Mammoth Resorts Turns to IBM Cloud and Watson Customer Engagement To Bring Personalized Offers to Vacationers

Whether Mountain Biking or Skiing, Personalized Marketing Increased Click Through Rates on Email Campaigns by More Than 300 Percent

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IBM

Jul 20, 2017, 08:00 ET

ARMONK, N.Y., July 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Mammoth Resorts, the leading four-season mountain resort operator in California, is using Watson Customer Engagement solutions on the IBM Cloud to create customized offers that are helping to drive record numbers of visitors to the resort every year.

Mammoth Resorts is using Watson Customer Engagement solutions on the IBM Cloud to create customized offers that are driving record numbers of visitors to the resort. To date, Mammoth has increased click through rates on email campaigns by over 300%

One challenge facing year-round travel destinations such as Mammoth is attracting consumers who often visit multiple location web sites to research potential getaways only to hold off on making a firm decision until they've assessed all of their options. For Mammoth, the question was how to bring prospective customers back to the Mammoth website to ultimately book a trip in advance of peak vacation periods.

With cloud-based Watson Marketing solutions, Mammoth is able to closely monitor customer activity on their website including where visitors are spending most of their time, what they were looking at, whether they left their shopping cart empty and more. With these details, Mammoth is triggering responsive email campaigns that feature deals on the very items customers were viewing such as a free night's stay on their next visit. The team can then track which promotions are most successful in sparking return visits to the site. Since launching these campaigns, the results were almost instantaneous, with email click through rates climbing from 8 percent to 34 percent year-over-year, a growth of 325 percent.

"Competition is fierce and to succeed we must proactively approach potential guests with deals and experiences that make our resort their destination of choice, not just this year but next year and beyond," said Molly Holmes, Direct Marketing and CRM Manager at Mammoth Resorts. "Through our work with IBM Watson Customer Engagement we are creating personalized marketing campaigns based on specific details people are sharing with us. As a result, when we launch a campaign we know it will resonate with our audience and drive results."

In addition to attracting new guests, IBM Watson Customer Engagement is helping Mammoth build customer loyalty through timely, personalized campaigns that take into account each person's preferences based on past stays. Mammoth Resorts then uses these details to proactively recommend trips, such as a return stay during the February winter break for summer guests that includes the same number of rooms and discounts on lift tickets. Mammoth also automatically delivers guest alerts around birthdays, booking anniversaries and more, with each communication including special deals on both lodging and other items such as lift tickets as well as recommendations on, for example, off-season vacations options such as a summer mountain bike trip for the family.

Once on site at the resort, Mammoth uses these same email capabilities to provide guests with regular weather and resort activity updates. For example, through its weekly snow alert as well as real-time Fresh Snow and Dump Alerts (when 12 or more inches of snow occur), winter guests can time when they should plan their first trip to the slopes each day.

"Whether it's summer or winter, vacation destinations are always looking to stand out to attract customers. For Mammoth, the key isn't just the destination itself but providing timely and true personalization to each and every customer," said Harriet Green, General Manager Watson Customer Engagement, Internet of Things and Education. "With Watson Customer Engagement, Mammoth Resorts isn't just delivering great deals, they are connecting with customers through offers that are not only timely but also specific to both their interests and needs. It's this unceasing commitment to customer service that have record numbers of vacationers heading to this California resort every year."

Today, IBM helps companies infuse cognitive technologies into their marketing, commerce and supply chain capabilities on their terms, when and how they need. IBM currently is working with more 17,000 companies around the world including Amadori Group, American Eagle Outfitters, Boots, Ermes, Luxottica, Moosejaw Mountaineering, Office Brands, Performance Bicycle and REI.

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IBM Contact
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SOURCE IBM