the members.

Monica: They have a choice to redeem their points either for future experiences at The Lalit, or they can donate their points to create a difference.

Monica: So we are calling it a program with a difference where your points can create that difference.

Paula: Beautiful.

Paula: And I actually did specifically want to ask you about that, Monica, because again, you mentioned it to me when we were chatting in preparation for today’s conversation, the program with a difference, is that something that you would refer to externally with members or just internally?

Paula: It’s always good to know.

Paula: Sometimes the external communications have to be tweaked a little bit, but it sounds very meaningful.

Paula: And again, we’ve had Points for Good on the show before a couple of years ago.

Paula: So do you communicate that very intentionally externally?

Paula: It sounds like you do.

Monica: Yes, yes, absolutely.

Monica: We are communicating externally to our guests, to the members of the program.

Monica: So they come out and they donate for the causes that are close to them.

Monica: It’s a program with a purpose, is what we are saying, as I just mentioned.

Monica: It has a larger purpose where the members, we are also trying to bring about a change in the mindset of the community, you know.

Monica: So we are saying basically you come stay with us, you dine with us, you celebrate with us, and then go one step further and let your loyalty echo beyond your own comfort and make a difference in somebody’s life.

Paula: Yeah, that’s a lovely wholesome perspective, isn’t it?

Paula: Again, as you said, back to the brand.

Paula: We’re so lucky to have access and to be able to stay in beautiful hotels like you guys have and then what better opportunity than to give, to pay it forward, I guess, and pass that on.

Paula: And Juber, I think you also feel very strongly about that, particularly that choice piece.

Paula: And again, you’re only two months old, so we can’t ask you how it’s going.

Paula: But as I said to you off air, we’ll definitely have to have you back on to kind of talk through some results in a year’s time, for example.

Paula: But talk to us about the, I suppose, what you’re expecting from members in terms of redeeming for themselves or redeeming on the Points for Good program.

Paula: It’s very hard to know how many of us are good enough to be generous with our points when the choice comes through.

Paula: So I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.

Juber: Yes.

Juber: In fact, I think today’s members of course have wide options to redeem their points.

Juber: You have options on staying, you have options on food and beverage, you have options on spa.

Juber: And then we have also an option of donation of points.

Juber: So I think with the distribution and with the mindset, and I would say that the members are not only wanting us to do any special drive to do donations, but I see members are, in fact, started doing donation in the first two months itself.

Juber: We have members who have donated their points, which is extremely, it’s a delightment for us, that the generation, of course, and the members have that mindset that before they do redeem the points for stay or for food and beverage or for spa, they also have donated the points.

Juber: So I think it’s going to be a great thing for us to see how it goes for the other one here.

Juber: And of course, it could be definitely a great case study of one of the best loyalty program, how the nation has definitely been going.

Juber: So we at the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, one will be a change maker and one will lead in this space.

Paula: Amazing.

Paula: Yeah.

Paula: And I said to you, we haven’t done enough episodes, I don’t think, both on the, I suppose, value-driven loyalty propositions, as strongly as the Lalit Group has clearly done.

Paula: But absolutely, the charity piece is there in a lot of programs.

Paula: But yes, I haven’t really seen enough yet in terms of the results coming through.

Paula: So a learning opportunity for you, for us.

Paula: Obviously, the messaging opportunity is very emotive.

Paula: So I do love the power of what you guys have created, just in terms of saying to people, we’re listening to you, particularly the Gen Z.

Paula: I like that you referred to the Gen Z, giving them an opportunity then to do something that is, as we described, points for good.

Paula: So kudos to you guys for tapping in to that, because I think, yes, we’re all going back to our core values.

Paula: Where do we want to stay?

Paula: And what brands do we want to be aligned with?

Paula: So it is a long haul, a long journey, so lots to learn from.

Paula: So that’s very exciting.

Paula: So I just have a few more questions.

Paula: Monica, I might come to you briefly just on the, I suppose, the platform side, just because I think we have some mutual friends and I think you guys are starting to work with some guys that we’re starting to work with as well.

Paula: So tell us about your choice of technology platform, if you’re comfortable, because it would be wonderful to hear.

Paula: I’m sure you went through as a business, a very robust selection process.

Paula: So tell our audience what you chose.

Monica: Well, yes.

Monica: So earlier, the program that we were running, the subscription-based program, it was not digital.

Monica: Now the new program and the subscription model also, so we are going to go digital with both the programs.

Monica: And for the Earn and Burn, we have partnered with expertise in managing loyalty for hospitality brands.

Monica: So it’s a cloud-based SaaS platform with AI-enabled features and advanced technology for data management and customer engagement.

Paula: Amazing.

Monica: Yes.

Monica: As I said, we will be partnered with a tech organization to manage the program.

Paula: Great.

Paula: Great.

Paula: And I know they’ve got geographical expertise, sector expertise.

Paula: So again, for anyone as they start to look for platforms, which we all have to do from time to time, it’s a big job to be done, but those principles are super important.

Paula: So thank you for sharing that.

Paula: And Juber, you must be very excited to have access to a digital platform, having had a paper-based one for so many years.

Juber: Absolutely.

Juber: I think hotels, as we create experiences, it’s very important to have personalization that’s very, very important.

Juber: You cannot have one size fit all approach.

Juber: And I think with this platform, we will be able to have proper categorization of our members and club.

Juber: We will be able to, of course, be very personalized and very individualized to them in our offerings.

Juber: And we know them much now better in their spending and what they enjoy.

Juber: And we will be definitely be able to give them what they want with a personalization and maybe a hyper personalization in this case.

Juber: So I think I’m going to enjoy the new tech.

Paula: Amazing.

Paula: Absolutely.

Paula: Well, listen, that’s all the questions I have from my side.

Paula: As I said, too early to ask for results.

Paula: I’m sure you have big dreams and big goals, probably confidential still at this stage.

Paula: So Monica, I just want to come and see if you have any kind of closing thoughts, if there’s anything you wanted to mention, about what you’ve already experienced, as you said, joining the group just at this exciting time.

Paula: I think, you know, certainly from my loyalty career, it always feels like the hard work is done on the day the program is launched.

Paula: But I think you know very well, it’s only just getting started.

Paula: So tell us, what are you excited about for the future of the rewards program?

Monica: Yes Paula, so as we discussed last time, you know, a lot of effort, a lot of hard work got into launching this program.

Monica: And it was launched on the birthday of our CMD ma’am, Ms.

Monica: Jyotsna  Suri.

Monica: So a lot of excitement at that time.

Monica: Of course, the real work has started now, you know, now that we have actually started working on building the program and looking forward to achieving the objectives, the targets that are set around this program.

Monica: And of course, it’s too early to talk about it, but yes, excited about what’s ahead.

Paula: Amazing.

Paula: We’ll make sure to ask you some super difficult questions on the performance next year.

Paula: So we’ll give you time to achieve those.

Paula: So whatever you can share.

Paula: Of course, we love to get some numbers at the appropriate time.

Paula: Juber, final question to you then.

Paula: Again, you’ve been around this program a long time.

Paula: You’ve witnessed the evolution, obviously supported it through, as you said, the subscription-only, traditional approach, now into this full digital earn and burn, and again, aligned with the beautiful brand values of the group overall.

Paula: So what are you excited about for the future?

Paula: What are you thinking about and what are you looking forward to in terms of what you’ve delivered?

Juber: Right, so I would be starting to be thankful to our ownership, our respected CMD and our executive directors.

Juber: And I remember that our group is not only about kind of launching and then of course delivering, but of course the learning.

Juber: I think I was part of the 25 leaders of the group where we were given an opportunity to go through a learning process and we had a capstone project and where one of the project was a loyalty program.

Juber: And we really did along.

Juber: I think very few company and few hotel brands will invest in the learnings of the team members.

Juber: So I’m fortunate to be part of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, which has given me an opportunity to evolve as a loyalty professional.

Juber: I think that’s something kudos to the company and our brand.

Juber: And I think I’m super excited to of course go through this journey and evolve.

Juber: And of course, as loyalty is going to keep evolving year on year.

Juber: And I’m sure we will definitely have been one of the best loyalty program in the country.

Paula: Indeed.

Paula: Well, I love the ambition, Juber.

Paula: Absolutely.

Paula: You know, I can see the passion coming through.

Paula: And we always do say and again comes back to the Loyalty Academy in many ways as well, that if you have the buy in of the owners of the senior leadership team, then success is pretty much guaranteed because then top down, bottom up, everybody knows the direction that the business is going.

Paula: And again, using these mechanics and program propositions to drive the business forward and at the same time, connect emotionally with all of the guests that get to stay in your beautiful destinations.

Paula: So listen, thank you so much both of you for joining me.

Paula: I think, you know, I’m coming to the end of my hosting role in Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.

Paula: I’m glad we managed to get to record this together before I hang up my microphone for good.

Paula: But for sure, we’ll make sure that we do have you back on the show with one of our guest hosts, perhaps from the Loyalty Academy next year, just to make sure that we stay in touch because I definitely want our audience to get the full insights and learnings from what you’ve launched in such an incredible market.

Paula: So we will make sure to include your profiles, of course, for anybody who wants to reach out and connect with you on LinkedIn.

Paula: And so with that, I’m going to say a huge thank you to Monica Sharma, Corporate Head of Loyalty and Juber Shaikh, Regional Head of Loyalty Program.

Paula: Thank you so much from Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV.

Monica: Thank you so much Paula.

Monica: Great to be a part of the show today.

Monica: And I look forward to be on the show in future.

Juber: Thank you.

Juber: Thank you.

Paula: Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty.

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