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.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

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Yuu Rewards is the first coalition loyalty program ever launched in Hong Kong and we had the opportunity to speak with Chief Operating Officer and loyalty expert, Mark Sage, about the amazing success of the program.In this short summary episode, we look back on lessons learned when launching this massive program in a very short time in the middle of a global pandemic.Show Notes:1) Mark Sage, Chief Operating Officer, Yuu Rewards2) Yuu 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 week's episode, we explore the launch of a customer reward program by Denmark's largest retailer.We are joined by Andras Szocs, Head of Customer Programs and Center of Excellence for The Salling Group.As Denmark's largest retailer, The Salling Group serves over 11 million customers per week and operates more than 1,400 retail locations including restaurants, discount and grocery stores and coffee shops.Szocs led development and execution of a new customer program in mid-2020.Hear how they arrived at taking the less traditional route with this company-wide, fully-integrated digital marketing program, while keeping the program unique to the brands.Weaving in digital payments, coupons and gamification into the individual brand apps, The Salling Group apps have more than 1.2 million users in just over one year.This episode is sponsored by Cheetah Digital.Show Notes:1) Andras Szocs, Senior Director and Head of Customer Programs and Center of Excellence for The Salling Group2) The Salling Group

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.BP is one of the world’s largest oil companies, operating service stations in nearly every corner of the world. In this short summary episode, I am reflecting on an interview I had with Olivier Martinet, who led BP’s loyalty initiatives for more than a quarter century.We look back on lessons he learned when rolling out digital marketing campaigns, loyalty programs and mobile integrations in both emerging and mature markets.Show Notes:1) Interview Episode #60: BP Discusses Driving Loyalty in Fuel & Convenience Globally2) Olivier Martinet, former VP Global Retail Consumer Data Analytics and Use Case Governance, Insights & Loyalty, BP3) BPme

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 loyalty landscape has dramatically shifted in the wake of the global pandemic. Customers think differently, privacy laws and policies have changed and mobile adoption has skyrocketed.Brands must continuously evaluate their programme offers to best fit with how consumers behave and the upcoming 2022 International Loyalty Awards will recognize those brands who have excelled at doing just that in 2020 and 2021.Recently rebranded from the Loyalty Magazine Awards, Annich McIntosh takes the Awards onto the international stage to better represent the global influence of brands and bring even more inspiring and innovative stories to the 2022 Awards ceremony.Beyond traditional programme categories, the Awards will also recognize individuals dubbed the "Loyalty Royalty" in the "30 Under 40" category as well as teams or individuals in the "Industry Personality or Organisation for 2022" category.Find out the key dates to enter these Awards, reasons to enter and some top tips for ambitious loyalty professionals focused on achieving international recognition for their work.Show Notes:1) International Loyalty Awards2) Annich McIntosh, Editor and CEO, Loyalty Magazine Group3) International Loyalty Awards Call for Entries Booklet 2022

In this short summary episode, I looked back on an episode with two rising Epsilon executives, Tamara Oliverio and Julie Smith, to hear about how brands can assess and evolve their loyalty programmes to stay successful with consumers in this rapidly changing time.I revisited key takeaways from that episode that will help retailers and brands further engage with customers by focusing on having a strong mobile platform, offering contactless payments and simplifying the overall customer experience across all touchpoints.We also discussed ways to increase emotional loyalty with customers and therefore increase their as well as "share of heart" as well as "share of wallet".Be sure to also listen to the full episode to learn more great tips and trends to ensure loyalty programme success.Show Links:1) Interview Episode #59: Epsilon Talks 121 Loyalty, Contactless Loyalty and Emotional Loyalty2) Epsilon.com3) Tamara Oliverio, Vice President of Strategic Consulting, Epsilon4) Julie Smith, Vice President of Strategic Consulting, Epsilon

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Join us to discover the Irish Loyalty Summit and Irish Loyalty Awards 2022, with Eileen McGuinness, Co-Founder of the Irish Loyalty Awards.The Summit features globally recognised loyalty speakers with deep knowledge of the loyalty marketing industry and will be of interest to loyalty practitioners in the UK, Europe and even further afield.Featured speakers include experts from Bond, The Loyalty Academy and others to talk about the power of customer loyalty and explore the role of loyalty marketing in the age of disruption.The Irish Loyalty Awards are returning to an in-person celebration to recognize Irish businesses that have demonstrated loyalty industry excellence at the heart of their businesses.Show Notes:1) Irish Loyalty Awards and Summit2) Eileen McGuinness, Co-Founder, Irish Loyalty Awards3) Marian Kelly, Co-Founder, Irish 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.In this short summary, I looked back on an episode with a Comarch executive, Sidney Dunn to hear this global loyalty technology leader share some key trends and insights he is hearing from their clients.Comarch works with global powerhouse brands like BP, ADNOC Petroleum and Costa Coffee to deliver world-class loyalty solutions to their customers.From the collection and analysis of data insights using machine learning, AI and social mining to support program execution, the short show features the ideas I found most valuable in my interview with Sid and of course, be sure to listen to the full episode for other great ideas.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Links:1) Interview: #58: Global Loyalty Insights from Comarch's Sidney Dunn2) Comarch.com3) Sidney Dunn

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, I talk with Robbie Kellman Baxter, the world's leading expert on subscription pricing and membership models.Robbie is a bestselling author, speaker and consultant with more than twenty years of experience providing strategic business advice to major organizations including Netflix and other notable brands.She is the author of The Membership Economy and The Forever Transaction and host of the podcast, Subscription Stories: True Tales from the Trenches.Robbie has spent many years encouraging brands to cultivate a must-have, "craveable" programme that customers and users simply cannot live without.In this episode, we explore why retailers, brands and businesses - large or small - absolutely must consider offering subscriptions or memberships as an additional "bow in their quiver" if they wish to remain competitive in their markets.Show Notes:1) Robbie Kellman Baxter, Strategic Consultant, Peninsula Strategies2) www.robbiekellmanbaxter.com

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Wiiv Rewards is a coalition loyalty programme in Mauritius, created by the country’s largest private company IBL Group and boasts eleven loyalty partners across multiple business sectors.After only a year in existence, Wiiv won two of the loyalty industry’s most prestigious awards at the 2019 Loyalty Magazine Awards: the Regional Loyalty Champion Award for Middle East and Africa as well as Highly Commended as the Best New Loyalty Programme for 2019.Join me in this short summary episode as I look back on what I learned from my interview with Delphine Lagesse and Cecile Henry on behalf of IBL Together.Show Notes:#57: Award-winning loyalty programme in Mauritius - Wiiv Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen and learn some impressive ideas and insights from eBucks, the loyalty program that was just awarded the title of “Best Programme of the Year” AGAIN at the 2021 South African Loyalty Awards.In this episode, Let’s Talk Loyalty speaks with Johan Moolman, CEO of eBucks, about what makes his programme the one that South African people said they couldn’t live without.eBucks is a rewards program for FNB bank customers, providing rewards to card users for simply spending with their bank cards.The highly successful program has been running for 21 years and was also recipient of "Most Innovative Use of Technology" award, for the 3rd year running.Show Notes:1) Johan Moolman, CEO, eBucks Rewards2) eBucks

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 talked with Rob Burgess, a leading travel loyalty expert in the UK, who created HeadForPoints.com to share his ideas on how to get the best value from UK travel loyalty programmes.In this short summary episode, I share the top three tips I learned from Rob for loyalty industry professionals, including travel and traditional and innovative retailers such as Pret a Manger's new subscription loyalty programme, John Lewis departments stores and the iconic Danish café brand - Joe & the Juice.Show Notes: 1) Episode #56: Head for Points - Interview with the UK's leading website for frequent flyers**********************************************************************************This episode is sponsored by Phaedon.Visit their website to learn more about how they're powering the world's most beloved loyalty programs at www.wearephaedon.com

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Australia is a fascinating loyalty market led by two dominant airlines who have successfully built partner networks to make it incredibly easy for Australian consumers to earn points across all parts of their household spend.Someone who feels passionately about the extraordinary experience of "flying flat" is Steve Hui, who has built a brand and a business advising Australian consumers how to do exactly that.In this episode, Steve says that earning loyalty points is easy but redeeming them is not. He shares his top tips and ideas for loyalty professionals to drive points redemption - including ideas to support education, inspiration and consumer engagement.Show Notes:Steve Hui, CEO, I Fly Flat

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