Hilton Worldwide and Uber have teamed up to create a more personalized customer experience.
The two companies have partnered on two digital initiatives that will change how people travel and explore unfamiliar cities:
Local Scene: A digital guide hosted on the HHonors app that lets guests browse through a list of popular restaurants and nightlife spots selected based on their drop-off/pick-up popularity with Uber riders. It’s a way for travelers to explore like locales–without the planning!
Ride Reminder: Automated reminders to request Uber rides to and from the hotel with the destination already pre-set. This first for the travel industry will help guests more quickly and conveniently be on their way.
Rich DiStefano, senior director of Web and Mobile Product Management at Hilton Worldwide, talked to Loyalty360 about this exciting new partnership.
What factors prompted this partnership and how will the expanded digital features impact customer engagement, customer experience, and customer loyalty?
The partnership was prompted by the fact that today’s travelers more and more want their trips to be personalized and customizable, and they seek out on-demand services that can make travel more convenient. In an industry first, our data-driven partnership with Uber will make unfamiliar cities even more accessible through easy-to-use digital tools that will help our guests better explore and navigate their destinations. At Hilton, we believe these expanded digital features can give guests the personalized experience they desire, while also better connecting travelers to not just our properties, but to their local surroundings, driving added customer loyalty and affinity to our brands. 
For example, if a business traveler is in a new city, he or she can use Local Scene to quickly select a popular venue for a business lunch or find a convenient restaurant to work from. With Ride Reminder, a guest can send reminders to request an Uber to and from the airport at the beginning and end of their stay. By using these easily assessable tools, guests can spend less time planning and more time in the moment.
How much customer feedback/insights were used to form this partnership and its over-arching goals?
We are continuously listening to guest feedback. In these conversations, guests have told us time and time again how important it is for them to have the autonomy to customize their travels. With this in mind, our partnership with Uber is meant to offer guests the expanded digital features they desire. Overall, Ride Reminders and Local Scene will further take the friction out of travel for our guests, making their hotel experience more convenient, personalized and helpful.
Mobile technology, especially in the loyalty marketing world, seems to be taking off. How important is it for Hilton and Uber?
Mobile technology is very important to our business. Already, we see a quarter of our business conducted through digital channels. Through our HHonors app, our guests can now make a reservation, check-in, select their exact room, access it via Digital Key, and even order extra pillows, snacks, or drinks. And through the Uber partnership, we’re able to expand our mobile technology capabilities beyond the property walls, helping our guests better navigate and explore their destinations. With technology, guests can have a more seamless and personalized experience, and we only anticipate guest loyalty will continue to rise as we further make the HHonors app the “remote control” to the entire travel experience.