In this enlightening recast from the Hotel Moment archives, Karen Stephens sits down with Casper Overbeek, Chief Product Officer at citizenM, to explore how the brand is revolutionizing guest loyalty and personalization in hospitality.

Throughout their conversation, Casper takes us behind the scenes of citizenM's remarkable growth story, from just 10 hotels to a portfolio of 38 properties across prime locations in Europe and the US. He reveals the strategic thinking behind their unconventional paid subscription loyalty program, which has successfully attracted 45,000 active members by delivering on two key promises: guaranteed room availability and rate certainty.

What You'll Learn:

• Why citizenM abandoned traditional points-based loyalty programs in favor of a paid subscription model
• How guaranteed room availability within 48 hours has become a game-changing loyalty benefit
• The surprising cultural differences between European and American guests when it comes to personalization
• How citizenM gathers and implements continuous guest feedback to refine their offerings
• Why technology should enhance human connections rather than replace them
• Practical strategies for implementing personalization in ways that genuinely enhance guest experiences
• How to balance innovation with operational efficiency in a hotel environment
• Why starting with the desired guest experience and working backwards leads to better business decisions
  
  

If you missed this episode the first time around, don't miss the chance to hear these valuable insights that remain as relevant as ever in today's evolving hospitality landscape.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Instructions on how to do this are here.

Connect with Casper Overbeek here:

• LinkedIn
• citizenM Hotels

Connect with Karen here:

• LinkedIn
• Revinate

Follow the podcast here:

• LinkedIn

Episode Highlights:
[02:51] Brand overview and growth - Casper shares citizenM's journey from its founding 15 years ago to its current portfolio of 38 hotels. He explains how the brand was created to solve key traveler pain points — focusing on providing great locations, comfortable rooms with the right technology, and welcoming common spaces. The expansion from 10 to 38 hotels during his tenure demonstrates the success of this approach.

[07:38] Innovation in loyalty programs - citizenM's paid subscription model emerged from careful listening to guest needs. Two main pain points emerged: guaranteed availability and price security. The program now offers guaranteed availability 48 hours in advance and ensures members always get the best rate, with 15% off the best available rate. This innovative approach has attracted 45,000 active members.

[14:21] The power of guest feedback - Casper describes their comprehensive approach to gathering guest feedback, including micro-feedback tools throughout the journey, regular webinars, and even direct WhatsApp communication with some members. This constant flow of feedback helps shape their service improvements and technological innovations.

[24:49] European vs American personalization - One of the most fascinating insights Casper shares is the distinct difference between European and American preferences for personalization. Europeans prefer recognition without intrusion, while Americans seek customization and control over their experience. This understanding shapes how citizenM approaches service delivery in different markets.

Chapters:00:00 - Intro 02:51 - citizenM brand overview 07:38 - Innovation in loyalty programs 14:21 - Guest feedback systems 19:34 - Technology and operational efficiency 24:49 - Cultural differences in personalization 28:12 - Future of hospitality innovation 31:24 - Outro
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Instructions on how to do this are here.
Hotel Moment Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Previous guests include: Shannon Knapp, CEO of Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), Patrick Norton of Brittain Resorts & Hotels, Shawn Jereb of Montage International, Carlo Del Mistro, Chief Digital Officer of Ennismore, Jason Pirock of Springboard Hospitality, and many more.

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• Innovation in hospitality technology
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• Revinate’s new CEO — on a mission to empower hoteliers with data-driven technology | with Bryson Koehler 
• Guests define what luxury means today | with Shannon Knapp
• Your commercial strategy as an evolution and not a revolution | with Jennifer Hill