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."Very Me Rewards" was launched by one of the UK's top telecommunications companies in 2018, as a non-points-based programme, instead leveraging partnerships and "share-able" rewards, to create an award-winning customer loyalty proposition.Listen to discover how Vodafone's "Very Me Rewards" is building loyalty in this ultra-competitive sector in the UK.Show Notes:1) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode 55 - Vodafone UK's Very Me Rewards Programme

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Cristina Ziliani is the Professor of Loyalty Marketing and CRM at the University of Parma, Italy, where she has been leading the "Loyalty Observatory" for an incredible 20 years.In this episode, she shares the work they do there for the Italian loyalty community, which includes loyalty research, consulting and education across the entire field of loyalty, CRM, CX, and analytics.If you're interested in loyalty in Italy, this is the episode for you!Show Notes:1) Cristina Ziliani - Professor of Marketing and Head of the Loyalty Observatory at the University of Parma2) The Loyalty Observatory3) The Loyalty Observatory Report on Italy

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 features what I learned from my episode with Margaret Molloy, a globally-recognised marketing thought leader, and someone who advocates simplicity as a key principle for brands.We discussed "simplicity" and how it drives business value and customer loyalty, so I captured the key points of our discussion in this short summary show.Listen to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty to understand simplicity as an increasingly powerful, yet underestimated factor that drives loyalty in every business.Show Notes: 1) Episode #54: The Role of Simplicity in Driving Customer Loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Panera Bread is a US bakery chain of over 2,000 cafes and it operates one of the restaurant industry's largest loyalty programmes.In early 2020, it dramatically changed the loyalty industry with a disruptive subscription proposition, offering unlimited coffee for just $8.99 a month.Guided by a clear insight on customer needs from it's member base, it has earned respect around the world for creating a whole new business model, leveraging the power of subscription psychology to delight its members.In this fascinating discussion, I'm joined by Meenakshi Nagarajan, SVP, Recurring Revenue and Loyalty at Panera Bread, who shares some of the challenges that they overcame to create this incredible success story, as well as its latest strategy - partnering with other like-minded brands to drive further disruption and ultimately, extraordinary growth from this paid loyalty proposition.1) Meenakshi Nagarajan, SVP, Recurring Revenue and Loyalty at Panera Bread2) Panera Bread Subscription Loyalty - Press Release - February 20203) Panera Bread

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As one of the world's largest retailers, Shell is a well-known for its fuel stations and increasingly its convenience stores around the world, and it operates loyalty programmes in twenty-one of the countries it trades in.With this global perspective, it was fascinating to chat with Pavel Los, Shell's Global Loyalty Manager about their latest launch in the UK market - a points-free programme called Go+, as well as their strategy in China and his view on loyalty coalitions.This short show summarises everything I learnt from this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty.Show Notes:1) Pavel Los - Global Loyalty Manager Shell2) Shell Go+ - Shell's UK Loyalty Programme3) Shell Clubsmart - China4) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode 53 - Interview with Pavel Los, Shell

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As the creator of the “net promoter system”, Fred Reichheld is a true legend in the loyalty industry.His career spans 44 years as a consultant, author of four best-selling books and an internationally-renowned speaker on loyalty, and currently a Fellow with Bain & Co.He joins me today to introduce his latest book called “Winning On Purpose – The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers” – which features some profound new ideas on the very fundamentals of how we do business.He challenges the dominant corporate approach based on greed, and shares powerful evidence of how NPS leaders in every category, consistently earn superior profits.This book also introduces his new framework, which he describes as the accounting-based twin for net promoter score – called “earned growth rate” – which is set to become another industry standard and framework for excellence.In my view, Fred’s work and this latest book are deeply important to us as loyalty professionals, business practitioners and human beings living “on purpose”.Show Notes:1) Fred Reichheld – Bain Fellow, Author/Speaker on Loyalty, Creator of the Net Promoter System2) Bain & Company 3) NPS Prism 4) Winning on Purpose on Amazon – The Unbeatable Strategy of Loving Customers

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Dr Chris Arnold is a marketing strategist and a "proudly dyslexic" champion of thinking differently.With a deeply held belief in the power of community to connect us to each other, Dr Chris highlights the challenges of relying on social media and measurable marketing, rather than focusing on building a truly customer-centric business.Dr Chris believes that connecting our loyal customers with *each other* creates greater loyalty for our brands and businesses.Show Notes:1) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #52: Connecting with Community for Local Loyalty - with Dr Chris Arnold2) Dr Chris Arnold

As 2021 comes to a close, we reflect on the key consumer trends that arose in loyalty in 2021 and discuss insights and predictions for loyalty professionals in 2022. With examples and case studies that include Dunkin (formerly Dunkin Donuts), Dell, Carters and Duolingo, I"m joined by Epsilon's Vice President of Loyalty Strategy Brad Macdonald, who shares the importance of human connection in the context of digital transformation. Brad also shares the ever-increasing focus on having a loyalty "mindset", and his views on what's working - and what's not - for loyalty professionals. This episode is sponsored by Epsilon.Show Notes:1) Brad Macdonald - Vice President of Loyalty Strategy @ Epsilon3) Dunkin'4) Carter's 5) Duolingo 6) Epsilon

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 is a short summary of my interview in 2020 with Annich Macintosh, the Editor and CEO of the "Loyalty Magazine Group" in the UK, focusing on their loyalty awards.Annich explains the approach, some notable winners in 2020, and also some key trends and changes she noticed in consumer behaviour that loyalty professionals need to notice and factor in to their plans in a pandemic-changed world.As these awards have now been re-branded, I also share the new positioning and remind everyone to enter for the new International Loyalty Awards being awarded in London in 2022.Show Notes:1) Annich Macintosh Editor and CEO, Loyalty Magazine Group2) International Loyalty Awards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Accor Live Limitless (ALL) is a loyalty programme that spans 51 brands and almost 7,000 hotels across different customer segments at different price points, yet who share common needs and passions.With a vision to offer much more than simply a place to stay, ALL is focused on becoming a day to day companion for travellers as well as local communities, based on compelling partnerships and delighting each and every guest when they arrive in any Accor property.Isabelle Birem is the Senior Vice-President Loyalty at Accor Group, and she joins me in today's episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" to share the challenges and opportunities of driving loyalty at such scale globally, ensuring staff and owners understand the power of the loyalty programme to drive their businesses forward and deliver on the brand promise for every guest.Isabelle shares the reasons behind their sports sponsorship with Paris St Germain and the "money can't buy" experiences this creates, as well as the innovative "double-dip" partnerships launched with Air France / KLM and Qantas.This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx ( Part of Collinson Group)Show Notes: 1) Isabelle Birem Senior Vice-President Loyalty at Accor2) Accor Live Limitless

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Nathan Beaver is a Partner at KPMG UK and in 2020, he shared his insights on the "integrity economy", and how consumer behaviour evolved during the global pandemic.With 91% of customers saying they do NOT want to return to the pre-Covid world, he explained some of the principles that loyalty programme managers need to keep in mind to connect with their most valuable customers.Trust has become an essential ingredient in business and KPMG revealed some dramatic research findings on what they are calling the "New Customer".Listen to this short show to capture the key highlights of my interview with KPMG UK.Show Notes:1) Nathan Beaver - Partner at KPMG UK2) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #50 with KPMG

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. 7-Eleven is renowned as the world's largest retailer, with over 77,000 stores globally, serving an incredible 10 million customers every day.The brand is proud to have invented the convenience store itself, creating the concept in 1927, with a vision to delight local communities with speed and simplicity.In this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty", Chief Digital Officer of 7-Eleven Inc, Raghu Mahadevan, explains the firm's focus on customer loyalty, and how that entire journey is being supported by its loyalty program 7REWARDS.This incredible loyalty program already supports over 55 million members and today we discuss some of their latest inventions and award-winning strategies that are engaging customers both outside the store as well as inside, with a consistent "obsession" to delight them.Show Notes:1) Raghu Mahadevan, Chief Digital Officer at 7-Eleven2) 7 Eleven USA 3) 7 Rewards

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 celebrated its first birthday in August 2020, so in episode 49, I was celebrating this milestone with some special guests.It featured my friends from the Loyalty Academy, with a focus on the scholarship competition that listeners could enter, with one lucky listener winning a FREE Loyalty Academy Scholarship worth $1,750!My two guests on this show - Graeme Thomson, a Director of the Loyalty Academy, and Emily Ong who was a recent graduate of the course.In this short summary episode, I summarise the background and approach taken by the Loyalty Academy for anyone studying the CLMP, which is designed to support loyalty professionals with ideas and concepts they can use immediately in their day to day roles around the world.Show Notes:1) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode 49 - One Year Anniversary 2) Graeme Thomson - Director of the Loyalty Academy3) Emily Ong - CLMP

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Arsenal is one of the most successful football clubs in English football history, having played in the country's top division each season since 1919, and in the process winning 13 league titles.Like many sports, it is already loved by millions of loyal fans, and this year, Arsenal became the first UK Premier League team to create an entire loyalty programme for their fans, designed to enhance attendance at games and build the connection between fans and the Club between games.This fascinating interview is with Arsenal's Senior Loyalty Manager, Karen Dumbrell, who explains that through fan engagement, the award-winning "My Arsenal Rewards" is already delivering more benefits for fans, and commercial and operational benefits for the club, supporting key objectives and driving great fan behaviour.This programme is the first of its kind in the UK, and it has given the Club multiple new ways to communicate and engage with fans, while taking into account their marketing preferences.“My Arsenal Rewards” was just launched in August 2021, so in this first interview, you can enjoy key insights on the insights and power of building a loyalty programme that truly puts its fans at its heart.Show Notes: 1) Karen Dumbrell Senior Loyalty Manager at Arsenal FC2) Arsenal Football Club 3) My Arsenal Rewards 4) Emirates Stadium 5) Emirates.com - Sponsor of Arsenal Football Club6) Visit Rwanda - Sponsor of Arsenal Football Club7) adidas - Sponsor of Arsenal Football Club

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.With over 7 million members, Etihad Guest is the loyalty program for Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, based in Abu Dhabi.This short podcast is a summary of my interview with Kim Hardaker, who together with her team, found thoughtful and meaningful way to innovate, and reward members, even while airline travel was at an all time low just six months in to the global pandemic.Enjoy Kim's compelling insights and hear their gorgeous "world of thoughtfulness" campaign - a great example of building emotional loyalty even at that challenging time.Show Notes:1) Episode #48 - Loyalty Insights from Etihad Airways 2) Kim Harkader, Managing Director, Etihad Guest

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.A wide-ranging conversation with L'Oréal's new Director of Loyalty for their Luxe Division, Alyssa Callahan.L'Oreal is a leading brand in the beauty industry with a huge global portfolio which includes brands likes Lancome, Kiehl's & Yves Saint Laurent.Alyssa shares her key objective to help these luxury brands demonstrate their loyalty to customers who increasingly buy directly online, with the channel having grown dramatically throughout the pandemic.Alyssa also shares learnings from her loyalty career in Wyndham Hotels where she created compelling subscription programs to help guests enjoy increased flexibility with their products, as well as developing powerful partnerships for parents and children when she led loyalty for Toys R Us.Alyssa truly describes herself as someone with "loyalty in her blood" so listen to learn some exciting ideas as she begins to lead new loyalty initiatives for the luxury brands within L'Oréal!Show Notes:1) Alyssa Callahan - Director of Loyalty at L'Oréal Luxe Division2) L'Oréal 3) Wyndham Hotels & Destination

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.How do you differentiate one hotel brand in such an ultra-competitive industry?By focusing on authentic, heartfelt ideas and initiatives that go way beyond anything your guests ever expect.This is just one of the insights I learned last year when I chatted with Shirley King who has over 25 years driving engagement and loyalty for Kimpton Hotels and IHG both at home in the USA and internationally.Listen to hear how her instinctive loyalty mindset helped her create some of the industry's most iconic programs, as well as some of the ideas she was thinking through for the future to create even greater loyalty in a post-pandemic world.Show Notes: 1) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #47 - Shirley King IHG Rewards Club

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.What a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the impact of the global pandemic on the Emirates Skywards loyalty programme.I was joined by Dr Nejib Ben-Khedher for a second time, who shared some fascinating insights on the most powerful initiatives they recently launched, with an increased focus on personalisation, powerful partnerships, and innovative technology solutions to create even more compelling experiences for customers.Nejib explains how they've doubled their open rates for Skywards email campaigns, and enhanced the "in-path" experience to multiply their look-to-book ratio, going back to basics to support the airline as it recovers from the effects of the pandemic on overall travel patterns.We also discuss Skywards+, the latest addition to the Skywards proposition, with insights on who's engaging and why, as well as the gamification approach that's proving increasingly popular. Members compete to claim tickets for unique Skywards Experiences through Emirates-sponsored events such as the Formula 1 racing, football games with AC Milan, Arsenal and Real Madrid as well as world class tennis and cricket to cater to all of their member's passions.We learn the incredible ongoing growth for Skywards despite the pandemic, as well as some extra-ordinary changes in how members are engaging.Finally, we discussed some of the future trends that Nejib is focused on for the next phase of growth for Skywards, with a clear focus on increasing overall loyalty to Emirates with its passengers and members.This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx ( Part of Collinson Group)Show Notes: 1) Nejib Ben-Khedher 2) Emirates Skywards 3) Skywards Plus 4) McKinsey - Power of Paid Loyalty Programmes5) Skywards Exclusives

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Dell is one of the world's best known computer companies, with a laser focus on driving clear and measurable business outcomes through its loyalty initiatives.In this short summary of my interview with Dell's Mitch Kennedy, I'm summarising the insights he shared on the impact of transactional rewards and the power of gamification, as well as the importance of understanding human psychology in order to drive customer loyalty.Show Notes:1) #46: Dell's Global Loyalty Lead - Exploring Gamification2) Mitch Kennedy, Global Loyalty Strategy Lead, Dell

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As a leading loyalty expert in New Zealand Phil Devlin has a fascinating career spanning Air New Zealand, Qantas, Countdown Supermarkets and even some work supporting high performance sports along the way!Boasting exceptional engagement with over 95% of Kiwi consumers enrolled in at least one programme, New Zealand is a small country punching way above its weight in the loyalty industry, due in no small part to the compelling loyalty programmes that Phil and his colleagues built.Listen to this episode to hear the incredible breadth of partnerships Phil led for Air New Zealand, which included the real estate sector, luxury cars and even white goods, transforming the airlines loyalty programme in to a powerful currency capable of driving cash flow to the airline between flights and becoming part of kiwi consumers lives.Across his entire loyalty career, Phil has created clear and compelling loyalty concepts both independently and with key partners, with a focus on simplicity, transparency and integrity, so listen to learn his latest ideas on what's important to consumers in 2021 and beyond.Show Notes:1) Phil Devlin, Strategic Partnerships2) Countdown New Zealand3) Simon Rowles

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 features insights from a truly "global voice of loyalty".Based in India, Kunal Mohiuddin, joined me and shared lessons learned from over two decades in the loyalty industry.This show is my review and summary of the key things I learned from my interview with Kunal.This loyalty entrepreneur has developed several innovative loyalty technology platforms and advised over fifty national and global programmes on their loyalty strategy, with some great learnings for loyalty marketing.He also shared his views on the technologies he believes will help drive loyal behaviour in the future.Show Notes: 1) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #45 2) Kunal Mohiuddin

With consumer distrust at an all-time high, marketers are increasingly concerned about their ability to capture customer data at scale, and in ways that are meaningful and engaging. Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, experience-led loyalty mechanics have become more powerful than ever, leveraging the idea of fun to capture data and create progressive profiles of customers in ways they enjoy, rather than avoid. Richard Jones, the Chief Marketing Officer at Cheetah Digital explains that just because in the past we've been able to get "drunk on data" doesn't mean we should continue to do so in the future. Customer values have changed and it's time to for us as loyalty marketers to ensure our approach in the past evolves to remain powerful for the future. Listen to learn Cheetah's insights and consumer feedback on the increasing importance of marketing etiquette based on interactive and engaging relationships, not just in traditional sectors but even in categories like CPG which historically left loyalty to their product quality alone.This episode is sponsored by Cheetah Digital.Show Notes: 1) Richard Jones - Chief Marketing Officer at Cheetah Digital 2) Cheetah Digital 3) Signals21 - The Award Winning Content Series

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The "subscription" business model promises predictable recurring revenue and increased customer lifetime value so it's no wonder that loyalty marketers around the world are increasingly looking to this concept to enhance their loyalty propositions.With so much interest in the topic, I was delighted to interview two executives about it, one from Ipsos Denmark and one from their partners in management consulting firm Subscrybe.Together they shared their insights on the principles of success in subscriptions - creating both "reasons to buy" and "reasons to stay", to create the potential for extreme customer loyalty.Show Notes: Let's Talk Loyalty - Episode #44

As the world emerges from the dramatic effects of the pandemic, the airline industry is entering a pivotal time, with opportunities to re-invent their frequent flyer programs to meet the new normal. Who better to brainstorm this than Piotr Kozlowski who advises some of the world's largest airline and airport loyalty programmes for Comarch, such as British Airways, Jet Blue, Etihad Airways and Heathrow Rewards among others. Piotr shares some creative and compelling concepts he believes should be considered, the reasons they may make sense, and some of the criteria for success. From subscription models, to prepaid fares to unlimited flying propositions - there has never been a better time for loyalty marketers to test new concepts and inspire their customers to fly with the same joy in the future as they did in the past. Listen to enjoy a masterclass in creative and compelling airline loyalty concepts. This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes: 1) Piotr Kozlowski 2) Report from Jay Sorensen 3) The Bank of Starbucks

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 a short summary of my conversation with Dr David Cox, a loyalty practitioner who also boasts a PhD in loyalty marketing.Based on the success and awards he has achieved for clients such as IBM, he shares what key tools he and his company Motivforce have used to drive such powerful commercial results.He also discussed the key loyalty trends that were emerging as a result of Covid-19.Listen for my short summary of episode #43 of "Let's Talk Loyalty".Show Notes:1) David Cox - CEO of Motivforce2) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode 43

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.With over 18 million members around the world, Flying Blue is the frequent flyer programme for both Air France and KLM, and is positioned as a lifestyle programme that drives real commercial value for its partners.Gerben Sikkema shares some of the commercial benefits that partners can expect alongside the benefits of being associated with a premium brand.He also talks me through some of the latest innovative ideas that they have launched with partners for Flying Blue members including "earn and burn in checkout", as well as other powerful technology-led concepts such as card-linking and a focus on using loyalty mechanics to drive sustainable choices.What most impressed me in this interview was the insight that "burn drives earn" - a clear understanding that only when members benefit will any loyalty programme achieve its goals.This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx ( Part of Collinson Group)Show Notes:1) Gerben Sikkema - Director of Partnerships at Air France-KLM2) Air France - KLM Website 3) Flying Blue

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Rob Markey is the one of the world's leading authorities on customer loyalty.Together with Fred Reichheld, he co-created The Net Promoter System®, the industry metric and framework now used by more than two thirds of Fortune 1000 companies.This short summary episode reminds us of the importance of the "founder's mindset" as a key driver of loyalty, as well as Rob's latest work to develop increasingly robust models for customer lifetime value that can be share externally with investors as well as internally.Rob shares the view that loyalty professionals are really the perfect business leaders of the future.Listen for a short summary of our conversation, or listen to the full interview for even more of Rob's extraordinary insights.Show Notes:1) Episode #42 of Lets Talk Loyalty with Rob Markey 2) Bain and Company3) Rob Markey - Partner, Bain and Company

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.South African consumers who engage in loyalty programmes are fascinating to understand and this shows aims to help us do exactly that.Amanda Cromhout, Founder and CEO of the South African loyalty agency Truth does incredible work to identify, understand and help educate loyalty professionals around the world about this diverse market.Following a year of seismic changes in consumer behaviour due to the global pandemic, the sixth loyalty whitepaper from Truth and Brandmapp asks the key questions about what's working in loyalty in South Africa and what's not.Listen to learn the incredible growth in the market and important changes in who, why and how programmes are being used.We also talk through what would be South African's favourite loyalty program if they could only choose one!A superb conversation about how the loyalty industry is evolving in South Africa in these changing times.Show Notes:1) Amanda Cromhout2) Truth South Africa

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 show summarises my interview and insights with Bryan Pearson, former CEO of LoyaltyOne, who is known globally as a leader in loyalty, as well as retail marketing strategy based on consumer analytics.We discuss how companies can succeed and even thrive in the context of our dramatically changing world by understanding what truly matters to customers.We also discuss key industry trends, such as whether the coalition model for loyalty in global markets remains as relevant as it was in the past.Show Notes:Bryan Pearson – Former CEO of LoyaltyOne

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Rob Burgess is well known for creating the UK's most popular frequent flyer website Head for Points, written to help frequent flyers in the UK get the most out of the rich rewards and travel benefits on offer.The global pandemic has changed the rules of the industry, with paid loyalty an increasingly popular strategy that many loyalty marketers are exploring.In this episode, we discuss the key success factors for a paid loyalty programme, how to "wow" your members with a proposition they are willing to pay for.From the Intercontinental Ambassador programme, to Pret a Manger in the UK and the most recent proposition from Emirates, Skywards+Listen to hear Rob's insightful views on what makes paid loyalty work for key consumers who are highly educated on the benefits of loyalty programmes when they are done well.Show Notes:1) Rob Burgess2) Head for Points3) Skywards+

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As loyalty marketers, it's essential that we have access to both the financial models and the financial language we need to educate senior executives on the incredible value generated from our loyal customers, and ensure that our customers are valued as the "strategic asset" they are.Academic leaders such as Peter Fader, Professor of Marketing with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, are increasingly helping both companies and investors to understand the future lifetime value of customers (not just historic revenues) when valuing a firm.This work has led to innovative concepts such as "Customer Based Corporate Valuation" (CBCV), an industry-leading concept that will undoubtedly become an essential framework for future loyalty marketers.Listen to learn about Professor Fader's fascinating work across the loyalty industry with implications for both the academic and business sides of our industry.Show Notes:1) Professor Peter Fader, Professor of Marketing, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania 2) Harvard Business Review - Jan/Feb 2020 issue articles - "The Loyalty Economy." 3) Theta Equity Partners 4) Customer Centricity: Focus on the Right Customers for Strategic Advantage - 2012 Edition (New Edition Scheduled July 2020)

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Voted the number one loyalty programme in New Zealand, AA Smartfuel is a fascinating loyalty programme that was designed with a laser focus on delighting customers with the opportunity to earn a free tank of fuel!This coalition programme now boasts more than forty merchant partners across 1,200 locations nationwide, who together market the programme and ensure consumers can achieve meaningful savings on fuel from their everyday spend.Joining me today to share their story are Ian Sutcliffe, Co-Founder of the programme along with his Marketing Manager Jordan Tran. Together they explain the latest innovations for this programme, from new reward options through to ideas on how best to share data and insights in ways that continue to delight customers and partners alike.We also discuss another of my favourite ideas, leveraging our loyalty programmes to support supplier brands like FMCG manufacturers.Listen to learn this unique case study from perhaps the most active loyalty market in the world.Show Notes:1) AA Smartfuel New Zealand 2) Ian Sutcliffe - Co-Founder AA Smartfuel3) Jordan Tran - Marketing Manager at AA Smartfuel

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In 2017, the UK country's largest broadcaster Sky TV, launched its VIP programme, the first tenure-based programme in the industry which promises customers that "the longer you stay, the better it gets", with a clear intention for its customers to feel loved and appreciated.It began by offering exclusive live experiences to over a million customers a year, and then, as a result of nationwide lockdowns, it pivoted to delivering even more extraordinary & innovative virtual experiences.In my conversation with Rob Chandler, he shared some fascinating models on how Sky VIP thinks about loyalty and how they create new and exciting ways to really say an explicit "thank you" to its loyal customers.Enjoy this episode of "Let's Talk a LITTLE Loyalty" for some fascinating insights on how to truly differentiate your brand, no matter how competitive the industry.Show Notes: 1) Rob Chandler - Former Head of Customer Loyalty - Sky UK 2) The Gamification Revolution: How Leaders Leverage Game Mechanics to Crush the Competition - by Gabe Zichermann

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Three years after the introduction of tighter data regulations & GDPR in Europe, the world of data protection and privacy is only getting more complex. In fact, my guest today described the privacy challenges we face today as a "perfect storm".From changing cookie laws, to complex data transfers, to the latest class action law suits being brought on behalf of professional footballers, there is now doubt that the tectonic plates in our industry are shifting.So how can we ensure we're professional, prepared and protected as much as possible?While we continue to cope with COVID, our industry is facing rapid changes, such as the increasing use of facial recognition technology & biometrics, so listen to learn all about the approach you can take to ensure "custom privacy protection by design, which will endure by default".Richard Dutton, Managing Director of the Elias Partnership joins me on today's show to explain the concept of a "Data Health Check", what it does, how it helps and how your company can ensure a legally defensible position should a data breach ever occur.Show Notes:1) Richard Dutton2) Elias Partnership

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.ebookers UK was launched in 1998 as the UK's first online travel agency, and added its "Bonus+" programme in 2016, in order to offer its customers a compelling reason to book with them.Listen to this episode of "Let's Talk a LITTLE Loyalty" to hear my favourite aspects of this simple and generous loyalty programme - particularly its focus on mobile users.Show Notes:1) ebookers.co.uk2) Bonus +3) Nicki Helfet 4) Let's Talk Loyalty Interview with ebookers.com

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.To celebrate the second birthday of "Let's Talk Loyalty", I am joined by my partners and friends - leading loyalty veterans, Bill Hanifin and Mike Capizzi of the Wise Marketer Group and Loyalty Academy.Our conversation reviews “then versus now” for the loyalty industry and our own progress and milestones as some of its global voices.As well as looking back on where we've come from, we chat through the new Wise Marketer Loyalty Research Group, the Women In Loyalty community, some ground-breaking research on "pay with points" research in the US market, along with a formal announcement for the CLMP Loyalty Academy training coming to Dubai in December 2021, including an exclusive discount code for "Let's Talk Loyalty" listeners!Show Notes:1) Bill Hanifin - CEO & Managing Editor, The Wise Marketer2) Mike Capizzi - Director of Education, Loyalty Academy3) Loyalty Academy and Loyalty Vault 4) The Wise Marketer 5) Delphi Research Reports6) Pay With Points Research 7) CLMP - Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional Workshop - Dubai, UAE - December 6th, 7th, 8th 20218) CLMP Dubai Training Loyalty Academy Code and Conditions

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.How do you know your loyalty investment is worthwhile?If you're interested in measuring your “return on loyalty”, listen to learn from industry experts Ellipsis how they they isolate, measure and define the levers within any loyalty program to understand what’s working, what’s not and why!A MUST-listen episode to answer the most-asked question in the loyalty industry IMHO :)Show Notes:1) Ellipsis Australia 2) Adam Schaffer - Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Ellipsis & Company3) Tim Tyler - 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.Bilt is the world’s first rewards program that lets you earn loyalty points on rent.This incredibly innovative idea was launched in June 2021, rewarding the highest monthly expense for US consumers.With a particular relevance for younger consumers such as millennials and Gen Z, Bilt Rewards is already available for residents of two million apartments, and is also proving a hit with leading US landlords by incentivising the prompt payment of rents, while minimising the costs of acquiring and retaining residents.This interview features a masterclass in loyalty from industry veteran David Canty who transformed the airline loyalty industry during his career in JetBlue Airways, as well as leading hotel and retail brands and who now brings his loyalty expertise to real estate.This episode of Let's Talk Loyalty discuses how Bilt Rewards creates opportunities for US rental consumers to earn rewards such as airline travel, educating them about the potential financial benefits of loyalty programs, while also supporting them on their own path to eventually become home owners - truly a lifelong loyalty program proposition.Show Notes:1) Bilt Rewards 2) David Canty - Head of Loyalty & Partnerships at Bilt Rewards3) Ankur Jain - Founder Bilt Rewards 4) Loyalty & Awards Dubai UAE

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As one the world’s largest cashback programs, Rakuten Rewards has paid out over $2 billion to members in North America.In this summary episode I am excited to discuss the power of affiliate marketing and great partnerships to build a brand as well as commercial value for merchants and consumers alike.Listen to this summary of episode of Let's Talk Loyalty to learn all about the power of the Rakuten brand and Rakuten Rewards to drive consumer loyalty and profitable behaviour, both online and offline.Show Notes:1) Kristen Gall - President, Rakuten Rewards2) www.Rakuten.com – leading Cash Back service in the US3) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #36 - Rakuten 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's episode showcases Livelo, the leading loyalty and coalition marketing services provider in Brazil.Built as an entirely digital loyalty programme, Livelo's innovative and customer-centric approach have ensured exponential growth, and it's now one of the fastest growing and more profitable companies in the country.As Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Pagano joins in this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" to share some of their latest successes, and the power of a structured and strategic approach to delight customers and merchants alike.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes:1) Daniel Pagano2) Livelo 3) Comarch

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This week’s short show reviews the 2020 UK loyalty white-paper, produced by YouGov together with Mando Connect written and researched with the goal of truly understanding what British consumers want from loyalty programmes.This short summary highlights some innovative ideas developed by leading retailers to appeal to socially-savvy younger consumers as well as an overview of the most popular loyalty models and rewards in this incredibly competitive market.Listen for some of the exciting new ideas and trends that emerged in recent years.Show Notes:1) YouGov.com2) Mando Connect 3) UK Loyalty Whitepaper - What the Brits Want from Loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Shopping Centres need loyal customers now more than ever, but shopping mall loyalty programs are notoriously difficult to create successfully.Balancing the diverse needs of merchants, mall operators and shoppers requires a delicate balance of strategic insight and operational experience, so I was delighted with the opportunity to interviews today's guests who have successfully created and launched a program in a brand new luxury mall and fine dining destination in Serbia.Galerija Belgrade opened in late 2020, with loyalty at the core of its marketing strategy.Listen to learn all about how the team developed and funded this generous loyalty programme "Moj Beograd" in a way that's delighting all of the stakeholders involved.Show Notes:1) Vanesa Jovanovic2) Chayya Bassi3) Galerija Belgrade4) Quick Brown Fox Consulting

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 short show is a summary of a great conversation with Adam Posner who reached out in early 2020 to ask loyalty professionals worldwide to collaborate and contribute to a report he was creating called ‘119 Customer Loyalty Ideas to Beat COVID-19'.Adam shared all of the fascinating loyalty ideas that came through in a useful eBook which he published early in the emergence of the COVID pandemic and the book is still available for anyone to download from his website.This show is a great way to learn from global loyalty industry professionals who shared some powerful ideas to build customer loyalty amidst the unprecedented changes in consumer behaviour that we are still experiencing with COVID 19.Show Notes:1) 119 Ideas to Beat Covid 192) Adam Posner3) The Point of Loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Like the rest of the world, the Covid 19 pandemic is perhaps the toughest challenge that India has faced yet.So can the loyalty industry help?The "Young Warriors" movement has been created to leverage loyalty mechanics for a social cause rather than a commercial one - to educate, inspire and reassure particularly young people in India on how best to protect themselves and their families against Covid-19.These "young warriors" have created a social currency that recognises those who are sharing accurate information, support services and taking positive action to support their communities against the disease, in partnership with both the public and private sectors for maximum impact and scale in a country of almost 1.4 billion people - many of whom live in remote villages.This inspiring interview explains how Unicef's "Generation Unlimited" organisation is harnessing Whatsapp as the country's leading messaging platform, along with partnerships with community radio stations to ensure no-one is left behind.A truly inspiring insight in to how loyalty levers are making an impact against COVID 19.Show Notes:1) Madan Padaki 2) Yuwaah Young Warriors Initiative 3) Generation Unlimited 4) Chatbot: +91 96504 14141

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Founded in 1981, the AAdvantage program is one of the world's first and biggest loyalty programs.In early 2020, I interviewed Bridget Blaise-Shamai, then President of the AAdvantage program, and discovered the original strategic idea behind the program, some of it's most fascinating insights and how American Airlines was adapting to perhaps the most challenging time in its history.This short summary show captures just some of what I learnt from this extra-ordinary success story, so listen to learn how a laser focus on customers can create extra-ordinary loyalty, even in this most competitive sector.Show Notes:1) AAdvantage Program2) Bridget Blaise- Shamai3) Let's Talk Loyalty with American Airlines Advantage Programme

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As one of the world's longest standing, best known and most trusted research reports in the loyalty industry, I am delighted today to bring you the latest industry insights from "The Loyalty Report 2021".Featuring research with over 35,000 consumers in North America, this year marks the eleventh edition of the Loyalty Report from Bond Brand Loyalty, based on an in-depth assessment of over 450 loyalty programs in this unprecedented year of changing consumer behaviour.I was delighted to be joined by Phil Ruben, Bond Brand Loyalty's Executive Vice President of Global Insights, who explained some of the latest ideas the research uncovered, with topics such as "share of wallet" and the importance of being loyal TO your customers (rather than simply expecting it from them) emerging as critical concepts for loyalty professionals to understand.Show Notes:1) Bond Brand Loyalty 2) Phil Rubin Executive Vice President Bond Brand Loyalty 3) The Loyalty Report 2021

With a background running customer programmes and platforms for leading brands like Adidas and Nokia, Joseph Taylor is now a senior executive with Epsilon and in our discussion in early 2020, he shared some fascinating insights on loyalty trends and preferences around the world. As the global pandemic became an increasing concern, we discussed how loyalty programmes were adapting their models to stay profitable and powerful, proving to be an even more critical tool for brands to build trust and relationships - beyond just transactions and rewards. We also talked about the difference between transactional-style programmes and the newer emotionally-led propositions - what Epsilon calls "BIG L" loyalty versus "little l" loyalty!Listen to this summary to learn more about these ideas and other insights from Joseph Taylor for loyalty program managers around the world.Show Notes: 1) Joseph Taylor, Senior Vice President Operations, Epsilon 2) Loyalty Insights from Epsilon - full episode

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Podcasting has proven to be the most powerful marketing I've ever done, so today, I'm talking about the power of podcasting, and other formats like video, as tools to create customer loyalty!At this extra-ordinary time of change, these communications channels, and particularly the human voice, create compelling connections with customers in a way I find truly exciting.My guest to discuss this is Jon Dwoskin, who has published over 1,000 podcasts episodes of his show "Think Business" and he joins me on "Let's Talk Loyalty" to share his insights on how to become more successful in your own career or business using content and these audio and visual communication channels that you might not have previously considered as tools to build loyalty with your customers.Show Notes: 1) Jon Dwoskin - Business Coach & Business Mentor 2) Think Business Podcast 3) JonDwoskin.com

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Simon Rowles is a loyalty expert whose company Beyonde specializes in identifying disruptive technologies that have proven successful overseas and bringing those new ideas and solutions to his clients in Australia.Whether it's loyalty technology, payments, personalization, digitization or identity solutions, Simon explains the unique characteristics and profile of the Australian market, as well as some of his favourite technology ideas that both customers and clients are excited about.Recorded in April 2020, the original interview is a thoroughly enjoyable 40 minutes of loyalty insights that's definitely worth listening to!Show Notes: 1) Simon Rowles2) Beyonde 3) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #31

Today, I'm sharing a one-off bonus episode of “Let’s Talk Loyalty” in partnership with my friends in Epsilon for their recent #EpsilonPersonalive event.With so many changing consumer expectations over the last year, alongside loyalty experts Prabhu Kannan, Amy Lanzi and Michelle Proctor, I joined a session to discuss "Loyalty Across the Customer Journey".It was my first “Let’s Talk Loyalty” LIVE podcast sharing how to create the best loyalty strategy for your organization’s goals.Please enjoy this one-off bonus episode of “Let’s Talk Loyalty”!Links:1) Epsilon