The company's My Affinia program allows customers to create an online profile that helps Affinia deliver what it calls “Comfort by Design.” Moser says the software to set up the system costs about US$250,000 and calls it a minimal investment based on the expected return. He expects about 30% of his customers to create a profile, as the brand already has about a 30% repeat business rate. “That group will really take to this. We already have some of their information and now we can take it a step further.

“A lot of companies send e-mails asking to help. This goes beyond and focuses on what is available in the guestrooms,” Moser says.

Among other things, the profile allows guests to choose one of six pillow offerings. “Wouldn't it be great to have the right pillow on the bed when you arrive at any Affinia hotel?” Moser asks. This is what the My Affinia program is designed to do—deliver a customized stay, with everything from an acoustic guitar or gel eye mask to a golf putter or a universal laptop charger.

My Affinia launched in early May and by mid-month 350 profiles were in the database. For a small hotel company with six branded properties operated by the Denihan Hospitality Group, this acts as a start toward understanding customers' needs and desires.

My Affinia allows guests to create a customized profile of preferred amenities, and then when a booking is made, each e-mail reservation confirmation enables guests to further fine-tune a particular stay through My Affinia Concierge, based on their interests and agenda, from dinner reservations and in-room spa treatments to turn-down treats for the kids. While guitars, hair diffusers, pillows, yoga mats, laptop chargers and in-room spa treatments are among the niceties featured in My Affinia, Moser expects this list to evolve as more profiles are created.

Moser also expects to gain ancillary revenue. While hotels will charge US$9.95 for a guitar or putter delivered to a room, it is the e-concierge component that already is driving revenue gains, Moser says. He cites one hotel going from one or two spa treatments booked in advance to six or seven being booked. Still, “this program is more about creating stickiness with our customers than generating revenue,” he says.

To support the program, Affinia Hotels has launched a new marketing campaign that focuses on the brand's promise to provide customized comfort for guests. With a total spend of nearly US$1.5 million in the first two months of the campaign, Affinia is targeting the Northeast Corridor business traveler through a mix of outdoor, online and print media.

The My Affinia media buy includes placement in USA Today as well as advertising on AOL, MSN, Yahoo!, WSJ.com, Entrepreneur.com, Reuters, About.com and Forbes.com. Affinia started with about 60 or 70 Web sites and will cut it down to the 25 best producers based on click-thrus.

Outdoor collateral includes “station domination” of the Amtrak terminal in New York City's Penn Station through May, reaching an estimated 3.6 million people who utilize the Amtrak corridor and another half-million commuters who walk through Penn Station daily. Ads also will appear at LaGuardia and Newark airports to reach the high-volume business traffic between Chicago and Washington, D.C., where Affinia has opened new hotels.

My Affinia guest options include Affinia Experience Kits, such as the StayFit Kit of yoga mat, weights and workout bands; the Walking Kit of a pre-loaded iPod, city walking guide and pedometer; and the BYOB Kit of neoprene wine carrier, picnic blanket and BYOB guide.

Arriving guests also can use My Affinia Concierge to order items like romance and special-occasion amenities, including cupcakes, birthday cakes, chocolate-dipped strawberries and Champagne.

The program is no big change in staff members' approach to their work, Moser says, and delivery is relatively easy—it just automates the process a bit.

“In fact, this helps associates further enhance the relationship between the guest and the hotel,” he says.

“Service Strategies” is sponsored by MasterCard Worldwide, who understands exceptional service makes the difference between finding a customer and keeping a customer.