In 2022, Sonesta embarked on a transformative loyalty system replacement project, aiming to replace a legacy 15-year-old loyalty system with a modern commercial off-the-shelf software. The success of the project hinged on creating a flexible/scalable system that could communicate seamlessly with multiple property management systems. But it also needed to establish its own data platform to gain a unified view of customer data across the organization for enhanced service delivery. In less than a year, Sonesta – with the help of solution providers HAPI and Tally – was able to streamline loyalty operations and provide guests with a seamless and transparent experience across various touchpoints. In this discussion with one of our 2023 Hotel Visionary Award winners, we’ll learn how the brand overcame various project complications, reasons why it chose to work with technology providers instead of doing everything in-house, and the significant achievements observed following the project’s completion.