It Should Feel Like Magic, Not Marketing: Personalisation, Loyalty & Data in Hospitality

Tech on Toast, The Hospitality Tech Podcast

In this episode of the Tech on Toast Podcast, powered by Zonal, we dig into the misunderstood but powerful world of personalisation in hospitality. With inboxes overflowing and attention spans shrinking, how do brands stand out without becoming pushy — or worse, creepy?

Host Chris Fletcher is joined by:

• Tom James, Managing Director at Bill’s Restaurants, leading the brand through a digital maturity journey with a strong focus on customer insight.

• Dan Brookman, CEO of Airship & Toggle, who helps 400+ UK hospitality brands turn customer data into meaningful engagement and revenue.

• Gillian Nicholson, Sales Director at Zonal, a technology provider supporting operators for over 45 years.

☕ Grab a coffee and listen in as we cover everything from handwritten notes in delivery bags to AI-powered customer insights.

🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why personalisation should feel like magic, not marketing

• The importance of the value exchange — what customers actually get in return for their data

• How brands like Bill’s and Pizza Express use loyalty to drive genuine connection, not just discounts

• The role of automation and segmentation in building brand voice at scale

• Why creepiness vs. annoyance is a real debate when using customer data

• Which channels are working best right now: email, SMS, WhatsApp, and apps

• How to measure success: from cover growth to visit frequency and customer lifetime value

• Where AI is taking us next — from predictive insights to smarter, real-time personalisation

🎧 Perfect for:
Operators, marketers, and tech leaders who want to use data more effectively to build loyalty, grow frequency, and keep guests coming back — without falling into the trap of discount dependency.

👉 Listen now and discover how to make your personalisation strategy feel truly personal.