THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HOTEL FAMILY® invites members of its free global loyalty program Best Western Rewards to earn a free night. Marking the brand's 66th birthday and presence in over 100 countries and territories, the promotion will reward members who stay three separate times between February 6 and April 8, 2012 with a free night voucher, good at any BEST WESTERN®, BEST WESTERN PLUS® or BEST WESTERN PREMIER® in the world until June 30, 2012. Register and view Terms and Conditions at www.bestwestern.com/spring.

"We continue to work hard to make Best Western Rewards the most valuable loyalty card in our guests' wallets," said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales. "This free night is to thank guests for their repeat business, and to help them experience one of our three hotel types in the more than 100 countries where we serve travelers."

IMN, the digital marketing company that delivers branded eNewsletters and content for vertical markets, announced details of its involvement with Kia Motors America (KMA), specifically to support the company’s increased focus on digital marketing objectives. Kia has rolled out IMN’s Loyalty Driver™ across its four key U.S. regions. More than 220 of Kia’s U.S.-based dealers now use IMN to support digital marketing goals aimed at driving new revenue opportunities and supporting customer loyalty and retention goals.

“Kia Motors is one of the fastest growing car companies in the U.S. and is committed to assisting our dealers through services and initiatives that enable them to create more consistent digital, branded and loyalty-driven relationships with their customers,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing and communications, KMA. “IMN has provided us with valuable digital marketing solutions, including cost-effective, turn-key eNewsletters, which power dealers’ revenue-driven communication strategies. We look forward to continuing to expand this relationship so that other dealers can benefit from similar results. Loyalty Driver is a key component to our dealers’ overall digital marketing strategy.”

Nectar, the UK’s leading loyalty programme, has announced that it has renewed its contract with the UK’s leading car company Ford, enabling Nectar collectors to continue collecting and redeeming points on MOTs, non-warranty repairs and servicing.

The announcement of the renewal comes as Ford revealed that the Nectar programme, owned by global loyalty management company Aimia, has been responsible for a 21% increase in year-on-year customer retention for Ford.

The partnership has seen Nectar and Ford work together to create a loyal community of 1.5 million customers. Although receiving repairs, services and MOTs are not frequent events, the scheme allows Ford to offer incentives to its customers to reward them for their loyalty and to keep the brand on their radars by providing timely and relevant offers. Loyalty points gained from using a Ford service centre can be used at a range of other retailers who are part of the Nectar loyalty programme including Sainsbury’s and Argos.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) announced that it was awarded first place in the 2012 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index in the "MFP Office Copier" category for the fifth consecutive year. Each year, New York-based marketing consultancy Brand Keys publishes its Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, which surveys more than 49,000 Americans to determine how brands rank in customer loyalty. The 2012 Index examined customers' relationships with 600 brands in 83 categories. Other winning brands for 2012 include Apple, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Google, IBM, McDonald’s , UPS, and Walmart.

The 2012 Brand Keys research paints a detailed picture of the category drivers that engage customers, engender loyalty, and drive real profits. The Brand Keys methodology, which considered several competitors, asked customers to characterize their perfect product in the MFP Office Copier category, setting the standard for excellence. The 2012 Brand Keys research once again identified Konica Minolta as a leading brand for customer loyalty in the "MFP Office Copier" category when measured against the "Ideal" office copier.

Red Roof® is ranked number one, once again! For the second year in a row, Red Roof has earned the highest customer satisfaction score among its economy lodging competitors according to the ReviewMetrix™ Consumer Satisfaction Index.

Based on Trip Advisor® online reviews, guests ranked Red Roof’s rooms, service and overall value higher than its economy brand competitors. ReviewMetrix was created in partnership with Trip Advisor by Market Metrix as a source to manage online guest reviews and analyze competitor performance, turning all of the guest reviews into actual data.

“Our customers come first and it’s essential that we listen to their changing needs and give them what they want, especially in this highly competitive environment,” said Red Roof President Andrew Alexander. “The recognition we received as the #1 ranking on the Customer Service Index by ReviewMetrix for the second year in a row, validates that the Red Roof offer of `Nice Place. Nice Price' resonates with our customers.”

Amtel, Inc., the industry’s first integrated solution for managing smart device security and telecom expenses, announced that it has received a 95% satisfaction rating among all Wireless Mobility Management (WMM) and Telecom Expense Management (TEM) suppliers, as rated by enterprise clients in AOTMP’s 2011 State of the Industry Research.

AOTMP launched its annual research study examining enterprise satisfaction with TEM and WMM suppliers in January 2011. Input was received from 1,066 top executives, finance professionals and telecom operations leaders at U.S. and Global enterprises. All Fortune 1000, Forbes Americas Largest Companies, 1000+ Mid-Market Enterprises, and Government/Public Sector organizations were included in the study.

Amtel received a rating of 9.50 out of 10 in enterprise satisfaction, which was higher than the 2011 Best-in-Class TEM supplier average of 9.29. Additionally, AOTMP published its Industry Confidence Index (ICI) for 2011, which is used to measure enterprise confidence in the ability of the TEM and WMM industry to serve current and future business needs. Amtel’s customers exhibited an ICI score of 9.66 out of 10, which was more than a full point higher than the overall 2011 ICI of 8.46. In the analysis of company performance, Amtel was recognized for their quick response times and overall wireless management.

Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) is continuing the enhancement of its loyalty program — Neqaty — by signing a strategic agreement with Etihad Airways.

Etihad joins Neqaty’s panel of esteemed partners allowing Mobily’s customers to exchange their points for Etihad Guest miles.

The agreement was signed recently in the presence of Mobily CCO Mohamed Saad Bseiso and Etihad Airways CCO Peter Baumgartner in Abu Dhabi.

Mobily is always keen to develop Neqaty through strategic partnerships and provide a variety of bonuses and gifts to customers.

It also chooses its partners according to the expectations of the customers, noting that Etihad Airways is an esteemed name in the field of aviation and is well regarded with respect to the high-end services it provides to travelers worldwide.

Mobily said the joining of Etihad Airways as the first airline partner of Neqaty in Saudi Arabia will allow its customers to exchange their points with miles in the loyalty program.

Regional bank Synovus Financial Corp. has been honored by a financial consulting and research firm for its customer service in 2011.

The Columbus-based company received Greenwich Excellence Awards in the areas of middle-market banking and small-business banking. Stamford, Conn.-based Greenwich Associates interviewed thousands of businesses to determine its annual award recipients.

In middle-market banking, the categories that Synovus was recognized in include overall satisfaction, relationship manager performance, customer service and treasury management. It took home six awards in all in that segment.

In small-business banking, it received seven awards. Categories included overall satisfaction, personal banking, relationship management performance, credit policy, branch satisfaction, treasury management and customer service.

Bank of America announced that Merrill Edge call centers have been recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience."

Merrill Edge provides mass affluent customers access to professional investment guidance through Merrill Edge Financial Solutions Advisors(TM) in the Merrill Edge Advisory Center(TM) or in person at select banking centers. For customers who prefer to invest on their own, Merrill Edge provides an online self-directed investing platform, with robust tools and resources to help them make informed investment decisions.

"This designation acknowledges the strong commitment Merrill Edge has to providing customers with a positive and superior experience that exceeds their expectations," said Alok Prasad, head of Merrill Edge. "We will continue to listen to our customers and make improvements to deliver outstanding service to them."

Paciolan, an industry-leading provider of ticketing, marketing, and fundraising solutions to more than 500 live entertainment organizations, announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Givex, a global provider of customer engagement technology. With the partnership Paciolan will integrate Givex's stored value ticketing technology, Uptix, into its ticketing platform. The solution will enable Paciolan-powered venues to pre-sell merchandise and concessions value loaded on bar-coded event tickets. This creates a "cashless" and improved in-venue experience for fans, and increases game-day revenues for venues.

"We're thrilled to partner with Givex to provide our teams and venues a seamless stored value ticket solution that will help them increase their concessions revenues," said Dave Butler, chief executive officer of Paciolan. "With Uptix, they'll also be able to create exciting marketing incentives, including the ability to add value to tickets during the event, or as part of a loyalty program. It's a 'win-win' for venues and fans alike."

LoyaltyOne launched COLLOQUY India, a complete media enterprise dedicated to providing publications, an online resource center, research and education tailored to the demands of the fast-growing customer loyalty market serving India’s 1.3 billion consumers.

LoyaltyOne is a global provider of loyalty strategy and programs, customer analytics and relationship marketing services. It owns COLLOQUY magazine, and COLLOQUY’s accompanying online content, research and educational offerings. COLLOQUY has served as the voice of the loyalty industry since 1990. LoyaltyOne also owns and operates one of Canada’s most admired brands, the AIR MILES Reward Program.

The launch of COLLOQUY India follows by six months LoyaltyOne’s acquisition of a 26% stake in Direxions Marketing Solutions, the company behind India’s largest loyalty programs.

“The loyalty industry in India is poised for explosive growth. The goal of COLLOQUY India is to provide the expertise and insights that help loyalty marketers reach Indian consumers with messages and offerings that are most relevant to their needs,” LoyaltyOne President Bryan Pearson said.