Delta Hotels target small businesses and frequent guests

Small businesses are responsible for over 90 per cent of all business travel in Canada, according to Delta Hotels. To meet the needs of this hefty chunk of the market, they recently launched Delta Privilege Blue, a program that offers both value-added benefits and detailed reports aimed at helping small to mid-size businesses to reduce the cost of managing travel and entertainment expenses.

Ken Lambert, vice president of sales and marketing for Delta, says that a 1998 survey of business travel management identified travel and entertainment spending as the second largest controllable expense after salaries. "These costs can have a significant impact on any business, but especially small businesses," he adds.

Perks galore
There is no cost to join the program. Upon registration, Delta Privilege Blue member companies are entitled to customized quarterly expenditure reports (with details on total room nights, individual and group average rate, total expenditure, and total expenditure by location); a one-year subscription to Corporate Travel Management magazine; food and beverage gift certificates; room upgrades; discount on best available room rates; and discounted rates at participating Hertz locations across Canada.

In addition, members will receive another 10 per cent discount off the lowest available room rate if they have an American Express Corporate Card for small business cardmembers, and three free months of CompuServe Internet access. Individual employees will also be eligible for the core benefits of Delta Privilege, Delta's frequent guest recognition program. These include the one-minute check-in guarantee (or the first night is free), free local calls, toll-free 24-hour concierge service (whether or not you're staying at the hotel), early check-in (starting at 8 a.m. with only one hour's notice required), guaranteed late arrival, extended check-out, express check-out, cheque-cashing privileges and priority on the Wait List.

In 1991, Delta Hotels was the first Canadian hotel company to introduce a frequent guest recognition program. Tying in with the launch of Delta Privilege Blue, the company revamped its Delta Privilege program to a three-tiered membership: Green, Gold and Platinum (which is the most recent addition). Delta's Privilege Green members are entitled to nine benefits including the one-minute check-in guarantee, cheque-cashing privileges and extended check-out.

Privilege Gold members (five or more stays) receive these, along with automatic upgrades to Signature Service rooms, custom Web site offers, Hertz #1 Club Gold Membership, three $50 food and beverage certificates and evening turndown services with bottled water. Members at the Privilege Platinum level (after 15 stays) receive all of the above, as well as a 48-hour guaranteed availability, three $100 food and beverage certificates, complimentary continental breakfast, three Signature Club upgrade certificates and a welcome gift.

As a further inducement, Delta Privilege guests who are Air Canada Aeroplan members also receive 500 Aeroplan miles with every stay at a Delta Hotel.

To find out more about the program, check in at www.deltahotels.com or e-mail privilege@deltahotels.com.

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