September 2015 - Flip.to Blog

A sneak peek at Group Advocacy

There’s a lot going on behind the scenes here at Flip.to. Fueled by our very own bean-to-cup coffee machine, (more on that here,) our team of product designers and engineers are constantly working to enhance the platform and create a better experience for our users. Group advocacy is the latest example of this innovation, as we aim to weave advocacy into every level of the guest experience.

The new Group Advocacy is a big enhancement in a hotel’s ability to use advocacy with group business. Hotels can now easily import events, create and manage campaigns to target groups with specific incentives, track statistics across campaigns, and more.

So what does this all mean for our hotel partners? Well, now all of your hotels’ weddings, meetings, or corporate groups are stories ready to be told by these guests to their friends and family. And it’s through those stories that your hotel can reach more travelers worldwide, and deliver each one a unique, inspired experience that takes them down the path of becoming a future guest.

This is thanks to our integration with Lanyon Passkey—part of Lanyon’s Smart Hotel Cloud software—that lets hotels streamline and automate meeting and event bookings. Used by thousands of hotels, destinations, and meeting-planners worldwide, it’s easy to manage hotel accommodations for events of all sizes.

There’s more to follow, but enjoy a taste of Group Advocacy below. (For current customers, log in and take a peek at this new feature on your account!)

As growth ramps up, Flip.to adds four key senior players

Customer success and rapid innovation pave way for expansion

Geetha Balakrishnan has been appointed Vice President of Customer Success. With vast experience in hospitality technology operations, global delivery of implementations, and team development, Balakrishnan is an accomplished leader in her field. Formerly out of TravelClick, she now heads a team of account management and implementation specialists to drive customer onboarding and success.

Edward St.Onge, President of Global Sales & Marketing for Flip.to, previously worked with Balakrishnan when he owned and operated EZYield, an industry leader in hotel channel management. “Geetha’s ability to lead and organize global, results-driven teams is astounding,” said St.Onge. “Her experience managing high-growth organizations will better enable Flip.to to continue delivering on the expanding needs of our customers.”

Diane Van Leunen joins Flip.to as the Director of Digital Marketing. With an agency background, she leads the development and execution of communication and branding strategies for the growing platform. “Flip.to’s world-class product is making a measurable difference for hotels worldwide,” said Van Leunen. “The opportunity to connect and engage customers, and contribute to the growth of Flip.to with this exceptional team is an important role I’m thrilled to be a part of.” Her most recent experience includes roles at The Kessler Collection, a luxury, boutique hotel group, and Plan A PR and Marketing, an agency focused on growing brands in the hospitality technology B2B space.

Senior Software Engineer, Kevin Tiller, comes to Flip.to out of Patient Point, an innovator of patient engagement solutions. His experience includes the architecture and development of dynamic new product lines, as well as the design and implementation of several web applications. “Kevin’s extensive development knowledge makes him a core member of the product team,” said Eric Peters, Director of Engineering at Flip.to. “His ability to transform concepts into high-quality software solutions is making a huge impact for our customers as we continue to unveil new layers of product enhancements.”

In addition, Rosana Burlingame has taken on the role Accounting and HR Manager. Coming most recently from Hilton Grand Vacations, she boasts over 15 years of accounting experience in the hospitality space. “Rosana is a true asset to the organization,” noted Keith Durden, Chief Financial Officer at Flip.to. “With our growth, Rosana has helped lay the groundwork to accommodate our scale.”

“Talented people are drawn to great teams—it’s a big part of their decision to join any company. By hiring top folks, we’re ensuring that creativity, innovation and passion aren’t just placards but truly part of our day-to-day at Flip.to,” added Brian J. Kent, CEO and Co-founder.

With the recent additions to the team, the global hospitality technology company has plans for several product announcements before the end of the year as it continues to unveil its advocacy platform for hotels.

Flip.to drives direct bookings in demanding Asia Pacific market for Compass Hospitality

Advocacy platform becomes an integral part of revenue strategy for the Thailand-based hospitality group

ORLANDO, FL — September 08, 2015 — The rapidly expanding Compass Hospitality group in Bangkok, Thailand has launched Flip.to, the brand advocacy platform for hotels, to drive direct bookings and reach an entirely new audience of potential future guests.

Since going live on the platform, Compass Hospitality group’s Bangkok hotels have extended their reach well beyond the scope of their current networks, bringing large audiences of unique visitors and potential future guests back to the hotels’ websites to book directly.

For Compass Hospitality, this has been critical given the highly competitive online distribution market. “OTA bookings are rapidly growing across the region, expected to jump an enormous 58% from 2013 to 2016,” said Tejinder Sidhu, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Compass Hospitality. “As such, we are turning to emerging technologies to gain a competitive edge.”

Sidhu went on to add, “We are seeking to prioritize channels with the greatest revenue potential, so any way we can shift share to direct bookings is an integral part of our distribution strategy. Flip.to has been an incredibly effective way to do so, reaching potential new guests in a more trusted way than other forms of traditional or digital advertising.”

Flip.to has made an immediate impact in Compass Hospitality’s ability to connect with travelers worldwide. Trusted introductions have helped the hotel group reach thousands of new guests in just a few months, encouraging them to book directly through the recommendations of their friends, family and colleagues.

the-key-hotel-sukhumvit — The Key Hotel Sukhumvit, Bangkok

“Lowering the cost of customer acquisition is a priority for many hotels, especially in a highly competitive market,” noted Debi Moses, Senior Director of Sales, Americas for Flip.to. “By tapping into advocacy, Compass Hospitality has been able to amplify exposure to their website, building brand connections and encouraging new guests to book directly.”

Flip.to has emerged as a key player in the region with Compass Hospitality as their newest hotel partner. Currently operating 49 hotels in Thailand, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, the group is set to expand by offering their guests unique experiences, from luxury resort getaways to boutique, city hotel stays.

For reservations at any one of Compass Hospitality’s extraordinary locales, visit their website at CompassHospitality.com, or contact Tejinder Sidhu at tejinder.s@compasshospitality.com.

Making sense of social media—how to create the conversation about your hotel

Our very own President, Edward St. Onge, was recently featured on Global Hotel Network’s Perspectives column, a site that provides market insights and thought leadership to executives in the global travel and tourism industry. Flip.to is proud to be a member of the online network, and Ed himself sits on the GHN’s Technology Committee.

The column, Create the Conversation About Your Hotel takes a deep dive into the value hotels can see from social media, even as it’s constantly evolving.

Social media was born as a conversation between friends—users sign online to connect with their family and colleagues. It makes sense that hotels want to be a part of the conversation. But it’s important to do so in a way that doesn’t fall by the wayside. As Ed notes in his perspective, hotels often put time and money into posting uninspired content:

“This just adds to the social noise, getting lost in hundreds of other messages competing to gain exposure on your guest’s news feed—more than 1,500 at a time on average, according to Facebook.”

That’s a lot to compete with at any given moment! So how do you cut through the clutter? For hotels, the trick is advocacy. Ed adds:

“Advocacy is a game-changer for how hoteliers use social media. The content is real and shareable—we’re talking about authentic stories of guest experiences, amazing pictures taken at the hotel, and great examples of the hotel’s happy staff. A single guest can reach hundreds and sometimes thousands of potential future guests beyond the scope of your current fan base. How many new guests does your hotel reach every day? If handled correctly, these truly social shares can translate into real, trackable ROI for your hotel.”

With advocacy, hotels can truly tap into the potential that social channels bring to the table. For more, check out Ed’s full perspectives piece featured on GlobalHotelNetwork.com.