The combined solution enables GuestWare users to leverage data stored in GuestWare�such as guest stay and revenue history, preferences and service issues�to create, send and track professionally designed and personalized direct e-mail marketing messages. The solution goes beyond the traditional approach of extracting data from property management systems purely for direct marketing.

�GuestWare and iPost have closed the loop�from personalized Web signup forms and marketing promotions down to property level recognition and service delivery,� says Mike Benjamin, vice president of sales for Seattle-based Diversified Computer Corp., maker of GuestWare. �The seamless integration provides for daily cleansing of detailed customer information captured at all customer touch points. It allows smaller management companies and independent hoteliers to create low cost marketing and loyalty programs to compete with the larger chains.�

Robust list generation capabilities created

The effectiveness of using Novato, Calif.-based iPost for personalized e-mail marketing increases with the clean database maintained by GuestWare. A two-way interface and query tools to generate lists make it easy to deliver targeted e-mail offers that increase revenue and build loyalty. 

�Our Web-based Mailing Manager makes it easy for marketers to segment lists of customers based on various criteria,� says Steve Webster, president of iPost. �For example, a marketer could choose to do a mailing, based on the types of information stored in GuestWare, to only those customers who have visited a hotel three times or more in the last year.�

For hotel marketing professionals used to having to go to the information technology department to generate HTML-based e-mails, iPost provides a user-friendly alternative. Using e-mail templates designed to display a hotel or company�s brand look, one can easily insert an image or content.

GuestWare's two-way interface with iPost�s e-mail marketing tool allows a hotel or management company to generate and track personalized campaigns to guests. E-mails also can be used for one-time event promotions or ongoing newsletter, loyalty and retention programs. 

�A parent company can control the look and feel while still giving individual marketers the ability to send personalized e-mail,� Webster says.

The benefit to working with an e-mail service provider like iPost, which offers an ASP solution, is that it possesses all of the technology one needs for sending and personalizing e-mail at a high speed. iPost also offers real-time reporting capabilities. Marketers can track what percentage of e-mails was opened, who opened them and what links were clicked through. Other types of valuable reports also can be generated.

Kimpton adopts GuestWare/iPost solution

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is a San Francisco-based company known for its collection of stylish boutique hotels that are coupled with bustling chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton currently operates 38 hotels across the United States and Canada and uses the combined GuestWare/iPost solution to help manage its Kimpton InTouch guest loyalty program.

Guests sign up for the program on KimptonHotels.com and receive personalized service and rewards for staying at Kimpton Hotels. Member profiles are stored in GuestWare Enterprise and all e-mail communication is executed through iPost. The Enterprise guest database and e-mails sent from iPost integrate with Kimpton's central reservation system and online booking to enhance the reservation process. The properties use GuestWare to streamline the arrivals process and track guest requests and issues. Finally, GuestWare interfaces with Kimpton's property management systems to extract stay and revenue information for reporting, ROI analysis and ongoing targeted promotions.

"The integrated GuestWare/iPost solution is critical in managing Kimpton InTouch,� says Renee Will George, Kimpton's Director of Customer Relationship Management and Strategic Marketing. �It ensures that our communications with guests are relevant, timely and easy to manage. We are able to efficiently enroll guests into our loyalty program, track communications, e-mail targeted promotions, and encourage on-line booking through the seamless cooperation of GuestWare, iPost and our other technology partners.  Providing this level of integration across all of our customer touch points has been key in the roll out and growth of our loyalty program."

Relationship benefits partners, customers

iPost�s Webster is excited about his company�s new partnership with GuestWare.

�It gives us the opportunity to move farther into the hospitality industry and offer a new set of easily deployed marketing program capabilities,� he says.

�For our customers, this new relationship offers an opportunity to uncover new revenue opportunities and build guest loyalty by using a wealth of data that already exists within GuestWare,� Benjamin adds. �It is a win/win situation for everyone.�

About iPost:
 

iPost, Novato, Calif., is a leading e-mail services company, providing robust and cost-effective e-mail services, database management, and related technical services since 1996. iPost serves more than 150 active clients in a broad range of industries, including Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, LLC. For more information, call (877) 934-7678, e-mail [email protected], or go to www.ipost.com.

About GuestWare:

GuestWare provides property and enterprise CRM solutions specifically to the lodging industry with more than 15 PMS interfaces and more than 700 hotel customers. GuestWare enables hotels and management companies to streamline and enhance service delivery and guest recognition processes. GuestWare was the first company to develop a comprehensive Rapid Response problem resolution system integrated with guest recognition and essential to successful customer relationship management.

GuestWare, Customer Relationship Management software for the lodging industry, is developed, marketed, implemented and supported by Diversified Computer Corp., Seattle. GuestWare�s suite of software products includes Enterprise, Guest Recognition, Rapid Response, Incident Tracking, Facilities Maintenance, Comment Card Tracking and Communication Server. GuestWare is installed in more than 700 hotels worldwide. For more information about GuestWare, go to www.guestware.com, or contact Mike Benjamin at (888) 504-8378.