Let's Talk Loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Sheetz Inc. is one of North America's fastest-growing convenience store chains, already operating over 600 locations.In this episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty, we were delighted to share the impressive role that loyalty initiatives play in Sheetz business strategy, in a conversation with Director of Brand Marketing, Nicole Auman .Nicole discusses some of the company's recent major insights and achievements, including a new subscription service, her insights on the compelling role that their app is playing as a direct digital connection to their customers and of course, their store teams who serve as ambassadors of the program with customers.This episode is packed with insights on how Sheetz is driving its business forward by leveraging technology and data to delight its members.Show Notes:SheetzNicole Auman

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Etihad Guest is a world-leader in airline loyalty, renowned for delivering innovative ideas that delight members in unexpected ways!In today's episode, Let's Talk Loyalty is joined once again by Kim Hardaker, Managing Director of the Etihad Guest Programme, who shares the latest ideas and insights from one of the travel industry's leading reward programs.Their recent campaigns include a proposition to support the airlines sustainability goals, and a "world-first" idea that celebrated the reopening of Australia's borders post-pandemic.Listen to enjoy another episode jam-packed full of thoughtfulness and innovation.Show Notes:Etihad GuestKim HardakerEtihad Guest MilesMiles On the GoConscious Choices

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The global Covid crisis challenged many businesses to the brink of survival, especially in the travel industry.Across airlines, hotels, hospitality and duty free, with global travel volumes almost non-existent, these travel companies were challenged to innovate in ways they may never have imagined before.Lagardère Travel Retail saw the pandemic as an incredible opportunity to create compelling new channel with their customers, creating an entirely new sales and marketing approach that their customers loved!In this short episode, we summarise what we learned from Chief Executive Officer Eudes Farbe, and Chief Information Officer, Adam McCarthy to understand their unique, world-class solution in the absence of duty free customers in their airports across China.Listen to learn how Lagardère created such significant value using their loyalty program and leveraged China's unique digital eco-system to achieve a profitable new route to market that has proven to be pandemic-proof.Show Notes:Lagardère Travel RetailEudes FarbeAdam McCarthy

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Sonder Media is a consulting firm that specializes in identifying, valuing, and optimizing the media value of loyalty programs, and in today’s episode, Jonathan Hopkins and Angus Frazer, co-founders of Sonder Media, share their expertise and insights on this high margin opportunity.We discussed the power and potential profitability of using the unique assets, permissions and insights from your loyalty program as a media business, an increasingly popular idea being considered by program owners in order to increase their returns on their loyalty program investment.Join us for a discussion about both the challenges and the potential of this big idea, and how you can explore building a media business in a way that continues to meet the needs of your members and your brand and potentially also with advertising partners.Show notes:Sonder MediaJonathan HopkinsAngus FrazerTime Stamps:02:46 - Favorite Loyalty Program05:12 - How does owned media can measure and obviously increase the return on investment of loyalty programs.11:38 - How to Identify the best way to monetize owned media without compromising core business objectives14:41 - What are the particular loyalty programs or sectors and categories that are working for this opportunity with owned media?18:30 - Brands Sonder Media worked with20:35 - Understanding the Value of Owned Media25:12 - What other types of opportunities for value and attention should we consider?27:20 - The Opportunity of Brands for Media

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.When it comes to loyalty programmes in the UK, the gold standard programme that consumers say they love the most is often the Boots Advantage Program.2022 marks the 25th anniversary of this iconic programme, so "Let's Talk Loyalty" was delighted to be joined by Hollie McLellan, Head of Customer Marketing and Loyalty for Boots UK, to discuss the company's latest innovations and initiatives.Join us to hear this masterclass in loyalty marketing, showcasing their new "Beauty Club" which features content marketing as a new loyalty driver, as well as their new "Price Advantage" proposition, and their exciting tests with gamification and subscription strategies.Boots UK is truly an iconic retail brand so don't miss this exclusive opportunity to learn how their Advantage Program is changing and innovating for the future.Show Notes:Boots UKBoots Advantage ProgramMy BeautyBoots XHollie McLellanTime Stamps:03:26 - Hollie’s Favorite Loyalty Program07:18 - History of the Advantage Program10:07 - Approximate numbers of members of Boots Advantage Program in the UK11:12 - Points reward elements12:52 - How staff embrace and execute the program very well14:39 - My Beauty17:58 - Contents as a big part of the future24:19 - Price Advantage Proposition35:18 - What we can expect coming up next with Boots

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.“To make the customer fall in love with the brands.” This is how Alejandro Gonzalez Saul, CEO of Puntos Columbia described the purpose and goal of this market-leading loyalty program operating as a coalition in Colombia.In this short summary show, "Let’s Talk Loyalty" looks back on a fascinating conversation with the true loyalty market leader in Colombia to understand its impressive proposition and performance.Listen to learn some of the secrets that Alejandro shared that drive the incredible success of "Puntos Colombia" in the South American market.Show Notes:Alejandro Gonzalez SaulPuntos Columbia#86: Coalition Loyalty In Columbia with Puntos Columbia

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The International Airline Group is one of the world's largest airline groups, formed by the merger of British Airways and the Spanish Airline Iberia. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it flew to 279 destinations and carried approximately 118 million passengers per year.IAG created a new unified loyalty currency called Avios, as well as a dedicated loyalty division that has been operating in various forms for over 30 years.In this episode, we are joined by the Chief Product Officer of IAG Loyalty, Stephen Scott as we look at some of the big ideas that are engaging members right now, how they are evolving how they earn and spend their Avios, such as card linking and e-commerce, before moving on to emerging concepts that we're all starting to think about, such as NFTs.Stephen explains how the pandemic impacted customers all over the world and changed their behaviour and use of technology and how IAG Loyalty has focused on achieving a complete digital transformation to support them.There’s much more on the way as IAG Loyalty continues to expand.Listen to this conversation and learn what the future holds for the loyalty division of the International Airlines Group.This episode is sponsored by Collinson.Show Notes:The International Airlines Group (IAG)Stephen ScottAviosTime Stamps:02:42 - Stephen Scott’s Favorite Loyalty Program06:43 - Consumer's Behavior of loyalty currency with e-stores12:16 - Avios Card Linking Proposition13: 57 - Brands with card linking15:39 - Where is the IAG Loyalty at now?22:41 - Scott’s Experience with Digital Transformation25:31 - Avios Digital Transformation journey28:42 - Cultural Challenge31:30 - Does the pandemic accelerate the digital transformation?33:08 - IAG: Hangar 51 insight36:39 - NFTs in the world of Loyalty

How do you measure and prove the value of your investment in loyalty marketing?In this episode, we are joined by Brad Macdonald, Vice President of Loyalty Strategy at Epsilon, who shares their approach to assessing the value of brands' investment in their loyalty marketing initiatives with an "a value led approach".We also announce a partnership with Epsilon together with Let’s Talk Loyalty launching a unique, personalized, and private "Loyalty Lab" every month for one lucky listener to have a chance to have the opportunity to work with Epsilon's experts for an independent review of your loyalty program and come away with some concrete ideas to help it perform better.Listen to this episode for more information on how to measure and multiply the value of your loyalty program.Show Notes:Brad MacdonaldEpsilon Loyalty LabTime Stamps:03:12 - Brad’s Favorite Loyalty Program07:35 - The current landscape for loyalty marketers11:07 - How Epsilon measures the value of the loyalty program26:49 - Epsilon Loyalty Lab

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In today’s short summary episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty, Paula Thomas looked back on her conversation with Virgin Reds Chief Marketing Officer, Kelly Best who shared exactly how Virgin is prioritising its customers throughout their new Virgin Red Program.Virgin realised that customers really dislike when their loyalty points expire, so they created a programme where that would never happen!Another key principle is how Virgin Red ensured its program is accessible to all of its members, creating an affordable and appealing partnerships with dozens of small businesses, supporting them while ensuring rewards were easy to reach for its members.Listen to this show to learn more about how iconic brand is truly prioritising its customers in its group-wide loyalty program.Show Notes:Virgin RedKelly Best#84: Virgin Red Loyalty Programme Launches in the UK#195: Virgin Red - The Red Thread Connecting the Virgin Brand Globally

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this episode, Łukasz Słoniewski of Comarch joins Let's Talk Loyalty to discuss the "2022 Global Report on Loyalty Marketing & Rewards Programs," a research report performed by Forrester Consulting in Q1 2022 with 549 loyalty marketing leaders from around the world.Łukasz shared some of his key learnings from the report, such as understanding the significant difficulties we as loyalty marketers face, the most popular loyalty program benefits being offered in 2022, and their ambitions for the next five years.Listen to learn from this interesting research on the loyalty marketing business, and how these global experts expect our programs to change in the coming months and years.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes:"2022 Global Report on Loyalty Marketing & Rewards Programs.”Łukasz SłoniewskiComarch

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The winners of the 2022 "Freddie Awards" have just been announced, the awards created to recognise the gold standard in travel loyalty programs worldwide.The winners of the Freddie Awards are chosen by their members, with millions of customers voting for their favourite programs.In today's episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", we are joined today by the founder of the Freddie Awards, Randy Petersen, to learn all about the origins of these awards, who was "Freddie" and of course which airlines, hotels and credit cards were honored with the top awards in 2022.Show Notes:2022 Freddie Awards WinnerRandy PetersenFreddie Awards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The Loyalty Academy is the world's leading loyalty marketing training platform, run by and for loyalty marketers.Let's Talk Loyalty is the world's leading podcast for loyalty marketing professionals, with over 200 episodes and over 100,000 plays.To celebrate the return of the in-person certification workshops in four fantastic locations around the world, Let's Talk Loyalty and The Loyalty Academy teamed up to give one lucky listener the opportunity to attend and win a full scholarship for a Loyalty Academy workshop and become a "Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional" which has already certified over 300 professionals in 29 markets worldwide.In today's episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", we're thrilled to reveal the lucky listener who has won this prize.Show Notes:The Loyalty AcademyMichael Capizzi

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Albertsons is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States.In today’s episode, "Let's Talk Loyalty" meets Matthew Stevens, Albertson’s Director of Loyalty Programs and Strategy, who shared how their loyalty program is supporting the dramatic transformation of their business, in direct response to changing consumer behaviours and expectations.Boasting almost 2,300 retail stores in the United States across multiple brands including Albertsons, Safeway, Shaw’s, Randalls and United Supermarkets among others, this interview with Albertsons showcases a masterclass in retail loyalty strategy and success.Show Notes:1) Matthew Stevens2) Albertsons Companies3) Safeway 4 U\

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In today’s episode, Paula was joined by fellow podcaster Iain Pringle, to share what we've each learned in our combined five years of podcasting about our industry.Like many loyalty professionals, Iain and Paula both love the opportunity to make customers happy, by rewarding them in ways that are also profitable for business.Listen to learn all about Iain's loyalty background and the role of his podcast as another source of knowledge for loyalty marketing professionals worldwide.Show Notes:1) The Loyalty Podcast2) Iain Pringle

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary episode, Paula Thomas looks back on a fascinating conversation with Evert de Boer, Managing Partner of On Point Loyalty, who discussed how the aviation sector has earned such huge profits from their loyalty programs over the years.And how their importance grew even further in importance through the global pandemic, offering airlines a stable, recurring source of revenue even though customers were unable to travel, and even challenged the widely-held view that redemption seats are an expense for airlines.Listen to this short summary to hear the highlights of our discussion with this airline loyalty industry thought-leader.Show Notes:1) Evert de Boer2) On Point Loyalty3) "Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs"4) #82: Global Airline Loyalty Programme Insights with Evert de Boer

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this episode, Adam Posner, joins us to talk about his hugely popular "For Love or Money™ Australia" research report and insights for 2022.Adam explains key insights from his research and discusses what compels consumers to join a loyalty programme and the "3 Bs" of loyalty: behaviour, belief and belonging. We also talked about generational differences in loyalty preferences, rewards and even currency types.Whether you are working in loyalty marketing in Australia or elsewhere, these consumer insights offer invaluable ideas to reflect on.Show Notes:1) Adam Posner, CEO and Founder, The Point of Loyalty2) For Love or Money™ 2022 Australia 3) The Point of Loyalty website

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world's largest alliance of independent hotel brands, supporting 35 hotel brands with more than 500 hotels across 85 countries, each leveraging the DISCOVERY guest recognition programme to drive loyalty with guests.This alliance allows small and independent hotels compete with global hospitality brands, while still operating independently and giving consumers the opportunity to earn rewards across their many brands.In this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", we are joined by Kristi Gole, VP, Head of Product at Global Hotel Alliance to hear how this model works and benefits both the brands and consumer members.Learn how GHA evolved just prior to the global pandemic, and how they responded to the pandemic with "Live Local" offers as well as finding more ways to reward travellers.Show Notes:1) Kristi Gole, VP, Head of Product at Global Hotel Alliance2) GHA's DISCOVERY guest recognition programme

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", we looked back on an episode from early 2021 when we talked about loyalty programmes as they evolved during the global pandemic, in an insightful conversation with Ashish Sinha, Managing Director of Epsilon APAC & MEA.While some brands did their utmost to be extraordinarily helpful to consumers in that particularly difficult time, others overloaded their members with offers and deals that they didn't want or couldn't afford to redeem.Listen to enjoy some unique Epsilon insights on how true customer loyalty can be earned.Show Notes:1) Episode #80: Loyalty Trends in APAC by Epsilon's Ashish Sinha2) Ashish Sinha, Managing Director - Epsilon APAC & MEA

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this episode, James Berry, Commercial Director, Valuedynamx at Collinson shares game-changing concepts he believes are becoming pivotal for loyalty professionals.James and his team work with brands to create loyalty programmes that are engaging, relevant and increasingly valuable to customers.In this episode, we discuss the dramatic changes in consumer behaviour, and some of the innovative ways that Collinson have found to connect programs, consumers and merchants in order to ensure loyalty programmes become even more relevant in everyday lives.We also talk about opportunities working with emerging technologies like NFTs and cryptocurrencies.This episode will help you understand the latest innovative strategies for post-pandemic consumers.This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx ( Part of Collinson Group)Show Notes:1) James Berry, Commercial Director, Valuedynamx at Collinson on LinkedIn2) Collinson

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today's episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", features LInkedIn loyalty guru and independent loyalty consultant, Henry Christian.Henry has many years of experience guiding brands and managing loyalty programmes throughout Asia and talked with us about some of the valuable lessons he has learned over the years.He shared his insights on the importance of speaking like a CEO, leveraging customer data and how A/B testing can prove valuable instead of making assumptions for members versus nonmembers.Henry shared strategies for membership retention and acquisition and we also found out a surprising 'favourite loyalty programme' that has never been mentioned before!Henry also shared a very important principle that loyalty is not a program, it is an outcome to expect from your customers.Show Notes:1) Henry Christian, Independent Consultant with HC Loyalty Advisory on LinkedIn2) LinkedIn Loyalty Post - Speak Like a CEO

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In today's short summary show, "Let's Talk Loyalty" looks back on an interview with Suri Singh, Head of Loyalty for Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) about their digital-only loyalty program that works across their convenience stores, car washes, food and beverage brands, and even their car registration business.We talked about how ENOC has managed to connect with it's customers given the unique consumer culture in the UAE, and how their loyalty programme has created compelling opportunities for cross-selling across brands, with the power of the customer data they collect.If you work in loyalty marketing, particularly in retail, and particularly if your brand is thinking of starting a loyalty program, then this episode is definitely a must listen.Show Notes:1) Episode #78: Yes Rewards from ENOC - Fuel, Food & Convenience Loyalty in UAE2) Sury Singh, Head of Loyalty from Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC)

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In today's episode, "Let's Talk Loyalty" talks with Kevin Siew, Vice President and Head of Shangri-La Circle, the latest innovation from the Shangri-La International premium global hotel management group.Shangri-La recently transformed their beloved Golden Circle loyalty program as a powerful direct-to-consumer platform, to include digital marketing, mobile and e-direct capabilities, social media and content development, rewards marketing operations and global brand partnerships.Hear how they have crafted their latest proposition to further enrich their appeal to travellers of all ages and backgrounds, and allow for greater freedom and flexibility, including iconic lifestyle partnerships.Show Notes:1) Kevin Siew, Vice President and Head of Shangri-La Circle2) Shangri-La Circle

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" features a conversation with Eadaoin Keane, Head of Marketing for Circle K Ireland who won the "Best Loyalty Programme 2021" from the Irish Loyalty Awards for their "Play or Park" programme.Circle K Ireland is a highly successful and well-known fuel convenience retail brand in Ireland, the market leader for food, fuel and convenience retail.Having inherited the "PLAY or PARK" loyalty programme from the previous business owner, Circle K has continued the programme and further invested in the proposition.That strategy has ensured that this award-winning programme, featuring gamification, rewards and charitable contributions, benefits the members and business in equal measure.Listen to hear how Eadaoin and her team continue to build new campaigns within "PLAY or PARK" to support Irish Olympic athletes, connecting with customers through local community activations, growing the programme's membership and ultimately winning the hearts of Irish customers.Show Notes:1) Eadaoin Keane, Head of Marketing for Circle K Ireland 2) Circle K "PLAY or PARK" programme\

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary show, "Let's Talk Loyalty" revisited an episode with Len Llaguno, founder of Kyros Insights. Len uses his professional training as an actuary to assess loyalty programmes not in terms of liability, but profitability and possibility.We talked about why redemptions are such a signal of a strong programme and an investment in the company's long-term success.Len also shared how brands should employ a "customer-first" mentality and also segment their customers to maximize the effectiveness of their loyalty programmes.Show Notes:1) Episode #76: Loyalty Programme Liability Management - Len Llaguno, Founder of Kyros Insights2) Len Llaguno, founder of Kyros Insights

Cheetah Digital's 2022 Digital Consumer Trends Index was recently released and reveals what consumers expect from the brands they do business with. "Let's Talk Loyalty" was joined by Tim Glomb, VP Content & Data with Cheetah Digital, to learn about the latest research, which features insights from over 5,000 consumers across seven countries.Tim highlighted the findings that he found most fascinating, including increased consumer desire for personalization at every stage of the customer lifecycle. We also heard about consumer privacy concerns and communication preferences by age groups.Tim reminded us that even the biggest brands are constantly reviewing and evolving their strategies and reminded us that we can learn and grow from each other when we're up to date and informed by clear understanding of key consumer priorities. This episode is sponsored by Cheetah Digital.Show Notes:1) Tim Glomb, VP Content & Data with Cheetah Digital2) Cheetah Digital's 2022 Digital Consumer Trends Index

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The Loyalty & Awards Conference is the largest international loyalty conference for the travel industry.In this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", we are joined by Ravindra Bhagwanani, Chairman of Loyalty & Awards, all about the exciting plans for this year’s event taking place in October in Madrid.Ravindra shares his extensive loyalty industry experience and his love of airline loyalty marketing, and how the conference came to life almost 18 years ago.Listen to hear what you can expect from this year's event - THE premier place to be for travel loyalty experts, offering superb opportunities to learn from exceptional industry leaders and connect with your loyalty industry colleagues.Show Notes:1) Ravindra Bhagwanani, Managing Director at Global Flight and Chairman of Loyalty & Awards2) Loyalty & Awards conference website

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary show, "Let's Talk Loyalty" looks back on an interview with Mark James, the CEO of Customology in Australia who shared some insightful outcomes of some consumer research he had conducted in early 2021.Mark shared the challenges for loyalty marketers when new customers are prioritised over existing ones with better offers.Mark also shared some insights on the most effective communication strategies to keep customers happy and engaged.Show Notes:1) Previous Episode: #74: Australian Consumer Loyalty Research - Mark James CEO Customology2) Mark James, CEO, Customology

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The "Australian Loyalty Association" (ALA) is the highly respected organisation that provides thought leadership, education and networking opportunities to those working in the loyalty industry in Australia, New Zealand and increasingly throughout the Asia Pacific Region.In this episode, "Let's Talk Loyalty" is joined by Sarah Richardson, Founder and Advisory Board Chair of the Australian Loyalty Association to hear all about their expansion plans and upcoming events.Together, we announce our content partnership for "Let's Talk Loyalty" to provide exclusive podcasts for the "Australian Loyalty Association" and help ensure even more outstanding and relevant content for loyalty professionals across the Asia Pacific region.Show Notes:1) Sarah Richardson, Founder and Advisory Board Chair, Australian Loyalty Association on LinkedIn2) Australian Loyalty Association website3) Episode #21: Loyalty Lessons from Australia

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This episode is all about The Loyalty Academy and the latest updates and in-person workshops to become a "Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™️" (CLMP).Mike Capizzi, Dean and Director of Education at The Loyalty Academy joins us to share their latest Loyalty Academy news, as in-person training workshops return in key cities around the world.In today's show, we also announce a NEW scholarship and competition for one lucky listener to win a FREE “Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional” accreditation either in person or online.Listen to hear how to enter.Show Notes:1) Let's Talk Loyalty CLMP Workshop Scholarship Information and Application due XXX, 20222) Mike Capizzi, Director of Education, The Loyalty Academy3) The Loyalty Academy 4) Scholarship Competition from "Let's Talk Loyalty" and The Loyalty Academy

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here."Let's Talk Loyalty" is today looking back on our conversation with IKEA's global vice president of loyalty, Aaron Mitchell. As one of the world's most iconic retail brands, IKEA boasts 156 million members of its Family Club worldwide, a programme that brings the very best of the IKEA brand to its customers.The IKEA Family Club focuses on community and creating emotional loyalty with customers, with the intention to create value, deepen relationships and personalize interactions with customers.Listen to learn what we learnt from Aaron Mitchell and IKEA.Show Notes:1) Episode #70: Ikea Family Club with Aaron Mitchell - Global VP Loyalty2) Aaron Mitchell on LinkedIn

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today "Let's Talk Loyalty" talks with one of the leading marketers in U.S. convenience retail, Derek Gaskins, Chief Marketing Officer of Yesway.Yesway is one of the fastest-growing convenience chains in the United States, and was voted the U.S. Convenience Chain of the Year.Gaskins shares the exciting challenge of keeping customers loyal while acquiring new stores and products that customers love, and building a leading retail brand that combines the best of them all.He also explains how his team have embraced a mindset of loyalty from the start, and how they are leveraging their award-winning "Yesway Rewards" program to support their ambitious growth plans.Show Notes:1) Derek Gaskins on LinkedIn2) Yesway Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today "Let's Talk Loyalty" discusses the latest loyalty insights from a brand new research report, "What Brits Want From Loyalty Programs Now".This comprehensive, independent research analyses the topics, attitudes, opinions and behaviours that are driving the loyalty industry today in the UK, one of the most sophisticated and diverse markets for the loyalty industry worldwide.Join us to hear from the brains behind this research report, Charlie Hills from Mando-Connect alongside Nick Fishbourne from YouGov who together share what they loved and learnt through this latest research after two years of turmoil and changing consumer behaviour!Show Notes:1) Charlie Hills 2) Nick Fishbourne 3) "What Brits Want From Loyalty Programs Now" Research Report4) YouGov research regarding the situation in Ukraine

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary show, I look back on an interview exploring “mindful marketing” and how it relates to loyalty from an interview with Maths Mathisen, founder & CEO of an innovative app designed to promote loyalty for brands in the age of digital distraction and addiction.The HOLD app uses the power of gamification to help FMCG brands and retailers compete in the “war of attention” by rewarding users for putting down their devices and focusing on the things they decide are most important.An interesting way of engaging consumers for dis-engaging!Show Notes:1) #68: Mindful Marketing & Loyalty Insights from Scandinavia2) Maths Mathisen, founder & CEO, HOLD3) HOLD app

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this episode, we talk with Joseph Taylor, SVP of Strategic Consulting and Operations for Epsilon and hear how to use the data and profiles of your most valuable loyalty programme members to help acquire new customers with the same profit potential.Loyalty programmes are traditionally designed to retain customers, but rarely is that incredible data used by marketing teams to inform how they run acquisition campaigns to ensure they focus on "profitable" new customers - quality over quantity!This powerful new idea will prove invaluable as cookies disappear from the toolset that digital marketers have relied on for so many years.Joseph shares real case studies and examples of brands who have already leverages this clever idea - so you can too!This episode is sponsored by Epsilon.Show Notes:1) Joseph Taylor, SVP of Strategic Consulting and Operations for Epsilon2) Epsilon Guide to Personalisation

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As we celebrate our 200th episode, we discovered the power of subscriptions to drive loyalty in the car wash category in an insightful interview with Lars Hecht, who leads the car wash category globally for Circle K, one of the world's best known fuel and convenience retailers.Circle K operates the largest global network of car washes, with more than 2,750 units worldwide.Having discovered the power of subscriptions to drive recurring revenue, Lars joined "Let's Talk Loyalty" to share some of Circle K's loyalty learnings, in particular the challenges of designing and launching a car wash subscription loyalty program across such varied markets as the US, Canada and Europe.Circle K's commitment to innovation has been the driving force of this dramatic evolution for the car wash industry, so listen to hear the complex and compelling journey they've been on to ensure the success of this new business model.From subscription insights to beacons, we discuss fascinating technology innovations that engage customers, increase trip frequency and create a powerful opportunity for recurring revenue.Show Notes:1) Lars Hecht, Global Lead Category Director for Circle K2) Circle K Car Wash Subscription website3) Referenced in episode: Adam Schaffer, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Ellipsis & Company

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In today's short show, we review our interview with Ali Cudby, author of "Keep your Customers" and Managing Director of Alignmint Growth Strategies.From customer-focused mission statements to subscription programs, this episode reminds us how small to mid-sized companies can engage with customers with even greater clarity and focus than larger ones, and enjoy greater loyalty outcomes as a result.Show Notes:1) Episode #67: Loyalty for Small Companies - Driving Lucrative Loyalty2) Ali Cudby, Founder and CEO, Alignmint Growth Strategies

In today's episode, we talk with one of the most creative and insightful practitioners in the loyalty industry with a deep understanding of business issues and how to use loyalty mechanics to solve them. Billy Loizou is the Vice President, Go To Market APAC at Cheetah Digital and an advisory member of Australian Loyalty Association.Billy shared a great case study using NFTs to build customer loyalty, and why loyalty is perhaps the most important tool for any marketer in 2022 as cookies become obsolete. As privacy rules go into effect and marketers need to revisit traditional customer engagement techniques, we discussed other options that can lead to successful customer acquisition and recurring revenue.This discussion includes some great case studies of innovative companies really pushing the envelope with their customer loyalty programmes.This episode is sponsored by Cheetah Digital.Show Notes:1) Billy Loizou on LinkedIn2) "Created for Marketers by Marketers" podcast3) Cheetah Digital

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today's guest, Tomasz Makaruk, holds a Ph D in Marketing and has spent more than a decade specialising in loyalty.In this episode, we will hear a comprehensive overview of the loyalty industry in his home country of Poland, which has more than 130 business-to-consumer loyalty programs.While it's still a relatively young market, many loyalty programs in Poland are innovative, competitive and progressive.Tomasz frequently publishes articles on his marketing blog, talking about the most interesting and complicated issues he sees when creating and managing loyalty programmes.Enjoy this episode to learn all about the loyalty industry in Poland.Show Notes:1) Tomasz Makaruk2) Marketing Business Blog

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary show, we look back on an interview with Mala Raj discussing the key statistics that every loyalty marketer should be measuring, and what success looks like across key industries like retail!Listen to learn key insights from this loyalty expert from India, a market that's continuing to thrive in so many ways.Show Notes:1) Episode #66: Loyalty Statistics & Loyalty Programme Performance in India - What Does Success Look Like2) Mala Raj, Loyalty and Customer Strategy Specialist, Managing Partner Strategic Caravan International3) Mala’s LinkedIn post on World Statistics Day as referenced in both episodes

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this episode, we explore the latest lessons from Virgin Red, the loyalty programme for the Virgin group as it continues its impressive global growth.Launched in the U.K. initially and expanding now to the U.S. market, we spoke with Andrea Burchett, International & Strategic Development Director at Virgin Red about the global rollout and future intentions of the program.Virgin's programme is described as the "red thread" that connects this diverse group of companies, and delivers on the extraordinary expectations that members expect, to ensure this international loyalty programme becomes as well loved as the Virgin brand is across the globe.Show Notes:1) Andrea Burchett, International & Strategic Development Director at Virgin Red2) Virgin Red3) Audio correction: Virgin Points (the currency) was launched in September 2020 and the Virgin Red programme launched slightly later in November.

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Air Canada has reimagined their points promise, offering flexible and unique rewards unlike any other airline.In this episode, we talk with Derek Whitworth, Managing Director of Marketing & Loyalty Optimization at Air Canada, about the incredible relaunch of the Aeroplan rewards programme.Aeroplan won the prestigious "Golden Loyalty Award for Excellence in Management" in 2021 and is beloved by Canadians.In this episode, we discuss the new Aeroplan proposition, with impressive new partners, unique upgrade awards and a host of new options for members.This is a can’t-miss episode for airline enthusiasts and loyalty professionals alike.Show Notes:1) Derek Whitworth, Managing Director, Marketing & Loyalty Optimization at Air Canada2) Air Canada's Aeroplan

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary show, I look back on my 2020 interview with Paul Smitton, CEO of Asia Miles with Cathay Pacific Airways.Paul shared Cathay Pacific Airways innovative ways of retaining and engaging customers and some of the latest ideas and enhancements of their impressive Asia Miles program.Show Notes:1) Episode #65: Paul Smitton talks Asia Miles, Innovative Ideas in Airline Loyalty and Preparing for Travel's Inevitable Rebound2) Paul Smitton, Director Customer – Lifestyle at Cathay Pacific Airways3) Cathay Pacific Airways4) Episode #189: Cathay Pacific Airways Launches Lifestyle & Wellness Innovations

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Being a professional loyalty professional can be a lonely job in a big corporation, but by growing our network and community through thought leadership and idea sharing, we can all grow together.In this episode, we are getting to know our newest show partner, The Loyalty People's Managing Director Tom Peace, who will collaborate with us on regular interviews going forward.The Loyalty People is a global strategic consultancy with a laser focus on loyalty and CRM, producing brilliant award-winning programmes. As a result of our new collaboration, we'll hear from many of their successful clients in the coming year!Show Notes:1) Tom Peace, Managing Director, The Loyalty People2) The Loyalty People website

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Let's Talk Loyalty is growing in 2022 and I wanted to share a quick update with you about our newest partner which includes more fascinating interviews with loyalty experts around the world.Thank you for supporting our show and hope you will enjoy all that we have in store for you this year!As always, please send me feedback and guest and topic ideas to [email protected] and don't forget to subscribe for updates when each new episode releases.

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary show, I look back on an interview with Assistant Professor of Marketing at Emory University, Dan McCarthy, about key marketing topics that loyalty marketers love, such as measuring the lifetime value of customers and predicting future spend.In that interview, we also talked about his exciting new tool for investors and leadership teams - called Customer-Based Corporate Valuation. This innovative framework offers a comprehensive approach to connecting the loyal behaviour of customers with the overall valuation of the firm! A huge leap forward for our industry.Professor McCathy also shared his insights on the Pareto Principle as well as the consumer behaviour changes he saw emerging as a result of the pandemic.Show Notes:1) Episode #64: Customer Based Corporate Valuation - Daniel McCarthy of Emory University2) Daniel McCarthy is the assistant professor of marketing of Emory University3) Article: How to Value a Company by Analyzing Its Customers, Harvard Business Review

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways recently celebrated 75 years of flying, and in this episode, we hear about their latest innovations from Paul Smitton, Director of Customer - Lifestyle at Cathay Pacific Airways. Paul explains Cathay's new brand positioning, as well as its newly-launched lifestyle proposition and insurance product, which focuses on total wellness, rewarding its members with air miles for setting and achieving health and nutrition goals.Along with merging their two loyalty programmes in to one, Cathay is also exploring innovative new ways to engage with fliers and members through WhatsApp, virtual reality and social channels.Cathay is an increasingly innovative brand, with plenty of insights to inspire ideas for you too!Show Notes:1) Cathay Pacific rewards programme2) Paul Smitton, Director Customer - Lifestyle at Cathay Pacific Airways 3) CORRECTION: Within the episode, Paul mentions ‘HKSARG’ as ‘semi-autonomous region’, and it should have been referenced as ‘special administrative region’.

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary episode, I am looking back on an interview with George Mendes, Chief Officer Consumer Business with Vodacom in South Africa.Launched in mid-2020, I spoke with George just a few months after the launch of VodaBucks, a programme that researched the best loyalty concepts from around the world in order to develop a winning strategy.The programme includes impressive partnerships with a portfolio of brands across the country, using gamification to engage customers in a very economically diverse country.Show Notes:1) Episode #63: Vodacom South Africa Launches Vodabucks2) Jorge Mendes - Chief Officer: Consumer Business, Vodacom Group Exco Member3) Vodacom4) VodaBucks loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Microsoft is one of the world’s most successful companies in technology, entertainment and in recent years, a leading platform in gaming.This week's episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" features Adam Grupp, Director of Microsoft Rewards, who leads the company’s loyalty proposition.Microsoft Rewards engages members for gaming online, through Xbox as well as its Bing search site, where users earn rewards that can be redeemed for in-game activities, passes and charitable contributions.Hear how Microsoft Rewards thinks about loyalty and Adam's insights on key future trends for loyalty professionals to consider.Show Notes:1) Adam Grupp, Director of Microsoft Rewards, Microsoft2) Microsoft Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this short summary episode, I am looking back on a fascinating episode I conducted with Jonathan Hopkins of Sonder Media, all about the revenue potential for loyalty programmes to leverage some of their customer relationships and permissions as media channels.From American Express to Virgin Australia, I learned about some of the incredible work that is being done to unlock the billions of dollars of media value that is often left untapped.If you are not yet aware of the inherent media value within your loyalty programme, this episode will share insights on how these assets can be used for commercial gain.Show Notes:1) Episode #62: The Value of Loyalty Members as a Media Asset2) Jonathan Hopkins, Founding Partner, Sonder3) SonderMedia.com

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Points for Good is a programme partner for brand loyalty programmes that allow customers to donate reward points toward a social purpose. Started in India as Points for People and expanding globally, in this episode we learned about the drivers behind this impactful programme from Brian Almeida, Founder of Points for Good.Brands have long partnered with charities, but keeping the relationship successful long-term can be a labor-intensive task. This programme offers connections to more than 14 global charities helping children, animals, the environment and more. With more than 1,000 corporate users, Points for Good, along with brand partners and users, is making a positive difference in the world.With a flexible platform that allows brands to customize the points structure and the charities offered, Points for Good is a great choice for loyalty managers with proven experience that satisfies an emotional loyalty connection with customers.Show Notes:1) Brian Almedia, Founder, Points for Good2) Points for Good website