Understand and manage the loyalty member referral program
The loyalty member referral program allows existing members to invite friends and family to join the loyalty program. When the referred guest signs up through the referral link, both the referring member and the new member may receive credits if the hotel has configured incentives within earning rules.
Once enabled, the guest portal will display an invite menu option where loyalty members can submit email invitations.
When a referred guest signs up:
The friend receives a link to register.
The original referring member receives bonus credits, if configured.
The new member receives a welcome email.
The new member may also receive bonus credits if your program awards new-member incentives.
This feature helps hotels grow membership, improve engagement, and increase repeat stay value.
Key characteristics of the loyalty member referral program
The referral program supports:
Member-generated invitations from the guest portal.
Automatic validation to ensure an email is not already tied to an existing membership.
Bonus credit assignment to the referring member, if configured in earning rules.
Optional new-member welcome credits, if configured in earning rules.
Tracking of referral activity in both CRM admin and reporting.
The SHR CRM system includes a preconfigured system menu item labeled invite for guest portal use.
Before you start using the loyalty member referral program
Before enabling or using this feature:
A loyalty program must be active in the CRM.
Earning rules must be configured to award credits for referrals.
An email template must be created for referral invitations.
Guest Portal must be active for your property or brand.
If the invite menu item does not exist, you must manually create it.
Confirm internal program rules for:
Referral credit amount.
New-member bonus credit amount.
Any limitations or restrictions.
Configure the referral menu in guest portal
Follow the steps below to confirm or create the invite menu item in the guest portal.
Check if the invite menu already exists
From the left navigation menu, click Guest Portal Setup.
Click Custom Menu and review the list of menu items to check for an Invite entry.
If the menu exists, you may proceed to label updates.
If it does not exist, follow the steps to create the menu item.
Create the invite menu item.
Follow the steps below to create the referral menu.
From the left navigation menu, click Guest Portal Setup.
Click Custom Menu and click Add Custom Menu.
Enter a menu code: This is the menu name that will appear on the portal.
Enter sorting: Enter the desired display order for example one, two and three.
Select Active to activate the menu item.
Click Save and Close.
Update portal labels for branding
Follow the steps below to customize labels shown on the Invite page.
From the left navigation menu, click Guest Portal Setup.
Click Guest Portal Label Setup.
Search for the label to be updated in the label menu:
Invite Friends successfully!
Your friend already has a membership.
Cannot Invite yourself.
Invite.
Invite now.
Invite your friend by email.
Member referral.
Email to.
Email is empty!
Select the language in the multi-language dropdown to edit the label.
When the modal opens, change the text in the guest portal label value.
Click Save and Close.
Configure referral invitation email template
Follow the steps below to configure the invitation email that is sent to referred guests.
From the left navigation menu, click CRM Setup.
Click Administrative Email Setup.
Locate or create the email template used for referral invitations.
Enter email content as appropriate.
Ensure the template includes the referral sign-up token:
Token: {SignUpUrl}, this token generates the unique referral link tied to the referring member.
Click Save and Close.
📌Note: If you do not have access to administrative email setup, reach out to your program administrator.
Configure referral earning rules
Credits for both referring members and new members are assigned through earning rules.
Follow the steps below to confirm or configure referral earning rules.
From the left navigation menu, click Loyalty Setup.
Click Loyalty Earning Rule Setup.
Verify or create earning rules specific to Member Referral.
Configure the credit amounts to award to:
The existing referring member.
The new member, this is optional.
Click Save and Close.
📌Note: Referral rewards appear in guest credit histories and in loyalty program reporting.
Referral member experience
When the referral program is active, the guest experience works as follows:
The existing member logs into the Guest Portal.
The member clicks Invite and enters the email address of the friend they want to invite.
If the email belongs to an existing member, the system displays a message indicating an invitation is not necessary.
If the email is valid and not in use, an invitation email is sent to the friend.
The friend receives the invitation and clicks the sign-up link.
The friend completes the registration form.
Upon registration:
The existing member receives referral credits, if configured.
The new member receives the standard program welcome email.
The new member may also receive bonus credits, if configured.
Admin visibility and reporting
Referral credit activity can be viewed in:
Guest profile in CRM admin
Outlined below is how to view guest profile's in the CRM admin.
From the left navigation menu, click Profile Management.
Click Guest.
Search for and click the guest’s profile.
Click the Earnings tab to view credit activity.
Referral credits display with a sub source indicating the referring member ID.
Loyalty reports
Outlined below is how to run a loyalty report:
From the left navigation menu, click CRM Reports.
Click Loyalty Program Reports.
Select the relevant credit or activity report for example loyalty credits activity.
Filter as needed using the sub source column to identify referral origins.
Export if required.
Frequently asked questions
Outlined below is some of the most frequently asked questions.
Can referral credits be assigned manually?
Yes. Credits can be added manually to either member if needed, following standard credit adjustment processes.
Can the Invite page be disabled?
Yes. You may deactivate or hide the Custom Menu item in Guest Portal Setup.
What happens if an invited guest already has a profile?
The system displays a message informing the member that the invitation is not required.
Do referral credits expire?
Credits follow your program’s standard expiration rules.
Can we reward only the new member and not the referring member?
Yes. Credit assignment is entirely controlled through earning rules.
Where can referral activity be tracked?
Referral credit activity appears in guest profiles and loyalty program reporting.