reference guide · pdf filereference guide - january 2017. 5 member benefits/cards collect...

Reference Guide

Global Edition January 2017

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1 Program Overview IHG® Rewards Club ................................................................. 4Purpose ....................................................................................... 4 Why Are IHG Rewards Club Members IHG’s Most Valuable Guests? ...................................................................... 4

2 Member Benefits/CardsMember Choices for Redemption ......................................5

3 IHG Rewards Club StandardsIHG Rewards Club .................................................................... 8How to Find IHG Rewards Club Standards on Merlin .. 8Loyalty Champion .................................................................... 8Quarterly Enrollment Tagets ................................................. 9Standards Measurement ....................................................... 9Standards Enforcement Timeline ....................................... 9New Hotel Openings (NHOP) ............................................... 9How to Order Collateral ......................................................... 9

4 InterContinental® Ambassador Program Overview ..................................................................... 10Ambassador Member Benefits .............................................. 10Royal Ambassador Member Benefits ...............................10InterContinental Ambassador Standards .......................10

5 IHG® Business RewardsBenefits to Hotels .....................................................................11Benefits to Members ...............................................................11 Qualifying Spend .....................................................................11Awarding Points to a Member ............................................. 12

6 Earning Points & Qualifying RatesPoints on Enrolling Stays ...................................................... 12Points on Subsequent Stays ................................................ 12Earning Structure .................................................................... 12Changing Earning Preference ............................................. 12Qualifying and Non-Qualifying Rates ............................... 12Exclusive Rates (Your Rate) ..................................................14Bonus Points Package Program .........................................14How to Activate a Bonus Points Package ........................ 15Point Fulfillment ....................................................................... 15Point Vouchers ......................................................................... 15Bonus Points Packages: What Hotels Will Need to Do ............................................... 15

7 IHG Rewards Club Training How to Access .........................................................................16

8 Supporting Tools & ResourcesPerformance Tracker ..............................................................16

9 Guest Arrivals ReportsPre-Arrival Upgrade Notifications ...................................... 17Stay Preferences...................................................................... 17How to Access the Reports ................................................. 17Scheduling Reports ................................................................ 17 Arrivals Summary Report ......................................................18Arrivals Special Requests and Customer Care Report ...............................................................................18

IHG Rewards Club Arrivals Detail Report .........................189 Great Reasons to Use These Reports....................... .....19

10 EnrollmentsQuarterly Enrollment Targets ..............................................19Instant Enrollment Via PropertyManagement System (PMS) ................................................19Enrolling New Members ......................................................... 20Program Abuse .......................................................................... 20

11 Enroll for RewardsIncentive Program .................................................................. 21Enrollment Minimum Goal ................................................... 21What’s a Qualified Enrollment? ........................................... 21What’s a Valid Email? .............................................................. 21Where to Go to Redeem Points .......................................... 21

12 IHG Rewards Club Source..................................................................22

13 Tax Reimbursement Rules Guidelines and Examples ........................................................22 Rules .....................................................................................................23

14 LoyaltyConnectInvoice Billing ........................................................................... 23

15 Reward Night/Free NightRedemption for Hotel Stays ...................................................24PointBreaks® .................................................................................24Activating Reward Night/Free Night Categories ...............24Rate Code Setup ........................................................................25Company Profile Setup ............................................................25Check-In Procedures .....................................................................27 Reservations: “No-Shows,” Cancellations, or Changes.....27Changes to Reward Night/Free Night Reservations ....27Reinstatement Reimbursement Request ........................27

16 Common Issues Multiple Night Reservations ................................................ 28Extending Length of Stays .................................................. 28Adding Names to Reward Night Reservations ............. 28 Verification of Secondary Names onReward Night Reservations ................................................. 28Restrictions............................................................................... 28Inventory Balancing ............................................................... 28Room Type Allocation ........................................................... 29

17 Reimbursement Low Occupancy Reimbursement Details ...................... 29Reward Night/Free Night .........................................................29 Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement(LOVIR) ....................................................................................... 29

18 Reimbursement Low Occupancy Reimbursement Details ......................30 Reward Night/Free Night ............................................................30 Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement(LOVIR) ...............................................................................................30

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LOVIR Threshold ..............................................................................31 Processed and Paid Low Occ ................................................ 31Unprocessed but Paid (PAY1)...............................................31 Low Occupancy Reimbursement Amount...........................31 Total Reimbursement Amount .............................................. 31Currency ........................................................................................ 31 High Occupancy Reimbursement Details ......................31Reimbursement Documentation .......................................31 Calculate ADR and Occupancy ............................................32Requesting Reimbursement For Reward Nights/Free Nights ....................................................................................32Viewing Reimbursement Status for Individual Reward Night/Free Night Reservations .................................33Search for a Reward Night/Free Night Stay ......................33Hotel Point Deposit ................................................................... 34

19 FAQ Standards ......................................................................................35Reporting & Exceptions .......................................................36Enforcement ............................................................................36Guest Arrivals Reports .......................................................... 37

20 Contact Information IHG Rewards Club Contact Information .........................38

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IHG Rewards ClubThe Loyalty Programs at IHG enable you to recognize our members for their loyalty.

IHG Rewards Club is the overarching program for all hotels as well as our extension programs that are specific to a brand or business need.

At IHG Rewards Club, it’s about people, not just points. The personal connection each of us imparts on our teams is key in helping to create relevant, rewarding relationships that inspire Loyalty across your hotel.

With a global portfolio of more than 5,000 hotels in nearly 100 countries, IHG Rewards Club is committed to building relationships with our members.

PurposeAll IHG brand hotels must participate in the IHG Rewards Club program. The consistent delivery of the program should be a priority in your hotel.

The IHG Rewards Club Reference Guide is provided to assist you in delivering the program and it should be used on a day-to-day basis.

Why Are IHG Rewards Club Members IHG’s Most Valuable Guests?IHG Rewards Club is one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programs with over 100 million members. IHG Rewards Club members generated more than 68.5 million nights and $8bn USD in rooms revenue worldwide in the last 12 months.

When compared to non-members, IHG Rewards Club members:

• Pay More: Members pay a 6% ADR Premium vs.non-members1 - Revenue generated by IHG RewardsClub members represents close to 40% of hotels’rooms revenues2

• Stay Longer: Members generate a length of stay premium of9% vs. non-members1

• Cost Less: IHG Rewards Club members are more than 5times more likely to book through a lower cost channel thannon-loyalty members. Lower cost channels include IHG®App, web or CRO, which don’t have booking fees like OTAand GDS channels.

In addition:

• Members rate their hotel experience higher thannon-members. Overall satisfaction scores (OSAT)are 2.3% higher on average vs. non-members3

• Members are more Likely to Recommend vs. non-members,giving a 2% better score to Heartbeat question on Likelihoodto Recommend3

• Members are more likely to Return to the Brand vs.non-members giving a 2.5% better score to HeartBeatquestion on Likelihood to Return to Brand3

• Members are 4 times more likely to post online hotel reviewson social media vs. non-members1

IHG Rewards Club was named:

• Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World for 11 years in a rowby Global Traveler magazine

• Best Hotel Loyalty Program worldwide by Premier Travelermagazine for our wide variety of point earnings andredemption opportunities, unique program offerings, andoutstanding promotions

1 As of June 20162 As of June 20163 HeartBeat by region rolling year June 2016Data reflects global performance numbers.

INTERCONTINENTAL® AMBASSADORCREATIVE STRATEGY | TAGLINE RATIONALE

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This tagline identifies its core audiences right away. In doing so, it evokes a feeling of appreciation forour members. It tells them that we recognise their status as experienced travellers and deliver on thepersonal benefits and privileges that make them feel special.

The tagline also instills a level of pride to our members by reminding them that they belong to a veryselect group of people. A group that knows the difference between a hotel stay and a hotel experience.And one that has earned the right to expect more.That is why the well-travelled become Ambassadors.

Ultimately, the line is a powerful statement. It serves both as a confirmation of our members’ status aswell as an aspirational tug to prospective members.

CREATIVE STRATEGYTAGLINE RATIONALE

Program Overview

Reference Guide - January 2017

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Member Benefits/Cards

Collect Points or MilesExclusive Rates (Your Rate)1

Dedicated customer service phone assistanceNo Blackout Dates for Reward NightsReward Nights counts toward Elite StatusAvailable Internet2

IHG Rewards Club Booking BenefitsElite members’ points do not expirePriority Check-In on guaranteed reservations (when available)Bonus earnings on top of base pointsExtended Check-out until 14:00 (when requested and available)Choice of Welcome Amenity (based on regional standard)Rollover nights for Elite qualificationComplimentary room upgrades (subject to availability)Guaranteed room availability (72 hours in advance)Annual qualification choice benefits (upon reaching Spire Elite status) 25,000 bonus points or gift Platinum Elite Status for a year

Exclusive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards® Five Star® Upgrade upon receiving status

Qualified Nights (per calendar year)Elite Qualifing Points (per calendar year)

Online Or via telephone US and Canada (Toll Free) Mexico, South America & Caribbean

Asia & Oceania China Japan Australia Europe (Toll Free) Middle East & Africa

ihg.com/rewardsclub

888-211-9874

+1 949 299 4396

+63 2 857 878821 2033 484803 5767 93252 9935 8362

(00) 800 2222 7172 +971 4 4290530

Discover our family of hotel brands

Contact us for reservations and customer service

UECDC-RC-216

InterContinental® Hotels & ResortsKimpton® Hotels & Restaurants

HUALUXE® Hotels and ResortsCrowne Plaza® Hotels & ResortsHotel Indigo®

EVEN® HotelsHoliday Inn®

Holiday Inn Express®

Holiday Inn Resort®

Holiday Inn Club Vacations®

Staybridge Suites®

Candlewood Suites®

From February 2017

SERIAL NUMBER XXXXX

LASER PRINTED COPYIN WHITE

FRONT BACKCLUB

CLUB

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441 BROADWAY, 5TH FL

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IHG

Studio Artist

Release Date:

Trim: 3.375” x 2.125”

MECHANICAL LAYOUT FOR CLIENT REVIEW & APPROVAL

APPROVED BY

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Title:

Date:

Signature:

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LOGO & REWARDS PATH:

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ihg.com/rewardsclub

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+63 2 857 878821 2033 484803 5767 93252 9935 8362

(00) 800 2222 3132 +971 4 4290530



UEGDC-RC-216







Staybridge Suites®

Candlewood Suites®

From February 2017

SERIAL NUMBER XXXXX

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FRONT BACKGOLD

GOLD ELITE

ChristopherHenderson000000123456EXP 2016

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CORE COLOUR:




NEW YORK, NY 10013

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STAGANDHARE.com

Client:

MECH COLORS

IHG

Studio Artist

Release Date:

Trim:


APPROVED BY

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Title:

Date:

Signature:

File Name:

DIELINE

CMYK

Metallic as spot color (PMS 871) + 4CP 2 sides (polish/polish finish)No Pearl / Darker Gold Front & Back

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07.19.16IHG GOLD 871C

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UEPDC-RC-216







Staybridge Suites®

Candlewood Suites®

From February 2017

ihg.com/rewardsclub

800-421-5162

+1 949 299 4396

+63 2 857 878821 2033 484803 5767 93252 9935 8362

(00) 800 2222 4142 +971 4 4290530

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NEW YORK, NY 10013

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STAGANDHARE.com

Client:

MECH COLORS

IHG

Studio Artist

Release Date:

Trim:


APPROVED BY

Name:

Title:

Date:

Signature:

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DIELINE

IHG PLATINUM SILVERTEST PRINT SS SILVER 2

IHG GRAY 424C OR CMYK 0/0/0/70

Notes:

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CORE COLOUR:



CMYK

Lighter Silver Metallic as spot color + 4CP 2 side (polish/polish finish)No Pearl

Orange

Full Colour

IHG Gray

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07.19.16

3.375” x 2.125”

AW-IHGRC_Members_Cards_071916_Platinum_Elite






UESDC-RC-216







Staybridge Suites®

Candlewood Suites®

From February 2017

ihg.com/rewardsclub

844-774-7300

+1 949 299 4396

+63 2 857 878821 2033 484803 5767 93252 9935 8362

(00) 800 9580 0800 +971 4 4290530

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FRONT BACKSPIREFLAT RED

BLACK VIGNETTE

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NEW YORK, NY 10013

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STAGANDHARE.com

Client:

MECH COLORS

IHG

Studio Artist

Release Date:

Trim:


APPROVED BY

Name:

Title:

Date:

Signature:

File Name:

DIELINE


SILVER

Notes:

FINISH:

CORE COLOUR:



CMYK

Satin/Satin finish 4CP+Silver Flood 2x (logo/text)

Red

Silver

Silver

: DH

07.19.16

3.375” x 2.125”

AW-IHGRC_Members_Cards_071916_Spire_Elite

Club Gold Elite Platinum Elite Spire Elite

•••••••

•••••••••

10%••

1010,000

•••••••••

50%•••••

4040,000

•••••••••

100%•••••

•

•

7575,000

IHG Rewards Club Member Cards

Ways To Qualify

Member Choices for RedemptionWe offer rewards that are real and relevant to our members. With so many exciting ways to redeem, our members have manyoptions that they’re able to take advantage of.

Reward NightReward Night is an ideal way for members to visit their favorite place or seek out an adventure somewhere new. Members can use their points to stay at any of our hotels worldwide—with no blackout dates.

Shopping and MoreOur members have a great choice when it comes to redeeming their points. They can use their points to shop our online catalog of brand name products, jewelry, electronics, and more.

Gift CardsThe possibilities are endless when they use points for gift cards from their favorite retailers and restaurants.

Points to MilesUse their points to reach new heights when they redeem for airline miles with IHG Rewards Club Partner Airlines.

Travel AnywhereGet going with their points. Fly with over 200 airlines, stay at virtually any IHG hotel, and rent a car almost anywhere.

Digital RewardsTurn their points into instant entertainment—redeem and download eBooks, games, software, and more!

Points & CashUse fewer points to get rewards quickly. Combine points with cash to redeem for Reward Nights at any IHG brand hotel, flights, stays at competitors’ hotels, car rentals, and more.

Buy, Gift, or Transfer PointsOur members have the option to buy points. They can also pur-chase as a gift or transfer their own points to other members.

Donate PointsDonate their points to our disaster relief program, IHG® Foundation.

1 Your Rate does not apply in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan region. 2 Internet accessibility, speed, and connectivity in common areas and guest rooms vary by hotel. Details regarding a property's Internet accessibility will be available at the hotel's registration desk.


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Member Benefit

Guest Arrivals Reports

Priority Check-In:

Check-in isn’t just about the “process” of getting a room key; it’s an important first point of contact our members have with your frontline team. IHG Rewards Club members expect this initial experience with team members to be positive and professional but more importantly memorable.

Member Recognition

Welcome Drink/Amenity:

Remember if points are offered as part of your Welcome Amenity standard, they should NOT be deposited ahead of the members’ arrival at your hotel.

Member Level

Club, Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Spire Elite

Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Spire Elite



Benefit Delivery

When availability permits congratulate and recognize members in achieving their most recent status level. Inform the member about the exclusive benefits available to them at that level.

You also have the ability to inform members that are only a few points or a few stays away from achieving their next status level upgrade.

Be sure to use this opportunity to mention the benefit details of the next level status and what the member can look forward to when they get there.

When implemented correctly, this is what success should look like for Priority Check-In:

• Front desk teams are well prepared for IHG Rewards Club guest’s arrival throughthe utilization of Guest Arrivals Reports.

• Front desk teams deliver a memorable check-in experience 100% of the time toall IHG Rewards Club members.

• IHG Rewards Club Elite status members are met by a friendly team member whogreets them promptly by name.

• The reservation is found quickly and details are confirmed.

• IHG Rewards Club members feels genuinely welcome and appreciated.

• The entire process is efficient and problem-free.

Success for Gold, Platinum, and Spire Elite members is when:

• Elite members are met by friendly team members who greet them promptly byname and acknowledge their IHG Rewards Club level.

• Gold, Platinum, and Spire Elite members feel the front desk team has beenexpecting them by having their room key ready.

• Platinum Elite and Spire Elite members feel important when front desk teammembers have pre-selected a room and take the time to tell them why it’sbeen thoughtfully chosen for that particular stay.

Greetings are an important part of creating a great first impression. Extra care and attention needs to be given to IHG Rewards Club members who have worked hard to achieve their status.

IHG Rewards Club members want to be recognized—they want to feel valued and special. Make an effort to recognize 100% of IHG Rewards Club member arrivals 100% of the time. Welcome the guest by name, recognize their status, and thank them for their loyalty.

The Welcome Amenity must be offered to all IHG Rewards Club members only when the booking is made through IHG direct channels to include front desk and GDS (Global Distribution System).

AMEA only: Launching in February 2017 (excluding Holiday Inn Express & Staybridge Suites)

Member Level Benefits


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Platinum Elite, Spire Elite

Platinum Elite, Spire Elite


Extended Check-Out:

Check-out until 14:00 (upon request and availability)

Guaranteed Room Availability

Complimentary Room Upgrades

IHG Rewards Club Booking Benefits

If the guest requests, and if available, you must extend the check-out time until 14:00 for IHG Rewards Club Elite members at no additional charge.

Let the housekeeping team know so they can plan for a late cleaning and make certain the room is ready for another guest arrival if needed.

Consider a proactive approach to provide a better experience for the IHG Rewards Club member. Offer the extended check-out benefit when occupancy and staffing levels permit. Confirm it immediately and notify the morning front desk shift and housekeeping team on departure day.

Platinum Elite and Spire Elite Members can book one room within 72 hours of arrival with a valid credit card, except during special event periods that are set up in the HOLIDEX® Plus system. Once this reservation is made, it must be honored, so make certain to prepare the IHG Rewards Club key jacket, if available, in your Region. If the guest does not arrive and does not cancel, one night’s room and tax may be billed to the credit card.

When availability permits and the booking was made through IHG channels to include front desk and GDS (Global Distribution System), Platinum Elite and Spire Elite members should be offered a complimentary upgraded room. Whenever possible, use the Guest Arrivals Reports to send a Spire Elite Pre-Arrival Upgrade Notification email to Spire Elite members in advance of their arrival at your hotel.

Let the member know you were expecting them and have a special room selected for them. Be sure to tell them why the room was selected for them on this occasion.

For example, tell them the room has a special view, location in the hotel, or is located on a club floor. Prepare the IHG Rewards Club key jacket with the room key and registration card to make the check-in process as smooth as possible.

IHG Rewards Club Booking Benefits support Your Rate by IHG Rewards Club (a member-exclusive rate) whereby member benefits will only be provided to members that book through IHG channels (Web, IHG App, In Hotel, CRO (Central Reservations Office), OFC (Central Reservations Office for large Owner Groups) or the GDS (Global Distribution System).

In other words, members that book via an OTA (online travel agency) do not receive any member benefits.

This will ensure our members receive the best experience possible at the lowest rate available.

This policy will be in effect for all stays beginning 1 January 2017.

Member Level Benefits


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IHG Rewards Club StandardsStandards support the delivery of a consistent member experience across all hotel brands in all countries. This experience is directly correlated to our member’s satisfaction and RevPAR.

IHG Rewards Club standards include:

• Enrollment

• Member Recognition

• Reward Night

• IHG Rewards Club training

• Welcome Amenity*

• Loyalty Champion

• Signage and applications

• Extended Check-Out (Elite only)

• Free Internet

• Priority Check-In

• Hotel room upgrades

• Guaranteed room availability

• Guest Arrivals Reports

• IHG Rewards Club Booking Benefits

Of the standards listed, the 5 highlighted are measured for program compliance. Note: Welcome Amenity is not measured in all Regions.

The detailed standards, specifications and guidelines can be found in the Online Brand Standards Manual: Merlin > Applications > Online Brand Standards Manual

* Please refer to Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club >Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity for region-specific content.

How to Find IHG Rewards Club Standards on MerlinTo find out more about the IHG Rewards Club Standards go to: Merlin > Applications > Online Brand Standards Manual

Loyalty ChampionThe role of a Loyalty Champion is integral to the success of loyalty in your hotel. They are the go-to person for all things IHG Rewards Club related.

Loyalty Champions ensure that you and your team are equipped with the latest tools, information, and knowledge. Our members expect that you and your team have the answers!

For example, Loyalty Champions have been key to engaging hotel teams, for example Front Desk, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, etc., in using the Guest Arrivals Reports that enable you to prepare properly for our most loyal members.

Your hotel is two times MORE likely to meet your standards when there’s a Loyalty Champion in place.

Loyalty Champions are key to helping the team consistently deliver on our promise—it’s not about going over the top, it’s about ensuring we deliver a consistent member experience every stay.

Your Loyalty Champion should be using IHG® Rewards Club Source on a daily basis. Here they’ll find:

• Information on your hotel’s performance

• A range of tools and training that will support the delivery ofthe program

• Champions Corner where they can stay connected withfellow Champions

• Learning Center


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So who is your Loyalty Champion? If you don’t know go and ask your Line Manager or General Manager.

Quarterly Enrollment TargetsEnrollments—so why are they important?

When you enroll a new guest to the program, you are not only helping your hotel to achieve its target, you are helping the other hotels in the system too.

More often than not, new members stay in other IHG brand properties, which means that other hotels are also benefitting from your enrollment.

Ultimately, enrollments drive revenue and we need to keep a constant flow of new members joining the program.

Don’t forget that enrollments have a part to play in the Enrolling Stay Assessment Rebate Program (aka Owner’s Rebate) too, so it’s in your best interest to enroll new guests into the program. Remember to capture valid email addresses too.

AMEA Hotels only: Hotels must achieve the IHG Rewards Club Brilliant Basics Enrollment Target, which is a stretch/higher target than the Global Standard Enrollment Target.

Please speak to your GM or Regional Loyalty Manager for more information. Also consult the AMEA Brilliant Basics Initiative Page on Merlin.

IHG Army Hotels only:Meet IHG Rewards Club minimum global enrollment target and achieve IHG Army Hotels enrollment targets found on KPO and Winning Metric Scorecard. Goals will be distributed by Corporate Team. For additional information or questions, please contact your Regional Director.

Standards MeasurementTo support the program we have a number of standards that must be consistently delivered at all times.

By adhering to the standards, our members will receive a consistent memorable experience time and time again regardless of where they are staying in the world. Consistency is key for our members and will support us to drive their continued loyalty.

The IHG Rewards Club standards are measured and enforced to ensure consistency in the way program benefits are delivered to our members. They are measured in various ways including performance metrics, HeartBeat, quality consultant visits, active monitoring, and periodic checks.

Hotels that fail to meet one or more standards will be assessed on their hotel’s IHG Rewards Club invoice and on each individual standard as follows:

Standards Enforcement Timeline

New Hotel Openings (NHOP) New hotels entering the IHG system must comply with the IHG Rewards Club standards from day one. Reporting will begin at the second full quarter after the hotel’s official opening date.

Example:

• Hotel enters the system on March 15, 2016

• Compliance begins July 1, 2016

How to Order CollateralAll IHG Rewards Club in-hotel collateral is available on the IHG Rewards Club eStore:

Merlin > Applications > IHG Print & Marketing eStore > IHG Rewards Club

The order form for IHG Rewards Club in-hotel collateral can be found on Brand Central:

Merlin > Brand Central > IHG Rewards Club > Brand Warehouse > Collateral

Failure to Meet Standard for: Result:

1 calendar quarter

2 consecutive calendar quarters

Each additional consecutive calendar quarter

Assessment of $500 USD per failed standard

Notification of failure,Hotel enters “Cure” status

Increase assessment of $1,000 USD per standard


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InterContinental AmbassadorProgram OverviewInterContinental Ambassadors receive IHG Rewards Club Gold, Platinum, or Spire Elite benefits at all non-InterContinental Hotels & Resorts when the booking is made through an IHG channel.

InterContinental Ambassador membership fees are:

• $200 USD buys membership of the Ambassador program for12 months

• $150 USD annual fee to renew

InterContinental Ambassador is a loyalty program that targets and rewards InterContinental Hotels & Resorts’ guests only.

Ambassador Member BenefitsInterContinental Ambassador benefits include:

• Guaranteed room upgrade one category higherthan purchased

• Free weekend night voucher

• 16:00 check-out

• Choice of snack on arrival and daily water*

• One complimentary Pay-TV film per stay where applicable

* Please refer to Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club >Hot Topics > Welcome Amenity for region-specific content.

AMEA only: Launching in February 2017 (excluding Holiday Inn Express & Staybridge Suites)

Royal Ambassador Member BenefitsRoyal Ambassador is by invitation only. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, Royal Ambassadors also receive:

• Guaranteed room upgrade two categories higher thanpurchased

• Complimentary Club Lounge access (GC, EUR, AMER) orComplimentary Club InterContinental Experience (AMEA)

• Choice of snack on arrival and daily water

• Complimentary mini-bar beverages (Note: mini-bar• beverages are complimentary up to a maximum of $100 USD

per stay for InterContinental Alliance Resorts)

• 08:00 early check-in

• Guaranteed room availability (24 hours’ notice required)

All Royal Ambassadors are Spire Elite members and receive Spire Elite benefits at all non-InterContinental Hotels & Resorts when the booking is made through an IHG direct channel.

InterContinental Ambassador StandardsIHG Rewards Club and InterContinental Ambassador Standards can be found on the Online Brand Standards Manual: Merlin > Applications > Online Brand Standards Manual

Corresponding IHG Rewards Club level benefits

Exclusive hotel benefits and recognition at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

Membership: $200 USD to join

Qualifing Points (per calendar year)

Qualifing Nights (per calendar year)

Automatic Elite status for new activations

Expires 3 months from activation date

Member type must be verified in HOLIDEX® Plus

123456789112

Christopher SmithPlatinum Ambassador

EXP: JAN 2014

123456789112

Christopher SmithGold Ambassador

EXP: JAN 2014

123456789112

Christopher SmithAmbassador

EXP: JAN 2014

InterContinental Ambassador Member CardsTemporary

AmbassadorGold

AmbassadorPlatinum

AmbassadorSpire

AmbassadorRoyal

Ambassador

•

•

Gold Elite

•

•

•

Platinum Elite

•

•

40,000

40

Spire Elite

•

•

75,000

75

Spire Elite

•

By Invitation Only

123456789112CHRISTOPHER SMITH 123456789112CHRISTOPHER SMITH


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IHG Business Rewards is a global loyalty program that awards bookers/individuals that book business and social meetings, events, and/or guest rooms on behalf of others.

Hotels can use IHG Business Rewards as a cost-effective negotiation tool to close business deals and build long-term relationships with bookers.

As an extension of IHG Rewards Club, members also enjoy the benefits of IHG Rewards Club when they use IHG Business Rewards to place business and social events at participating hotels even if they don’t stay themselves.

The program rewards individuals three IHG Rewards Club points for every $1 USD equivalent spent for booked and consumed guest rooms, meetings, and events at IHG brand hotels.

Members also earn up to 10 points per $1 USD for personal stays and enjoy the same great benefits as an IHG Rewards Club member.

Other member benefits include:

• Earn points when you book for others in your IHG RewardsClub account

• Access to exclusive members-only offers and promotions

• Book at your choice of IHG brands at participating hotelsacross the globe

• No booking thresholds and no minimum qualifying spend toearn points

Benefits to Hotels1. Attract members to book directly with IHG brand hotels and

therefore drive more revenue and profit

2. Single global solution to reward bookers for accommodationand meetings consumed at participating IHG brand hotels

3. Prospecting and closing tool that rewards customers andhelps hotels to win business

4. No booking threshold—easy to promote to smaller groupsand individual accommodation bookings

5. Manage members’ bookings and award points throughLoyaltyConnect

Benefits to Members1. One account per member with one number. The same

account is used to book on behalf of someone and to stay.

2. No booking thresholds and no minimum qualifying spend toearn points

3. Book at their choice of participating IHG brand hotels acrossthe globe

4. Access to exclusive members-only offers and promotions

5. Access to all of the redemption options available in our IHGRewards Club global catalog

IHG Business Rewards members will earn points from bookings made on behalf of others directly to their IHG Rewards Club account.

Points earned through IHG Business Rewards count toward Elite status. With Elite status members will receive Elite benefits when they stay at IHG brand hotels.

Qualifying SpendQualifying spend for IHG Business Rewards includes guest rooms, meetings and events, conference rooms, food and beverage ser-vice linked to meetings and conferences, and all-inclusive meeting packages.

• Meeting Room Rental – If rental is charged on any meetingspace and charged to the booker’s account, this is included inthe total Qualifying spend for the meeting.

• F&B (non-room revenue) – F&B charges that are charged tothe booker’s account is “Qualifying Spend.” Charges billedto an individual attendee’s guest room do not count asQualifying F&B charges for the booker.

• Group Rooms Revenue – This is calculated by multiplying thenumber of consumed room nights in the group block by the negotiated room rate whether it is paid by the booker, orindividually by attendees. All negotiated group rates for business bookings are Qualifying rates.

• Taxes, gratuities, service fees, outside vendor/supplier fees(A/V, flowers, décor, etc.), and other charges billed toindividual attendee guest rooms or paid by attendees are noteligible for IHG Rewards Club points rewarded to the booker/ IHG® Business Rewards member.

IHG Business Rewards

Mr William SmithExp. Apr. 2016 987 456 432


Mr William Smith987 456 432



Mr William Smith987 456 432


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Please note: IHG Rewards Club points will not be issued to individual IHG Rewards Club members who are attendees of a group block or meeting for their stay if their individual room bill is paid through a master account.

For full terms and conditions, visit ihg.com/businessrewards.

Awarding Points to a MemberMembers of IHG Business Rewards will be awarded points for

their business, meeting, and event bookings via LoyaltyConnect, once the payment has been received.

You can learn about how to use LoyaltyConnect for IHG Business Rewards by taking the eLearning module available on Merlin > myLearning or look on Merlin > IHG Business Rewards, or ihgmerlin.com/ihgbusinessrewards.

For further information on IHG Business Rewards or to review the IHG Business Rewards program guide, visit Merlin > IHG Business Rewards, or ihgmerlin.com/ihgbusinessrewards.

Earning Points & Qualifying RatesAll guests may earn IHG Rewards Club points for stays beginning with the date of their enrollment in the program unless the enrolling stay was booked through an Online Travel Agency (OTA) rate.

Member points will remain active as long as the member either redeems or earns points within a 12-month period. Points do not expire for current Elite members.

Please note, if a member moves to Club level and does not earn or redeem points, they will be subject to the 12-month point expiration policy.

Points on Enrolling StaysAll guests (except OTA bookings) who enroll in IHG Rewards Club during a stay at any IHG brand hotel will be awarded a flat 1,000 points for that Qualifying Enrolling Stay.

Note: OTA rates are not eligible to earn any points during their stay, which includes the enrolling stay 1,000 points.

Points on Subsequent StaysAll stays subsequent to the enrolling stay will follow the current earning structure for IHG Rewards Club, as well as the same assessment formula that exists today.

At InterContinental Alliance Resorts® members receive 2,000 points for Qualifying stays.

Points are earned on eligible charges billed to the room folio. Eligible charges include:

• Qualifying Room Rates

• Food & Beverage

• Telephone

• Laundry

• In-room Movies

If the room rate is not a Qualifying Room Rate, members will only earn points on eligible full folio items.

Note: Members who have booked their room through an OTA do not qualify for any points including ancillary spend at the hotel.

Earning StructureARMY Hotels earn three points for every $1 USD spent.

Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® earn five points for every $1 USD spent.

All other hotel brands earn 10 points for every $1 USD spent.

Changing Earning PreferenceIHG Rewards Club members can earn either points or miles on qualifying stays but not both.

Members can change their earning preference at any time from points to miles but only certain airline partners allow miles to be converted back to points.

Once miles or partner credits have been posted to a member’s airline account, they cannot be changed.

If a member wants to make a change to their earning preference for future stays, they should visit ihg.com/rewardsclub or contact the IHG Rewards Club Service Center.

Qualifying and Non-Qualifying RatesA Qualifying Room Rate is a rate that is eligible to earn IHG Rewards Club points or airline miles.

A Non-Qualifying Room Rate is not eligible to earn either.

Please see the table below for Qualifying and Non-Qualifying rates.

LoyaltyConnect ensures all members automatically receive their points or miles when they stay on a Qualifying Rate.


http://www.ihg.com/businessrewards

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Qualifying Rate

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Rate Name

Best Flexible Rate

Retail (Public) Rates

Federal Government, State & Provincial Government Rates

Buy/Get Offers (BOGO)

Bonus Points Package

Corporate Gold Rate

Global Sales (Worldwide Sales) Negotiated Rate (KNR)

Individual Hotel Contract Rate (locally Negotiated Rates - LNR)

BTA/Consortia

Travel Consultant Discount Rate

Conference and Meeting Rates

Rate Description

The Best Flexible Rate as established by an individual hotel and entered into the HOLIDEX® Plus system. It is a market driven rate and is established as a Flat Rate Code.

Rate Categories include, but are not limited to, Best Flex with Breakfast, Advance Purchase Programs (such as Book Early and Save and the Advance Saver Rate) and Special Offer. Rate programs are available to the general public and may vary by regions.

Rates extended to Federal, State, and Provincial officials/employees/departments/agencies recognized by IHG.

The rate associated with leisure programs offering one or more free nights, or stays at a reduced rate with the purchase of one or more nights at a specific rate. Available at participating hotels only. The points will be awarded on the purchased nights only. (Pay Points: Yes, on purchased night only)

A non-discounted room rate with bonus IHG Rewards Club points as a value add.

The rate provided to Corporate Gold Accounts, which is a discount ranging from 5 to 14.5% off of the Best Flexible Rate.

Any rate centrally coordinated through Worldwide Sales as a negotiated rate between certain hotels and Key Account companies. These are rates which have a corporate identification number attached.

Locally negotiated contract rates between a company and a hotel. In North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean, points may be collected on locally negotiated rates if these rates are discounted less than 30%.

At Asia Pacific hotels, Qualifying Room Rates include all locally negotiated rates.

If the rate negotiated is a discount of greater than 30% off of the published Best Flexible Rate, the hotel MAY exclude IHG Rewards Club points as part of the negotiation.

The rates extended by a hotel to volume producing travel agencies for the agency’s corporatecustomers.

Program for personal travel of Travel Agents. IATA number and ID required. No commission paid, IHG Rewards Club points apply.

The individual hotels offer conference and meeting rates to associations, corporate groups and social groups (e.g. weddings, reunions, SMERFES: Social, Military, Education, Religious, Fraternal, Ethnic & Sports). Points will not be paid when an individual’s room charges are paid as part of a master folio for the meeting. If the rate negotiated is a discount of greater than 30% off of thepublished Best Flexible Rate, the hotel MAY exclude IHG Rewards Club points as part of the negotiation.

When an individual Hotel Special Contract Rate is negotiated it is the responsibility of the company to inform their employees that IHG Rewards Club points or airline miles have been negotiated out of the rate and therefore will not be awarded. Refer to Terms and Conditions for full details.

Qualifying and Non-Qualifying Rates


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No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

Complimentary Nights

Loyalty Program Related Free Night

Seasonal Worker/Crew Rate

Distressed Passenger Rate

Net Wholesale Rate

OTA Package, Room Only, or Opaque Rates

50% Travel Club Discounts Rate

Group Rate

Employee Discount Rate

Friends and Family Rate

Hotel granted free night.

Stays that are a result of Loyalty Program redemptions (ex. IHG Rewards Club Reward Night) or benefit driven with a Loyalty Program partnership (ex. Chase Free Night).

A rate contracted by a hotel for airline, trucking, rail, film, etc., crews. May also be a rate provided for migrant worker teams or small worker groups for temporary, seasonal periods.

The rate negotiated between a hotel and an airline to accommodate passengers displaced due to cancelled flights, closed airports, etc.

The rate provided to wholesalers for packages to be resold to individual consumers or groups at participating hotels.

Discounted Internet rates offered to third-party websites sold as hotel room only or as a bundled package, in addition to rates sold to certified third-party websites offering an opaque product (price or brand shielded) such as Travelocity, Travelweb, Orbitz, etc. (Pay Points: No)

A rate negotiated by a hotel included in entertainment discount booklets distributed on a national or regional basis (e.g. ENCORE entertainment booklet).

The nightly room rate provided to associations, corporate groups, and social groups for guests who stay at the hotel—not associated to banquet or catering charges.

The IHG® Employee Room Benefit Program is an exclusive benefit to IHG corporate and hotel employees, as well as owners and management companies of IHG brand hotels.

The Friends and Family program offers discounted accommodation rates to friends and family of IHG corporate and hotel employees.

Hotels may choose to award points for Non-Qualifying Rates at their discretion. However, no points will be earned for OTA rates and any ancillary spend while staying on an OTA rate.

US & Canada ONLY:Hotels (except at InterContinental Alliance Resorts), points or miles can be collected on all eligible charges for multiple rooms (less than 10) provided the following criteria is achieved:

• The rooms are used in conjunction with the member’s stayat the same hotel

• The member’s IHG Rewards Club number is recorded oneach reservation

• The charges from the multiple room reservations are routedto the room bill of the member

Exclusive Rates (Your Rate)Our members are eligible to book exclusive rates and receive member benefits provided they book their stay at an IHG brand hotel through one of the IHG channels, including the front desk and Global Distribution System (GDS).

Availability of member-exclusive rates varies by brand and region.

Bonus Points Package ProgramThe IHG® Rewards Club Bonus Point Packages are flexible and easy-to-use individual hotel offers that can increase hotel revenue, ADR, and guest satisfaction.

Some offers can be customized by hotels to ensure you’re offering the most enticing package possible!


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How to Activate a Bonus Points PackageEach Bonus Points Package is associated with a specific Amount Add Rate Code.

Step 1 - Activate the Rate Code

Step 2 - Activate the Rate Category in HOLIDEX® Plus

Step 3 - Create a Sell Strategy in HOLIDEX® Plus and add the Bonus Package. This will ensure the rate is available to sell both in the IHG channels and externally.

Please view the Training Video posted on Hotel Solutions for details on:

• Which Bonus Points Packages your hotel should be promoting

• Pricing best practices

• How to activate Bonus Points Packages

• Updating your sell strategy

Packages should be priced above the Best Flexible Rate AND at least cover the cost of the bonus points (1,000 points = $4.75 USD).

Points FulfillmentAs with Qualifying Rates, members will be awarded points or airline miles through LoyaltyConnect and you’ll be invoiced monthly.

If you need to create a package that includes Bonus Points Packages with other elements you should use IKHB2 or IKHB4. By using these categories, the member will receive their points or airline miles automatically through LoyaltyConnect.

Point VouchersPoint Vouchers are a simple, effective way to drive incremental revenue and to show appreciation to loyal members. Point Vouchers can also be used for guest recovery, in-hotel spend incentives, or as a promotional incentive on prospective sales calls.

Available in Booklets of 25 Vouchers

• 1,000 points $125 USD

• 5,000 points $625 USD

• 10,000 points $1,250 USD

Gold Elite Membership Upgrade Certificates: Upgrade Certificates are a great way to build loyalty and to drive business to your hotel. Use them to show your appreciation, or offer them as a promotional incentive for repeat stays. Each certificate provides one full year of Gold Elite status, plus IHG Rewards Club funds all Elite bonus points earned.

Available in Booklets of 25 Certificates

• Gold Elite Upgrade $500 USD

You now have the ability to order Point Vouchers, cancel Point Voucher orders, and view order history through LoyaltyConnect: Merlin > Applications > LoyaltyConnect.

Note: To order Point Vouchers through LoyaltyConnect, a Hotel Operations Manager security role must be assigned.

Bonus Points Packages: What Hotels Will Need to DoGreater China & Japan Only:

1. Review extra person charges and applicable Room Types onthe Rate Code that will be associated to this program

2. Keep cost of bonus points in mind when pricing theprograms

3. Each of the Bonus Points Packages is set up to be yieldedat value (hurdle point for PERFORM hotels or allocationcontrolled for non-PERFORM hotels). Non-PERFORM hotelswill have to allocate inventory to whatever Rate Code theyend up associating to the Bonus Points Package RateCategories

4. Keep in mind that these offers are optional and hotelscan elect to opt in or not. If hotels decide they want toparticipate, then they need to assess which Bonus PointsPackages work best for them and should adjust their sellstrategy accordingly. Consumer surveys have shown thata display of 5-7 offers is optimal

5. Submit to have these packages promoted in the IHGRewards Club eStatements just as they do with existingBonus Points Packages today

6. To ensure that the member receives the points hotels mustensure that all Bonus Points Package rate stays are set to“Yes” in the qualifying field of LoyaltyConnect, just as we dowith existing Bonus Points Packages. These bonus points willautomatically post at the completion of the stay

7. After the stay, if a member has not received the bonuspoints due from the Bonus Points Package purchase hotelsshould refer the member to the IHG Rewards Club ServiceCenter. However, before referring, hotels must verify thatthe stay details include member number and rate andqualification settings are correct in LoyaltyConnect


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IHG Rewards Club TrainingHow to AccessTo find out about available IHG Rewards Club Training, go to Merlin > Applications > myLearning.

Supporting Tools & ResourcesPerformance TrackerPerformance Tracker is an online tool that allows hotels to:

• Monitor IHG Rewards Club standards performance results

• Compare your hotel’s performance against set standards

• Request exceptions to Reward Night, Enrollments andTraining standards

• Review all pending exceptions requests

• View the Loyalty Champion Dashboard

• Create quarterly Loyalty Champion Action Plans to improveperformance

Note: Quarterly Action Plans are mandatory.

It is critical to your hotel’s success that you review these reports monthly and share with your management team. Updates are made on the 20th of each month.

To access the Performance Tracker, go to: Merlin > Applications > IHG Rewards Club Performance Tracker.


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Guest Arrivals ReportsThe Guest Arrivals Reports contain valuable guest information that will support you in addressing critical areas of the business and driving Guest Satisfaction, Recognition, and Loyalty Enrollments.

These reports have proven to help achieve Winning Metrics and deliver a more personal stay experience to our most valued members.

The three Guest Arrivals Reports are:

1. Arrivals Summary Report – Primary report used in arrivalsplanning process, it includes a summary of basic stayinformation, membership details, special guest requests, stay history, and even previous guest satisfactioninformation, so it’s a helpful summary of everythingyou need to get organized.

2. Special Requests & Customer Care Arrivals Report –Identify all guests (member and non-member) who havestay preferences, reservation special requests, or customer care issues

3. IHG Rewards Club Arrivals Detail Report – View informationabout our members that can be used to personalize theirguest experience, view additional recommended guest actions, and HeartBeat survey comments and problems.

To obtain more information on training and accessing these reports, visit Merlin > Initiatives > Guest Arrivals Reports.

Pre-Arrival Upgrade NotificationsWe’re all about recognizing and rewarding our members. We know our Spire Elite members value receiving a notification when their room is ready, even before they reach their destination.

It’s just another way we show members we’re planning for their arrival and looking forward to welcoming them, as a friend would.

For a Spire Elite member’s room upgrade, you should check today for tomorrow’s arrivals.

Send the member a Pre-Arrival Upgrade Notification advising their room has been upgraded.

Stay PreferencesWe are about being personal — we make sure our members know that we notice them, respect and appreciate them, and look for ways to make their stay special.

We know that our members value having the ability to let us know what will make their stay most comfortable such as having a room further away from an elevator or having extra pillows, and love it when we deliver on their special requests and preferences, and of course, let them know.

Use the Guest Arrivals Reports to identify your IHG Rewards Club members, identify bookings with Stay Preferences (e.g., room on a higher floor), and share with other departments (e.g., Reservations).

How to Access the Reports

Scheduling ReportsYou can schedule all three reports to be delivered in one email using the new group functionality within IHG Reporting.

Go to iProfile > Scheduling (tab) > Schedule a ReportSelect a Report > Select a Hotel > Enter Parameters > Select Delivery Information and click save!

Now the reports will be delivered to your inbox based on the settings you selected.


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Arrivals Summary Report

Arrivals Special Requests and Customer Care Report

IHG Rewards Club Arrivals Detail Report


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EnrollmentsQuarterly Enrollment TargetsEnrollments can be processed in a couple of ways:

1. Through your hotel’s PMS (Property Management System)Instant Enrollment Process

2. Through LoyaltyConnect

LoyaltyConnect is the administrative arm of the IHG Rewards Club program. You will learn more about the enrollment process when you complete the LoyaltyConnect eLearning module as part of your Essentials training.

Whichever way you enroll the guest, ensure that you obtain a valid email address and provide the member with their new membership number/kit.

Use LoyaltyConnect or your PMS to verify the member’s email address to ensure it’s not a duplicate.

Instant Enrollment Via Property Management System (PMS)Some hotels’ PMS now have the capability to instantly enroll guests in IHG Rewards Club using information taken directly from the guest’s room reservation record in PMS.

OPERA Makes Enrolling Easy:

1. Search for and retrieve the reservation

2. From the Main Reservations screen, select the ellipses nextto the guest’s last name

3. From the Individual Profile screen, select the OPTIONS buttonto view Profile Options

4. Select the ENROLLMENT button

5. Verify any blank fields you wish to fill in. Select OK to completethe enrollment.

9 Great Reasons to Use These Reports

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Validating Email Address:1. Use the email validation tool in the PMS; if the email address

already exists, you will get an error message

2. Move to LoyaltyConnect and search for the guest name

3. Ask the guest to verify other information to confirm the account

4. If the account number is confirmed go back to the PMS andadd the member number to the reservation

5. If the account number cannot be found in LoyaltyConnectask the guest for a different email address to continue theenrollment

EUROPE only:Brilliant PMpro makes enrolling easy

1. Search for and retrieve the reservation

2. From the main reservation screen, search for the guestcontact and click on the select icon

3. Click the IHG Rewards Club enrollment

4. Verify any blank fields you wish to fill in. Ensure the addressdetails are that of the guest and not the travel agency.Select OK to complete the enrollment.

Enrolling New MembersThe procedures detailed below illustrate how to enroll a guest into IHG Rewards Club using the LoyaltyConnect system.

Note: You must be enrolled as an employee in LoyaltyConnect (see Enrolling Employees section).

Enrolling a guest:

1. Access the LoyaltyConnect system

2. Click on <Enrollment>

3. Check the box to indicate which program to enroll the guestinto. From the dropdown menu select your HOLIDEX® Pluscode, this way your hotel will get the enrollment credit.

Note: Only InterContinental Hotels & Resorts are able to enroll a guest into the Ambassador (AMB) program.

4. Complete all mandatory fields, as indicated by the redasterisk, on the enrollment screen. Some fields (e.g.,Passport) may be required by specific countries.

• The Earning Preference field defaults to IHG RewardsClub points. If the guest chooses to collect miles, selectmiles from the drop-down box, then select the carrierand enter the alliance number.

• If your hotel does not use pre-numbered enrollmentforms, leave the IHG Rewards Club Member ID fieldblank. After completing the process, the systemautomatically generates a new IHG Rewards ClubMember ID number

• If your hotel uses pre-numbered enrollment forms, youmust input the IHG Rewards Club number that appearson the form in the IHG Rewards Club Member ID field

5. Enter your employee number in the Your Employee ID field

6. Click on the Enroll button. The IHG Rewards Club numberdisplays in a pop-up box.

7. Write down the guest name and their IHG Rewards Clubmember number and pass it to the member.

Note: Ensure you add the member’s number to the guest reservation record in HOLIDEX® Plus and the PMS prior to the guest’s check-out

• For InterContinental Hotels & Resorts: after completing theenrollment process for a new Ambassador member, youmust process the AMB fee through your PMS

• Enrollment made easy: if a guest is a member of anyprogram (IHG Rewards Club, AMB) and wishes to enroll inone of the other programs, just check the appropriate box atthe top and click <Submit>. The current member informationis used.

Program AbuseUnfortunately, like many loyalty programs we’ve seen program abuse. At IHG we have processes in place to help minimize these occurrences.

We take the issue of program abuse very seriously and continuously make changes to the system to ensure it’s secure.

If you do suspect program abuse please contact the Hotel Help Desk and report immediately.


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Enroll for RewardsIncentive ProgramEnroll for Rewards is IHG’s employee incentive program that rewards hotel employees for enrolling guests into the IHG Rewards Club program.

When your hotel meets its monthly enrollment minimum goal (as described in the chart below) and the valid email address capture target is achieved, you or your hotel will earn 500 IHG Rewards Club points for every Qualified Enrollment (QE). For example, if your hotel’s QE goal is 40, your email capture goal must also be 40 to receive the incentive.

Points are deposited monthly (around the 20th) and can be reviewed and allocated to individual employees or redeemed for a team award via: Merlin > IHG Rewards Club Source > My Hotel > Distribute Rewards.

EFR Monthly Enrollment Minimum Goal

What’s a Qualified Enrollment?• An enrollment that takes place no earlier than 24 hours prior

to check-in and no later than check-out

• An enrollment that is attached to the stay

• An enrollment that takes place at the same hotel as the stay

• The member information is not duplicated in the system

What’s a Valid Email?A valid email is:

• An email that follows proper email format: __________@____.com

• An email address that is active and can receive emails

• Verified by third-party validator and has no bounce-backfrom the welcome email

• An email that is not a duplicate email already in the IHGRewards Club system

Note: Front Desk enrolling teams must obtain the verbal permission of each guest prior to enrolling them in IHG Rewards Club.

Enrollment audits are conducted monthly, and team members identified as not obtaining guest permission or knowingly enrolling existing IHG Rewards Club members in the system (resulting in a duplicate enrollment) will be immediately disqualified from the incentive program.

For more information and program resources, please visit: Merlin > IHG Rewards Club Source > Resources > Enroll for Rewards.

For instructions on how to distribute points visit: Merlin > IHG Rewards Club Source > My Hotel > Distribute Rewards.

Where to Go to Redeem PointsFront Desk employees can redeem points earned from the incentive program through a redemption site with merchandise and gifts at a discounted rate far less than what members pay.Visit: Merlin > IHG Rewards Club Source > My Hotel > Employee Catalog.

IHG Rewards Club Source has many great resources to help your hotel be successful, such as:

• Tips on how to encourage guests to enroll

• Best practices for email capture and more


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Source is a central resource to retrieve all hotel-related IHG Rewards Club information.

To access IHG Rewards Club Source, go to Merlin > Applications > IHG Rewards Club Source.

What’s available on IHG Rewards Club Source?

My Hotel — Provides a snapshot of your hotel’s performance.

• Distribute Rewards

Resources — This section has a range of tools to help your hotel deliver the IHG Rewards Club program effectively including:

• Operating procedures

• Learning Center—Here you’ll find:

– Information on mandatory Loyalty training

– Helpful job aids

– 10-minute trainers

– eLearning modules

Champions Corner — A digital community exclusively for Loyalty Champions. It contains the ability to:

• See more information on the program

• Share best practices

• Ask fellow Champions in your Region program-relatedquestions

Contact information — Directs you to the most relevant hotel support options.

IHG Rewards Club Source

Tax Reimbursement RulesTaxes are being reimbursed on Rewards Nights as of December 27th, 2016.


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LoyaltyConnectInvoice BillingLoyaltyConnect helps you manage your business related to your IHG Rewards Club members more efficiently including:

• Process IHG Rewards Club stays and Reward Nightreimbursements

• Update member profiles upon request from the IHGRewards Club member*

• Directly deposit points into a member account

*Note: If the member has more than 50,000 points, hotel usersare unable to add an email address. Please direct the memberas indicated in the error message.

LoyaltyConnect can be accessed through Merlin > Applications > LoyaltyConnect

The monthly IHG Rewards Club Invoice Report details your hotel’s previous month Loyalty Marketing assessment fees on gross room revenue for Qualifying Stays.

This report also includes any applicable:

• IHG Rewards Club promotion fees

• Ambassador Activation

• Renewal fees

• Reward Night/Free Night reimbursement credits

The IHG Rewards Club billing cycle starts on the 27th day of the previous month and goes through to the 26th day of the current month.

The Invoice Report can be retrieved, viewed, or printed via Merlin > Applications > IHGSmartPay on approximately the 10th day of each month.

Fees are calculated as follows:

• The hotel assessment fee is 4.75% at InterContinental, HUALUXE®, Crowne Plaza®, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, and Holiday Inn Resort®.

• At Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites, the hotel assessment fee is 2.40%.

• At InterContinental Alliance Resorts, the assessment fee is$9.50 USD per qualified stay.

• All hotels are assessed a fee of 1.425% of qualifying meetings revenue for IHG Business Rewards events.

• Enrolling stays are assessed a flat rate of $4.75 USD perenrollment. Note: Hotels are not assessed for online travelagency (OTA) enrollments.


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Reward Night/Free NightRedemption for Hotel StaysOur members can book Reward Night/Free Night reservations at any IHG brand hotel.

The number of points required for a Reward Night/Free Night ranges from 10,000 to 60,000 points.

The number of points required for your hotel is based on factors including brand, ADR, occupancy, demand, location, nearby hotels and Reward Night/Free Night volume. To find out more go to ihgrewardsclub.com.

PointBreaks®PointBreaks are Reward Night priced at 5,000 points, at select hotels, for a limited period of time.

Hotels are chosen to participate by the IHG Rewards Club program and will only be chosen once per calendar year. Participation will be for three months maximum.

If chosen as a PointBreaks hotel, hotels do not have an option to decline participation.

Note: Selection as a PointBreaks property does not lower Reward Night/Free Night reimbursement rates.

Activating Reward Night/ Free Night CategoriesIn order to accept Reward Night/Free Night reservations the rate category “IVANI” must be activated and associated with a V1 rate code in HOLIDEX® Plus.

Reward Night/Free Night inventory equal to 5% of your guest room inventory will be allocated in HOLIDEX® Plus for both

PERFORM and non-PERFORM hotels. The recommended price point for rate categories attached to the V1 rate code (IVANI and Free Night rate categories) is 5% off C1.

• You should ensure that Master Week is set up with thecorrect Total AC/AU counts so that the percentageallocations for Rate Code V1 are calculated accurately

• A hotel is not permitted to zero out inventory for the wholehouse (e.g., current inventory plus the Master Week), andthen update the percentage discounts on Rate Code V1 tozero in order to enable the system to calculate a zeropercentage and falsely reflect zero available rooms. Inaddition, a hotel is not permitted to Change Room TypeCounts in inventory in an attempt to zero out IVANI and/orFree Night Rate Category.

• Rate Code V1 should have ACTIVE inventory counts withactual Room Types that are able to sell, with the exception ofthe Sell-Through/Flow-Through Room Type

• Rate Code V1 settings should exceed zero rooms authorized andthe percentage of rooms authorized for Rate Code V1 shouldn’t be LESS than the mandated 5% of the AC/AU inventory

• A hotel should enable ACTIVE Room Type(s) that aredesignated for the V1 Rate Code on the Room TypeIndicators screen.

Rate Code Configurations PMS Activation for new hotels entering our system should follow the below listed steps within the PMS. Note that the rate category should already be active in HOLIDEX® Plus:

The Rate Categories used for Reward Night/Free Night reservations in HOLIDEX® Plus are:

• IVANI

• IVCFN

• IVCIT

• IVBFN

• IVDD1

Ensure that the Rate Code has the following configuration settings in the OPERA PMS as it will automatically download:

• The Rate is Suppressed (i.e., it will not print on guestregistration forms)

• Print Rate is de-selected (i.e., the guest will not see the rate)

• Accounts Receivable billing set up for this program andincludes:

– Company profile

– AR account

– Default routing instructions


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Rate Code SetupFollow these steps to verify or make these settings:

1. From the OPERA PMS main menu, select Setup thenConfiguration

2. Select Rate Management, then Rate Classification, thenRate Codes

3. Locate and select the IVANI, IVCFN, IVCIT, IVBFN, and IVDD1rate code entry and then select Edit and make these settings:

• Check the Suppressed Rate Checkbox

• Remove the checkmark from the Print Rate Checkbox

4. Select Rate Detail and ensure that all Room Types that arepart of the Rate Category in HOLIDEX® Plus are also listed inOPERA. If they are not, contact OPERA support for assistancewith any rate download problems.

5. Select Save then Close

6. Select Close and Exit to leave the Configuration Menuand continue

Company Profile SetupFollow these steps to create a company profile to link the RateCode, AR Account, and routing defaults.

1. Select Reservations, then Profile, then New

2. Select the Company radio button, then select OK

3. Input the Company information as desired.—Europe to use address provided below*

* EUROPE hotels only:IHG Hotels Ltd.Broadwater ParkDenham, BuckinghamshireUB9 5HRUnited Kingdom

Remember that this invoice is not actually sent anywhere, nameaddress/phone are for reference.

4. Select Save then select the Routing Instructionsdrop down arrow

5. De-select the Transactions radio button and place an “X” nextto Room & Tax

6. Select Add, then OK. RT is now included in the RoutingInstructions field. This process continues into the next step:AR Account Setup. Create an AR Account for billing RewardNight room and tax folios.

7. Select the A/R No. field drop down arrow

8. Create an AR Account number using your property’sestablished accounting procedures then Select OK (othercompany information will transfer from the Company Profile)

9. Select OK, then Close


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10. Navigate back to the Company Profile screen andselect Options

11. Select Neg. Rates

12. Select New

13. Select the Rate Code drop down arrow

14. Locate the IVANI, IVCFN, IVCIT, IVBFN, and IVDD1 rate entryand select OK

15. Select Close to exit the Neg. Rates screen, then select Closeto exit the Options menu and select OK

Note: These procedures are best practice suggestions for thePMS, all Front Desk and Accounting procedures used at yourproperty should be approved by your hotel ownership and/ormanagement.

Please consult the IHG Rewards Club training and proceduresmaterials on Merlin for specific program information, reimbursement procedures, and other IHG Rewards Club specific service guidelines including HOLIDEX® Plus configuration and settings. The above steps ensure timely reimbursement payments are reflected on your IHG Rewards Club Invoice.

Check Merlin for additional information on activating rate categories, found in the HOLIDEX® Plus Information Center.


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Check-In Procedures1. Use the Guest Arrivals Reports or Guest Arrivals List to

identify IHG Rewards Club members staying on a RewardNight/Free Night. Reward Night reservations use the ratecategory “IVANI” and Free Night reservations are booked withthe applicable Free Night rate category

2. At check-in, access the Reward Night/Free Night reservation

3. Recognize IHG Rewards Club member and acknowledgetheir status

4. Create two folios—the first folio is for incidental items only(food and beverage, telephone charges, in-room movies, andlaundry) and is eligible for points

The second folio is for the room rate and room tax only. Membersshould never see the room rate on the second folio. (Adjust theroom rate on the second folio to the appropriate low occupancyor high occupancy reimbursement amount).

Note: These instructions may vary by PMS. Check your PMS manual for specific instructions.

5. Swipe credit card or collect a valid form of payment forincidentals

6. Make sure the member signs the folio for the incidentalitems only

7. Hotels may refuse to check in guests who book IVANIredemptions through third-party sites, (i.e., OTA sites).Guests should be advised to contact the booking sitefor compensation.

Reservations: “No-Shows”, Cancellations, or ChangesAll Reward Night/Free Night reservations require a credit cardguarantee. Hotels may not require or enforce advance depositson Reward Night/Free Night reservations.

If a member “No-Shows” a Reward Night/Free Night reservation,you must complete the following steps:

1. Change their reservation to “No-Show” in HOLIDEX® Plus

2. Charge their credit card for one night’s room and tax (notethis is at your hotel’s discretion). Do not bill IHG Rewards Clubfor “No-Show” Reward Night/Free Night reservations.

Changes to Reward Night/Free Night ReservationsChanges should not be made to Reward Night/Free Night reservations.

* Changing any information on a Reward Night/Free Nightreservation from your hotel’s PMS may cause:

• Cancelled Reward Night/Free Night reservations

• Re-depositing points back into the member’s account

• Nonpayment of Reward Night reimbursements

In the event that a change is made, please contact the Hotel HelpDesk on behalf of the member to correct the booking and ensureit’s accurate in HOLIDEX® Plus.

Reinstatement Reimbursement RequestIf your hotel was not reimbursed for a Reward Night/Free Night booking and the member actually stayed, you will need to file aReinstatement Reimbursement Request as follows:

1. Email IHG Rewards Club Hotel Help Desk [email protected]

2. Include your hotel Inn Code (5-character mnemonic) inthe subject line of the email

3. Attach a PDF of the supporting document and it must include:

• Guest stay folio

• Signed registration card

• Excel Spreadsheet that contains: reservationconfirmation number, stay dates, first and last name,member ID number, and requested payment amountbroken down by individual reservation (hotel calculationswill be reviewed for accuracy)

Note: Only Property Management System generated documentation will be accepted.

Incomplete or outstanding reinstatement requests that are olderthan three months from the stay date will automatically be paidat the low occupancy reimbursement rate. They will not be considered for future high occupancy adjustments.


mailto:askihgrewardsclub%40ihg.com?subject=

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Common IssuesMultiple Night ReservationsWhen members have booked consecutive stays with one nighton the IVANI rate code and another on a paying rate category, DO NOT merge these reservations.

Extending Length of StaysIf a member staying on an IVANI rate category requests to extend their stay, contact the Hotel Help Desk. Do not extend the Reward Night reservation by adding additional nights.

Adding Names to Reward Night ReservationsOur members can use their points to book a Reward Night/ Free Night reservation for someone else. However, the member’s name must always appear in the primary name field on the reservation. If another name is added to the reservation it should be added to the secondary name field only, this way both names appear on the reservation.

Verification of Secondary Names onReward Night ReservationsEnsure you verify the primary name on the reservation with the(secondary) guest that’s checking in. Do not change the primaryname on the Reward Night/Free Night reservation as this willrender the reservation ineligible for reimbursement.

Greater China Only: Starting from January 1, 2017. If a Reward Night is booked for a secondary guest(s), the member must call the Service Center at least seven days ahead of the arrival date and provide the full name of the secondary guest(s) and the last four digits of a valid identification.

CRO is the only channel allowed to add this information to the booking. The hotel has the right to reject the secondary guest's(guests') check-in if their information does not appear correctly on the Reward Night reservation in advance of their arrival.

RestrictionsThe Rate Code room type restrictions should always be set toOpen in the PMS for the following codes:

• IVANI

• IVCFN

• IVCIT

• IVBFN

• IVDD1

If the rate category is available in HOLIDEX® Plus but closed inyour PMS, the PMS will assign the default IGCOR rate code. This code is used for best flex rate category.

If this happens the Reward Night/Free Night award certificate will cancel in LoyaltyConnect, a cancel and rebook or a fullcancellation in HOLIDEX® Plus.

Inventory BalancingThis is the process of ensuring your hotel property management system (PMS) has the same number of rooms sold and available as the HOLIDEX® Plus central reservation system CRS. When thecounts in both systems are the same, your hotel is in balance andno action is required.

There’s a two way interface between HOLIDEX® Plus and your PMS; this means reservations made in one system are sent to the other system and vice versa.

However, there may be times when a record in one system becomes out of sync and does not match the other system’s information. This is when we’d say the systems are not in balance.

If your systems are not balanced, follow the steps:1. Ensure the PMS “sell to end date” appropriately covers the

HOLIDEX® Plus sell capability (i.e., 50 weeks in the future) forReward/Free Night rates

2. Check that the V1 Rate code is set up in HOLIDEX® Plus asYield at Own Value

3. For non-Perform hotels, once the 5% allocation for theReward Night/Free Night rate categories is reserved,additional reservations will not be accepted unless additionalinventory is assigned. This is at your discretion

4. For PERFORM hotels, once the 5% inventory is sold, theavailability of Reward Night/Free Night rate categories isdetermined by Hurdle Point value

Reducing the V1 Rate Code allocation to less than 5% will result in non-compliance of standards of IVANI, IVCFN, IVCIT, IVBFN, and IVDD1 especially if it doesn’t meet or exceed the Hurdle Point value. If the HOLIDEX® Plus system has been set to “At Most value of 5%,” IVANI, IVCFN, IVCIT, IVBFN, and IVDD1 will not display (non-compliance of standards).


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Room Type AllocationOn check-in, when allocating a room type that’s different from the reserved room type, the following steps should be followed:

1. Ensure the selected room type, e.g. Suite, is allocated againstthe Rate Code in both the PMS and HOLIDEX® Plus

2. Change the Rate Code setup screen in the PMS prior tomodifying the Reward Night/Free Night reservation

3. In the PMS, ensure you don’t change the room to charge(RTC) information, ONLY change the room type

4. Complete the check-in process

5. Your PMS should prompt you to confirm the RTC information

Note: During the check-in process, if you’re unable to access HOLIDEX® Plus rather than delay the check-in process, create a dummy reservation using the member’s number to block the room until you’ve time to modify your hotels inventory.


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Reimbursement Effective December 27, 2016

Hotels are reimbursed for Reward Night/Free Night stays based on the occupancy on the night of the stay. The occupancy threshold that determines the reimbursement rate is 96.0%.

Low Occupancy Reimbursement DetailsIf your hotel occupancy is less than 96%, your reimbursement will be based on a six-tier reimbursement structure ranging from$25 USD – $75 USD plus all applicable variable taxes related to the reimbursement of the Reward Night room. Your hotel’s reimbursement tier will be determined using your annual average daily rate from the previous calendar year. You are not required to mail or fax supporting documentation when requesting low occupancy reimbursement. The rates listed in Table 1 apply to all reimbursement requests. Within their opening calendar year, NHOPs will be reimbursed according to the low occupancy reimbursement tier reflecting the ADR for that hotel’s brand by region.

Reward Night/Free NightLow Occupancy Reimbursement Tiers

Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement (LOVIR)The Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement (LOVIR) is a special promotion that rewards hotels that accommodate a large number of IHG Rewards Club Reward and Free Nights during the course of a program year. Once your hotel’s processed and paid IHG Rewards Club Reward and Free Nights during low

occupancy dates that reach a total in excess of 1,000 nights or 2% of your annual rooms available, whichever comes first, you will be eligible to receive a higher reimbursement rate on all subsequent IHG Rewards Club Reward and Free Nights during low occupancy dates. The calculation of the total number of processed and paid low occupancy nights required to reach your hotel’s LOVIR threshold is based on your hotel’s daily occupancy percentage only, not daily ADR.

A hotel’s LOVIR amount is based on the hotel’s annual ADR from the prior year and follows the structure in Table 2 – Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement (LOVIR) tiers, below:

Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement:

The LOVIR amount will take effect starting the billing cycle following the date you surpass the threshold. For example, if your hotel surpassed 1,000 total Reward and Free Nights processed on September 21, the low occupancy reimbursement rate would double for Reward and Free Nights beginning September 27, the first day of the new billing cycle. The LOVIR amount will be effective for all Reward and Free Nights during low occupancy dates until the end of the program year, December 26. All hotels restart LOVIR qualification on December 27.

Reward and Free Night Count (LOVIR Tracker)To better track your hotel’s performance in achieving the Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement targets, you may access the Reward and Free Nights Count by navigating to the Reward Night Settings screen in LoyaltyConnect. Scrolling to the bottom of the screen you will find the below display:

Hotel’s Annual ADR Low Occupancy

0 –$89.99 USD

$90 – $119.99 USD

$120 – $149.99 USD

$150 – $249.99 USD

$250 – $349.99 USD

$350 USD+

$25 USD

$30 USD

$40 USD

$50 USD

$65 USD

$75 USD

Hotel’s Annual ADR

Low OccupancyReimbursement Amount

TotalReimbursement Amount

0 – $89.99 USD

$90 – $119.99 USD

$120 – $149.99 USD

$150 – $249.99 USD

$250 – $349.99 USD

$350 USD +

$25

$30

$40

$50

$65

$75

LOVIR Additional Reimbursement Amount

$25

$25

$40

$50

$100

$150

$50

$55

$80

$100

$165

$225


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LOVIR ThresholdThis is the number of processed and paid IHG Rewards Club Reward and Free Nights required for your hotel to achieve the Low Occupancy Volume Incentive Reimbursement (LOVIR) in the current program year. This number is either 2% of your hotel’s annual rooms available count or 1,000 Reward Nights/ Free Nights, whichever is lower.

Processed and Paid Low OccThe count of all processed and paid Reward Night/co-brand Free Nights that have been consumed during low occupancy dates in the current program year.

Processed means that you’ve entered the occupancy percentage in the Process Hotel Reimbursement for Reward Night/co-brand Free Night Stays in LoyaltyConnect. Plus you’ve been subsequently reimbursed/paid by IHG Rewards Club.

Unprocessed but Paid (PAY1)The count of all unprocessed but paid Reward Night/co-brand Free Nights that have been consumed but were not processed in the system within the required processing period in the current program year.

These Reward Night/co-brand Free Nights have lapsed the 90 day processing period and are not counted toward your hotel’s LOVIR qualification.

Low Occupancy Reimbursement AmountThe amount your hotel is reimbursed/paid by IHG Rewards Club for each Reward Night/co-brand Free Night during low occupancy dates.

The additional amount your hotel is reimbursed/paid by IHG Rewards Club for each Reward Night/co-brand Free Night during low occupancy dates after reaching the LOVIR threshold.

Total Reimbursement AmountThe total amount your hotel will receive for each Reward Night/ co-brand Free Night during low occupancy dates after reaching the LOVIR threshold. This is the sum of Low Occupancy Reimbursement Amount and LOVIR Additional Reimbursement Amount.

CurrencyDenomination in which the reimbursement is paid to your hotel.

High Occupancy Reimbursement DetailsEffective December 27, 2016:If the hotel occupancy is 96.0% or higher on the night of a Reward Night/Free Night stay, the hotel will be reimbursed at the high occupancy reimbursement amount which is 100% of the average daily rate (ADR) for the night of the Reward Night/ Free Night stay plus all applicable variable taxes related to the reimbursement of the Reward Night room.

For high occupancy reimbursement, the hotel is required to email supporting documentation to [email protected] for verification.

ONLY Property Management system generated documentation will be accepted for approving high occupancy reimbursement for Reward Night/Free Night reservations.

Documentation sent must include this data:

• Total available rooms, Complimentary rooms

• Out-of-Order rooms, Occupancy percentage

• Rooms sold, House Use rooms (if applicable)

• Room revenue, Day Use rooms (if applicable)

Reimbursement DocumentationAcceptable Systems Generated Reports:Opera PMS

• Managers Report

• Managers Flash

• Rate Category by Room Type Report

• Guest-In-House-Detailed Report

• Group Room Block Report



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Brilliant PMS

• Occupancy Revenue Per Rate Code Report

• In-House Report

• Statistics Report

Oasis PMS

• Transaction Code Report

• In-House Detailed Report

• Daily Revenue Report

Optima PMS

• Daily Income Report

• Rooms Forecast Report

Hotel Concept PMS


• Management Summary Report

WinningDTS PMS


• Daily Summary Report

Calculate ADR and OccupancyTo calculate use the following formula:

1. Net Rooms Revenue = Room Revenue – IVANI Room Revenue

2. Net Rooms Sold = Total Rooms Sold – IVANI Rooms Occupied

3. ADR = Net Room Revenue/Net Rooms Sold

4. Occupancy = Total Rooms Sold/Total Available Rooms

Note:

1. Out-of-order rooms MUST NOT be included as Total RoomsSold or used to reduce Total Rooms Available without priorapproval. For these situations, such as damage from naturaldisasters or planned refurbishment, please contact the HotelHelp Desk to receive the request form and instructions onhow to complete and submit the form.

2. No Shows/No Show Rooms MUST NOT be included as TotalRooms Sold or used to reduce Total Rooms Available for thehotel occupancy calculation for High OccupancyReimbursement qualification. No Show Room Revenueshould not be included in Net Room Revenue calculation.

3. House Use Rooms and Day Use Rooms MUST NOT beincluded as Total Rooms Sold or used to reduce Total RoomsAvailable for the hotel occupancy calculation for HighOccupancy Reimbursement qualification.

4. Complimentary Rooms MUST NOT be included as TotalRooms Sold or used to reduce Total Rooms Available forthe hotel occupancy calculation for High OccupancyReimbursement qualification.

5. Reward Night/Free Night reimbursement requests should beprocessed immediately following a stay. Incomplete oroutstanding reimbursement request that are older than threemonths from the stay date will automatically be paid at thelow occupancy reimbursement rate and will not beconsidered for future high occupancy adjustments.

Low and High Occupancy Reimbursement disputes older than the current calendar year will not be accepted.

Discrepancies in reimbursement amounts credited to your monthly invoice should be reported to Hotel Help Desk immediately for review.

Requesting Reimbursement For Reward Nights/Free NightsBeginning December 27th 2016, all hotels’ taxes and fees will be updated in LoyaltyConnect. To report a change in tax rates, please contact the Hotel Help Desk.

Incomplete or outstanding reimbursement requests that are older than three months from the stay date will automatically be paid at the Low Occupancy Reimbursement Rate and will not be considered for future high occupancy adjustments.

Hotels that are subject to VAT should use net ADR for reimbursement.

To request reimbursement for a Reward Night/Free Night stay:

1. Access LoyaltyConnect

2. Click on the Process Hotel Reimbursement for Reward Night/Free Night Stays

3. For all stays with a status of INITIATED, click on theAdjust hyperlink


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4. In the OCC% (occupancy) column, type the numericoccupancy percent for the stay date you wish to be reimbursed that is in the INITIATED status. (Note: you must en-ter the actual numeric percentage [e.g., 79.55]. Do not round figures up or down.) If the occupancy for the stay date is 96% or higher, go to step 5. Otherwise, go to step 6.

This step is only required if your hotel occupancy is 96% or higher.

Move the cursor to the ADR (average daily rate) column and type the ADR for that stay date.

6. Click Save. The status will change to "Accepted" for LowOccupancy Reimbursements. The status for High EndReimbursements changes to "Pending" until IHG RewardsClub receives an email of your Daily Report/Room Statisticsreport sent to [email protected]—then it changesto “Accepted”. Once reimbursement is processed, the statuschanges to "Paid." Repeat steps for each stay date that is inthe INITIATED status.

The Status column on the Reimbursement screen indicates the current status for the stay date. Status Description INITIATED No Occupancy or ADR (for High Occupancy Reimbursement) data has been entered.

Pending You have entered OCC% at 96% or higher along with your ADR in the reimbursement screen.

IHG Rewards Club is pending approval of your reimbursement request until they receive your email submission, which includes your ADR and Occupancy report for that date.

Accepted Your reimbursement request has been accepted. Payment will be issued on the 26th of the month after it was entered and verified.

Paid The reimbursement has been processed and a credit has been applied to your IHG Rewards Club invoice.

Viewing Reimbursement Status for Individual Reward Night/Free Night ReservationsYou can view the reimbursement status of each individual Reward Night/Free Night stay for a given date. From the ProcessReimbursement screen, click on the + sign next to the stay date.

The Reward Night/Free Night Setting screen displays:

• The Low Occupancy Reimbursement amount the hotel will be paid when occupancy is below 96%

• Exception payments that have been made to your hotel(includes bounty payments)

• Taxes and fees for your hotel

To update tax and fee fields, contact the IHG Rewards Club Hotel Help Desk.

Search for a Reward Night/ Free Night Stay• LoyaltyConnect allows you to search for specific Reward

Night/Free Night or Free Night certificates to viewreimbursement status.

• Use the search field to narrow criteria and the drop-downbox to select certificate type

• Click search to display records



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In LoyaltyConnect, go to the Other Activity tab, miscellaneous credits or reimbursement information will display, this information will be replicated to your hotel invoice.

From the Hotel Operations menu, click on the Other Activity link and the Activity report displays. The status indicates whether credit is approved or paid. Click on the + sign next to the date to view the details for each credit.

IHG Rewards Club reports are available through the IHG Reporting tool by clicking on reports through the Hotel Operations button or by clicking on the Reports tab in the tool. From here you’ll be available to view and print.

Hotel Point DepositUsing LoyaltyConnect, you can deposit points into a member account in real time.

All LoyaltyConnect users can make deposits of under 1,000 points. Operations Managers can deposit points of any denomination and approve deposit requests of 1,000 points and above.

Point deposits can be made for the following:

• Welcome – to provide a greeting gift to members as they check-in (for instructions on how to use the batch

deposit Welcome Amenity points, please go to Merlin > Initiatives > IHG Rewards Club > Hot Topics >

Welcome Amenity for region-specific content)

• Promotion – you can offer additional points for promotional events, special stay types or actions taken by our members (like dining in the restaurant)

• Service Recovery – to apologize to a member when something about their stay was not up to their expectations, you can deposit points in their account

To access the points deposit tool, log in to LoyaltyConnect. Click on the Hotel Operations button, and then the Point Awards button.

From the Point Awards screen, select Create Point Award.

Input a member number in the member number field and select the Point Award Type and amount of points to be deposited.

All points you deposit into a member’s account will be billed through your monthly invoice. The amounts shown on the LCUI screen are in USD. The amount on your invoice will be converted to your billing currency.


35

To track points deposits that have been made in the last 30 days, go to the Posted Point Award tab and use the filters at the top to search by:

• Member Number

• Transaction Date or

• Point Award Type

Click on the + located on the left to display the transaction details for a specific record.

FAQ StandardsWhy are standards so important for the IHG Rewards Club program?Providing consistency for members is important because it is directly correlated with customer satisfaction and RevPAR. IHG Rewards Club standards will help ensure consistency. We know IHG Rewards Club members:

• Pay More: Members pay a 6% ADR Premium vs.non-members

– Revenue generated by IHG Rewards Club membersrepresents close to 40% of hotels’ room revenues

• Stay Longer: Members generate a length of stay premium of9% vs. non-members

• Cost Less: IHG Rewards Club members are more than fivetimes more likely to book through a lower cost channel thannon-loyalty members

– Lower cost channels include IHG App, Web or CRO,which don’t have booking fees like OTA, and GDSchannels

Which standards can lead to hotels being assessed if they are not in compliance?While all standards are measured for compliance, if you fail any of the following you will receive a fee for non-compliance

1. Enrollments

2. Reward Night

3. Training

How will I know whether my hotel is meeting the required performance against these standards?Compliance with IHG Rewards Club standards will be measured quarterly. On the 20th of every month, the IHG Rewards Club Performance Tracker is updated with the last performance data.

My hotel already has a high contributionfrom IHG Rewards Club members, so I don’t have very many opportunities to enroll new guests. How will we be able to meet the enrollment standard?Enrollments are essential for the continued success of our program. The enrollment standard target ensures that all properties enroll guests each month as they strive to achieve the standard. Globally many hotels enroll significantly more guests than required by the standard.

Consider a 100-room hotel with 50% of its rooms occupied by existing members (circa 35% is the IHG system average). If this hotel has 60% monthly occupancy, with 50% contribution from our members, then this property will have an opportunity to enroll 450 non-IHG Rewards Club guests, based on a two-night average length of stay.

The enrollment standard for this hotel requires 30 enrollments per month, so this hotel only has to enroll less then 10% of its non-IHG Rewards Club guests, so easy!

In order to benefit from the Enroll for Rewards program, you should enroll as many opportunities as possible rather than focus upon the minimum required to avoid penalty.


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Remember not all enrollments will be qualified enrollments, and you need to capture valid email addresses for enrollments to qualify for rebates.

EUROPE & AMEA only:On average hotels are only enrolling at a 10% efficiency (Globally). So before you assume that your enrollment opportunities are too few, be sure to take into account your Average Room Nights and Occupancy as well as the percentage of non-IHG Rewards Club guests coming to your hotel.

How is the Member Recognition question calculated?Two HeartBeat questions are used to calculate one combined Member Recognition score. Only “yes” and “no” responses are counted. “Don’t Remember” responses and survey responses from members enrolled during the stay are not counted.

If my hotel fails to meet a single IHGRewards Club standard, will we be in failure of all IHG Rewards Club standards?No, each of the IHG Rewards Club standards will be measured independently. So it is possible to fail one, two, three, or four of the measurable standards each quarter.

FAQ Reporting & ExceptionsWhen is reporting updated in the system?Performance Tracker is updated on the 20th of each month. For example, if a learner completes the training between November 1–30, results will be posted December 20th on Performance Tracker.

When can hotels apply for an exceptionto a standard?To file an exception request, you should complete the Exception Request form in Performance Tracker. You can apply for exceptions after each quarterly report is released. This allows

you to use factual information about the standard you are requesting a waiver for.

Example: For Q3 (July–September), the Quarterly Report is released October 20, and exception requests will be accepted for Q3 beginning on October 20, for 60 days.

How long will an exception last?The length of an exception will be determined by the factual datasubmitted with the request.

For instance, if a hotel is requesting an exception for the enrollment standard because they are under renovation, the length of the renovation will be considered. The minimum length of an exception is one quarter.

FAQ EnforcementHow does failing a standard lead to my hotel receiving additional hotel assessments? Is there a warning or correction period?

If your hotel fails a standard for the first time in a quarter, a warning will be issued stating that the hotel is in failure of that IHG Rewards Club standard.

If your hotel is in failure of the same standard for two consecutive quarters, it will be issued an assessment of $500 USD on its IHG Rewards Club invoice.


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FAQ Guest Arrivals ReportsWho do I contact if I have questions about the Guest Arrivals Reports?Please email the hotel support team at [email protected] (AMER, AMEA, EUROPE Regions) | [email protected] (Greater China Region)

How current is the information? How often is it updated?The reservation information is updated every 20 minutes. The membership information, such as points balance and membership status, is updated every 24 hours.

Why is the IHG Rewards Club member showing up as a non-memberon the reports?If the IHG Rewards Club member number was not provided at the time of booking and was not associated with the member prior to arrival, the reports will not reflect the guest’s member status.

If your hotel fails the same standard for three consecutive quarters, an incremental $500 USD will be added to the assessment for a total of $1,000 USD.

Hotels will continue to be charged $1,000 USD for each consecutive quarter until they meet the standard. There is no maximum penalty.

Each year the Training Standard is “reset” and hotels must complete the required modules during the first quarter of every year. Training completed in the previous year will not count toward the current year’s Training Standard Compliance.

How do I treat members from theInterContinental Ambassador program who stay at my hotel?Ambassadors receive IHG Rewards Club Gold, Platinum or Spire benefits at all non-InterContinental Hotels & Resorts when the booking is made through an IHG channel. All Royal Ambassadors are Spire Elite members and receive Spire Elite benefits at all non-InterContinental Hotels & Resorts when the booking is made through an IHG channel.

Does my Front Desk team still need tocomplete the IHG Rewards Club standards training?Yes, your Front Desk team (including new team members) must be in compliance with the IHG Rewards Club standards training. To maintain training compliance, you must have a minimum number of people achieve a 100% pass mark. Your compliance is reported via the IHG Rewards Club Performance Tracker.

Is there any incentive offered by IHG Rewards Club for Front Desk team members to increase recognition scores?No, no incentives are offered at this time.

Who can I contact to ask additional questions about IHG Rewards Club standards?Contact [email protected].


mailto: [email protected]



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Contact InformationIHG Rewards Club Contact InformationHotel Help Desk Contact Information:

The IHG Rewards Club Hotel Help Desk is designed to specifically assist hotels with IHG Rewards Club issues.

Please have as much information about the issue as possible available before contacting the Hotel Help Desk to ensure quick and efficient resolution.

Their email address is: [email protected] (All Regions)

When sending an e-mail to the Hotel Help Desk you will receive a response within 24 hours.

AMER:US/Canada(8 am to 11 pm Eastern Time, 7 days a week)Phone: 1-877-275-7258Fax: 1-801-606-5914TDD: 1-800-238-5544

MexicoPhone: 001-800-272-9273Fax: 001-800-725-8232

South/Central America and CaribbeanPhone: 1-801-975-3063 (English)*Phone: 1-801-975-3013 (Spanish)*Fax: 1-801-974-3086*

AMEA:Asia AustralasiaTel: +63 2 857 8777Fax: +63 2 857 8787

Middle East and AfricaTel: +44 (0) 871 942 9220Fax: +44 (0) 871 942 9103

Greater China:Tel: +800 999 8009 (for Mainland China landline only)Tel: +86 21 2033 4921 (7:00–23:00, Mon–Sun) Email: [email protected]

EUROPE:Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Tel: +44 203 34 99032 (international calling rates may apply)

Hotel System Support:

AMER:Non-IHG Rewards Club support for HOLIDEX® Plus and Property Management Systems (PMS)US/Canada: 1-800-810-4499

EUROPE:HOLIDEX® Plus:Tel. +44 870 606 1300

PMS:For queries or issues in relation to your PMS, contact your normal PMS support office.

IHG Rewards Club Service Center – Members only:For a complete list of contacts, go to Website: ihgrewardsclub.com

IHG Invoice Inquiries:Email: [email protected]

Reward Night/Free Nights reimbursement:For high-occupancy reimbursement, the hotel is required to send an Email with documentation to [email protected] verification.

IHG Business Rewards:[email protected]

Term and Conditions:For complete Terms and Conditions, please visit ihgrewardsclub.com

Loyalty Champion registration:To register as the IHG Rewards Club Champion for your hotel:Merlin > Applications > IHG Rewards Club Source > Assign Roles

Potential fraud and suspicious cases should be sent here:[email protected]

AMEA and EUROPE:DCO data transmission issues

• When accessing the LPU, if there is no data for a date, or ifthere is only certain data showing (e.g., check-outs but nofolio data), then the DCO may not have sent. Contact yourlocal PMS Support Desk to ask them to resend the DCO file

• If this continues, contact [email protected] to seekassistance



mailto:askihgrewardsclub.cn%40ihg.com?subject=


mailto:cps%40ihg.com?subject=


mailto:askihgbusinessrewards%40ihg.com?subject=


mailto:global.fraud.protection%40ihg.com?subject=

mailto:emea.dco%40ihg.com?subject=

39

• If there is a backlog of DCO files that need to be sent, yourPMS Support Desk can advise you on the process

• Remember that any dates that do not show data for IHGRewards Club guests in the LPU will not pay points to theguest until the DCO file has been resent and received inFMDS (HOLIDEX® Plus). To prevent causing inconvenienceto the guest, ensure that you contact the IHG Rewards ClubHotel Help Desk to ask them to manually credit any guestswho have not received their points

AMER:IHG Rewards Club hotel collateral & check-in folders/signageUS and [email protected]

Mexico, South America, and [email protected]+52 (55) 3622-0900

EUROPE only:IHG Rewards Club application (enrollment) forms legal storage requirement

As a legal requirement, all hotels need to mail IHG Rewards Club application forms after enrollment of the guest in the system to:

IHG Rewards Club at Iron Mountain Docklands Data CenterLeven Road, Poplar, London E14 0LLUnited Kingdom

In view of data security, please take all responsible steps to ensure to keep the data safe:

• Include a return address on all packages sent (in the casethat it becomes non-deliverable)

• Use a "Non-Window" envelope

• Use a "Registered Delivery" postal method

*US toll charges apply


mailto:support.ihgrc%40inwk.com?subject=

mailto:support.ihgmsac%40inwk.com?subject=

*IHG® Rewards Club not applicable to Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants; to be included at a future date.© 2016 InterContinental Hotels Group. All rights reserved. Most hotels are independently owned and/or operated.

reference guide · pdf filereference guide - january 2017. 5 member benefits/cards collect...

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