MilePoint and Starwood New Points Program
PRNewswire MINNEAPOLIS Nov. 19 :
MilePoint, the Minneapolis-based company that provides and operates
technology for customer loyalty programs adds the hotel industry`s award
winning Starwood Preferred Guest program as its newest client to operate
the MilePoint M)Vendor point sale technology.
“Now our customers can buy additional Starpoints through a simple and easy
online transaction utilizing MilePoint`s technology,” said Jim Berra, vice
president of loyalty marketing for Starwood. “This new benefit allows a
member to purchase the additional Starpoints to reach their desired award
or they can give Starpoints to a friend or family member. Additionally,
corporations can use Starpoints as an incentive for their employees or
customers. We are very excited by the possibilities,” said Berra.
MilePoint developed the mileage and point sale technology as part of its
suite of loyalty software products that have been designed to help
companies who operate loyalty programs generate new revenues, manage
customer relationships, reduce operational expenses and add new benefits
for members of their programs. “The M)Vendor product is a great new way to
add a meaningful benefit to Starwood`s loyalty program and also create a
new revenue opportunity for the hotelier,” said Mark Lacek, chief
executive officer and co-founder of MilePoint Worldwide. “We are proud to
be providing our technology and operations to Starwood Preferred Guest -
the highest rated loyalty program in the industry.”
Additional MilePoint loyalty products include M)Transfer for the online
transfer of miles or points from one member to another; M)MagAwards which
provides magazine subscriptions as a low cost award option; M)Promo which
enables the distribution of stored value codes for product promotion; and
M)MarketPlace that allows members to exchange their miles or points for
online products and services. The complete suite and more information can
be found at http://www.milepoint.biz/ . “All of our products can easily be
added to a loyalty program in any industry and all are focused on making
the participating program more valuable for both the members and those
operating the programs,” said Lacek.
“We are very pleased with MilePoint`s technology and their ability to
create the superior customer experience we desired,” added Berra. “Their
understanding of loyalty programs in conjunction with their ability to
develop customized products that enhance our brand has been invaluable.”
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Currently MilePoint provides its technology and operations to global
brands who operate loyalty programs including Northwest Airlines, Delta
Air Lines, Continental Airlines, US Airways, America West Airlines and
Midwest Airlines. MilePoint also provides multi-lingual loyalty related
web services for Northwest in six countries throughout Asia. “We have
designed our products so that they can be utilized in any industry and we
are now entering the hospitality, communications, packaged goods and
financial services sectors and will be launching our products with new
clients in these industries in the months ahead,” said Lacek. “Regardless
of whether a program offers miles, points or any other form of currency,
the MilePoint suite of products can be easily integrated under the program
operators brand and executed over the Internet on an ASP basis.”
Recognized with the Freddie Awards` “Program of the Year” since the
programs introduction, Starwood Preferred Guest opens the door to some of
the world`s best hotels. Key business destinations around the globe are
covered, and leisure opportunities are endless with more than 125
world-class resorts and over 2,700 holes of golf worldwide. In addition,
Starwood has the most hotels of any company recognized on the recently
announced Conde Nast Traveler Gold List. Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the
world with more than 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 105,000
employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally
renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and
franchiser of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury
Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well
as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and
operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts.
Based in Minneapolis, MilePoint gained immediate interest in the Fall of
2000 when it introduced a new way for frequent flyers to utilize their
miles and points as a form of payment for the purchase of goods and
services on the Internet. MilePoint continues to provide this service with
a broad offering of magazines, cruises, condo and resort stays through its
milepoint.com site. MilePoint is now primarily focused on providing
services to the loyalty industry helping them to generate new revenues,
manage customer relationships, reduce operational and award costs and add
new member benefits to their respective programs.
Industry leaders serve in executive or senior advisory roles including
Chairman and CEO, Mark Lacek and Chief Marketing Officer, Peter Brennan,
respected loyalty marketing veterans as well as board of directors
members, Robert Crandall, former Chairman of American Airlines and
recognized “father” of frequent flyer programs; A.B. “Sky” Magary, former
President of Shuttle by United Airlines and senior marketing officer at
Hyatt Hotels, Northwest and Pan Am; Randy Petersen, publisher of Inside
Flyer magazine and renowned loyalty industry expert; and Joe Ueberroth of
the Contrarian Group, Inc.
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