Name: Jeff Zidell
Title: Senior vice president, loyalty marketing
Company, city: Hyatt Hotels Corp., Chicago
Number of employees: 100,000 worldwide
Recent project: I have spent most of my time working on the launch of our new loyalty program, World of Hyatt.
First job: My first “real” job during college was selling athletic shoes in a department store.
Little-known fact about you: I can juggle.
Your Business
What innovations/initiatives do you foresee in the industry over the next years? The hotel industry will increasingly harness data and technology to personalize guest experiences, making stays more relevant and meaningful. Advances in mobile apps and digital tools will continue to simplify the guest journey, creating a smoother, more effortless experience from booking through checkout.
What is the best career advice you’ve received? Mario Andretti summed it up: “If everything feels under control, you’re just not going fast enough.”
What advice would you give someone starting out in the field? Gain exposure to different functions. Working across disciplines such as finance, marketing, human resources and operations teaches you how the business fits together and builds valuable perspective.
Jeff Zidell as a Traveler
Favorite travel memory or story: A few years ago we took our two daughters to Paris and enjoyed a memorable bike tour around Versailles, finishing with a picnic lunch featuring goods from the local market.
One travel tip you cannot live without: Always pack running shoes and portable music — running is a fun way to explore a city and get a real feel for a place.
Best advice for business travelers: Install airline apps on your phone to make it easy to retrieve boarding passes and change seats on the go.
About Hyatt Hotels Corp.
Hyatt Gold Passport is now known as World of Hyatt. Tell our readers about the new program.
World of Hyatt is more than a new name; it reflects a deeper commitment to understand and care for guests. Our aim is to put empathy into action—beyond great locations and luxurious rooms, we want to create experiences that help guests be their best. Reexamining our business through that purpose included redesigning our loyalty program so it truly aligns with what members value.
We began the redesign by talking with members and target customers to identify benefits that matter most and influence loyalty choices. Hundreds of concepts were tested before we finalized the program.
The new program increases opportunities for engagement across our portfolio. It introduces three elite tiers—Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist—designed to reflect members’ travel aspirations. We shifted tier qualification to nights and points rather than nights and stays to better reward engagement across all brands, from luxury to select service. Members can earn a free night award after stays at five different Hyatt brands, and progressive benefits kick in at 70, 80, 90 and 100 qualifying nights.
What are the ideas behind the branding of the three levels of the World of Hyatt?
We selected active, aspirational names that break from traditional tier labels and resonate with how members travel and grow within the program. Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist reflect experiences and behaviors as members progress, bringing the World of Hyatt experience into a cohesive framework.
What new hotel openings can World of Hyatt members look forward to in 2017?
After a record number of openings in 2016, we expect momentum to continue. We are focused on thoughtful growth in locations that matter most to our guests.
This year we anticipate openings across the globe and across our brand portfolio. Some properties I’m particularly excited about include Hyatt House New York/Chelsea, Hyatt Regency Amsterdam, Park Hyatt Bangkok, Grand Hyatt Manila, Andaz Singapore and Hyatt Place Shanghai New Hongqiao.