CapitaLand’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has launched its new ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app for members of its loyalty programme, Ascott Star Rewards (ASR). 

 

The new mobile app will unlock a world of conveniences for ASR members, providing greater value and flexibility to enhance their experience with Ascott.

 

The ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app acts as a one-stop 24/7 digital concierge for ASR members, who can search for special deals and book their stay at about 200 participating properties in over 25 countries and more than 85 cities through the mobile app. This includes Ascott’s properties within the Middle East and Turkey: Ascott Park Place Dubai, Citadines Metro Central Dubai, Ascott Tahlia Jeddah, Ascott Sari Jeddah, Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah, Spectrums Residence Jeddah, Ascott Rafal Olaya Riyadh, Ascott Corniche Al Khobar, Somerset Panorama Muscat, Somerset Al Fateh Bahrain, Somerset West Bay Doha, and Somerset Maslak Istanbul.

 

Through the mobile app, guests can also manage their reservations, perform self check-ins and check-outs, redeem e-vouchers, and view their ASR membership status as well as points earned and redeemed. They can sign up for a complimentary ASR membership via the ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app, and will be rewarded with 2,000 ASR points upon their first login. ASR members will also receive an additional 10% ASR points rebate for every booking made through the mobile app.

 

Kevin Goh, CapitaLand’s Chief Executive Officer for Lodging and Ascott’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The launch of the ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app is part of our digital ecosystem transformation journey to drive the growth of Ascott’s customers globally. Across our multiple lodging brands, Ascott provides a home away from home for a wide demographic of guests with varying lengths of stay. With the mobile app, ASR members are empowered to shape their own stay experiences through a unified platform in a convenient and effective way. The new mobile app also offers Ascott’s partners another channel to reach our growing base of ASR members.”

 

In the coming months, the ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app will be progressively supported by more languages and enhanced with features such as digital keys to access apartments and ‘Go Green’ notifications to provide guests with the choice to opt out of daily housekeeping and be rewarded with ASR points. In addition, ASR members will be able to purchase ASR points, make digital payments through the app or redeem ASR points to offset their bill. Come January 2021, ASR members will be able to customise their stay by sharing their pre-arrival and in-stay requests. 

 

From a global perspective, Goh further added: “Ascott’s adoption of technology has boosted our operational efficiencies and allowed us to deliver greater value to our business partners and customers. The use of unmanned service robots and self check-in kiosk with facial recognition have enabled us to minimise physical contact while continuing to provide seamless services to guests amid Covid-19. We have also upgraded our customer relationship management and property management systems to a cloud enterprise solution to support our fast-expanding global lodging portfolio. The ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app is fully integrated with our backend workflow system, which allows us to quickly attend to guests’ requests. As we scale our business, we will continue to harness the power of technology and drive innovation to sharpen Ascott’s competitive edge.”

 

Tan Bee Leng, Ascott’s Managing Director, Brand & Marketing, said: “Our members will get to level up their stay experiences with the new ‘Discover ASR’ mobile app and the #DiscoverASR Virtual Travel Festival through an array of app exclusives, protips, recommendations, giveaways and contests.” – TradeArabia News Service