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.The Loyalty Science Lab is a unique and incredibly useful marketing research facility from Old Dominion University that researches the psychological aspects of loyalty programs.Founded and directed by Yuping Liu-Thompkins, the Loyalty Science Lab collaborates with industry leaders to identify and research commercially important concepts that drive loyal customer behaviour.The Loyalty Science Lab therefore combines academic rigour with practical insight, allowing Dr Liu-Thompkins to become a subject-matter expert on the design and effectiveness of loyalty programs as a tool for customer retention, cross-selling, and customer growth.Dr Liu-Thompkins has published her research in top marketing and advertising journals, and today joins "Let's Talk Loyalty" to share some of the exciting insights from her research that will prove fascinating to anyone running a loyalty program or initiative around the world.Show Notes: 1) Yuping Liu-Thompkins - Founder & Director of Loyalty Science Lab & Professor of Marketing, Old Dominion University2) Loyalty Science Lab Articles: What Happens When People Get Closer to a Reward? https://bit.ly/3qMEL6EHow to Nudge People to Go Further in a Loyalty Program? https://bit.ly/3jH5osgHow to Gauge Loyalty Program Engagement - https://bit.ly/36a3yIDYour Business Needs a Loyalty Model - https://bit.ly/3hdzySfAre Your Customers Really Loyal? https://bit.ly/3hAUtxx3) Loyalty Science Lab on Medium

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.The UK market is a dominant influence on marketing worldwide and one of my favourite resources to stay up to date on how its technology, communications and consumer culture are evolving is published each year in a "Trends Report" by Mindshare.In early 2020, I reviewed their latest predictions which are always both useful and insightful, and even though this research was conducted before the pandemic impact emerged, it features big ideas and consumer insights that loyalty marketers need to consider as we plan and manage our programmes.Show Notes: 1) Mindshare UK 2020 Trends Report2) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode 30

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.My guest today leads loyalty initiatives for one of the biggest banks in South Africa - Nedbank, whose Greenbacks Loyalty Programme began as a simple card swipe incentive programme, but has evolved as a powerful way for the bank to reward its complete banking relationships with their customers.By listening to customer feedback and understanding loyalty psychology and behavioural economics, Dharmesh Bhana is leading the evolution of a compelling loyalty proposition, focused on benefitting all stakeholders.Whether it's to help customers manage their money better, reward responsible borrowing or build excitement and engagement at key moments in customer's lives, Dharmesh shares his favourite learnings, including the power of competitions as a loyalty mechanic, as well as tangible rewards that can be converted in to cash to be easily used by customers.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes:1) Dharmesh Bhana - Executive: Loyalty & Rewards2) Nedbank 3) Book Recommendation: "Don't Make Me Think" by Steve Krug

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 largest luxury retailer in the Middle East, the Chalhoub Group is a premium concept, representing some of the most exclusive brands in the world, so creating a compelling loyalty concept for them required new ideas and innovative thinking.This short show summarises my interview with Nida Unas, Head of Group Loyalty at the Chalhoub Group, who told me about MUSE - the programme they developed to reward premium Chalhoub customers with luxury experiences.Show Notes: 1) Nida Unas - Head of Group Loyalty at Chalhoub Group 2) Lets Talk Loyalty #29: Rewarding Loyalty with Luxury Experiences.

With over twenty years leading loyalty initiatives in the Middle East region for Collinson, today's episode features insights from Priyanka Lakhani who has worked with so many of the loyalty programmes in this region. Priyanka shares her insights on the importance of optimising the timing and relevance of your rewards, and driving redemption as a powerful way to create emotional loyalty with customers. We discuss new and different ways for members of travel loyalty programmes to earn points or miles when shopping online, as well as how paid loyalty and subscription-based programmes can drive profitable revenue for business.This episode is sponsored by Collinson.Show Notes:1) Priyanka Lakhani - Director South Asia, Commercial Director Middle East and Africa2) Collinson

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Download their 2026 research paper on Humanizing Loyalty here now.The need for retailers to adopt digital technology was unexpectedly accelerated in March 2020 as the world locked down to safeguard public health amidst the global pandemic.With convenience retail stores classified in many countries as an essential service, to supply gas and basic products for consumers, innovative solutions including contactless payments and the ability to pre-order and pre-pay for products became essential to build trust with customers, as the focus on long-term loyalty initiatives became a secondary concern.This short show discusses some of the simple solutions available to retailers at this unprecedented time.Show Notes:1) Bob Stein 2) Liquid Barcodes

This episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" focuses on insights and emerging trends across APAC and MEA. With a marketing career that began in direct mail, data and applied statistics, Paul Davies' has worked in advanced markets like the UK, and today he shares his view on how loyalty marketing is evolving in these, as well as emerging markets that have traditionally focused on customer acquisition. We discuss global trends in loyalty, as well as the risks and challenges of promotions and first party data, as well as the power of organisational design to help use loyalty mechanics to build brand loyalty, not just transactional loyalty. We discuss the need for creativity in loyalty marketing, helping marketers connect with both the rational and emotional aspects of the human brain.This episode is sponsored by Epsilon.Show Notes:1) Paul Davies - Senior Vice President APAC MEA2) Epsilon 3) Hoover Free Flights Promotion 4) Forrester Wave Loyalty Solutions - Q2 2021

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This short show summarises the insights I learned from Amanda Cromhout, founder of the Truth loyalty agency in South Africa.In March 2020, they published their latest white paper on the key trends in loyalty from South African consumers, so listen to learn the incredible statistics she shared, as well as her key concern about the one consumer segment that is actively disengaging from loyalty programmes in that market.Show Notes: 1) Episode 27 of Let's Talk Loyalty 2) Amanda Cromhout

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Loyalty programmes inevitably require considerable investment to build, manage and optimise, and with so much money and time being spent, it's essential to know what's working and what's not!Mike Atkin, affectionately known as the "Loyalty Guru", has developed a framework that he uses to expertly assess any loyalty programme against industry best practise, giving the type of expert support that so many loyalty marketers say they need.Known as the "Loyality Check", Mike and his colleagues assess every aspect of any programme's design, operations, technology infrastructure and financial performance, to help you understand what's working, and what's not.Listen to this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" to learn how you can avail of Mike's expert assistance if you're not sure if your loyalty programme is working as powerfully as it should!Show Notes:1) Mike Atkin - The Loyalty Guru2) Customer Strategy Network

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 of “Let’s Talk Loyalty”, I summarise the great conversation I had in 2020 with Phil Hawkins, Operations Director for Flybuys - Australia's most popular loyalty programme.Phil has spent much of his career supporting its incredible success and he shared the 5 top lessons he has learned about loyalty marketing along the way.Listen to this short episode to learn Phil's lessons on truly building loyalty, and how Flybuys Australia is evolving for the future.Show Notes:1) Phil Hawkins - Chief Operations Officer at flybuys2) Flybuys coalition programme

With over fourteen years in loyalty and consulting roles from a technology perspective, Bart Demczuk is today leading the Middle East region for Comarch, who power loyalty programmes around the world for brands like BP, Old Mutual and Puntos Colombia, as well as regionally for industry leaders like ADNOC and ENOC.Bart shares his strategic view on some of the current key challenges for loyalty professionals, firstly to ensure they measure truly commercial metrics to ensure they are running a successful loyalty programme.He shares his views on the risks posed by industry disruptors offering short term marketing channels for restaurants and retailers, but at the expense of creating and owning long term direct relationships with their customers.He also highlights the risk of "excessive personalisation" - a trend which has become increasingly prevalent on social media channels, and the importance of balancing privacy and personalisation in a way that customers truly value.Listen to this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" for a helicopter view of insights from the Middle East from this leader in loyalty.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes: 1) Bartosz Demczuk - Senior Vice President at Comarch Middle East2) Comarch Loyalty Marketing Solutions

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 largest airlines in the world, Emirates Airline last year celebrated the 20th anniversary of its loyalty programme Skywards, which had just passed a global membership base of over 27 million members, many in International markets.Just two shorts weeks before the global pandemic forced an almost total shutdown of the world's aviation industry, I had a fascinating conversation with Dr Nejib Ben Khedher who has led the digital transformation of Skywards in recent years.This short show summarises his incredible insights on what was working so well for Skywards already and some exciting new ideas emerging in the industry.For me, Skywards and Emirates are inspiring brands given their premium position in the global aviation market, and my own fond memories of working in the same company many years ago.Listen to this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" for a truly exciting perspective on what's possible when a global brand invests in its loyalty strategy with a clear intention of delighting its members.Show Notes:1) Emirates Skywards 2) Dr Nejib Ben Kheder

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here."For Love or Money 2021" is a powerful, independent and comprehensive research report on customer views of loyalty marketing programmes that operate in Australia and New Zealand.Hot off the presses, Adam Posner, the loyalty brains behind the report, talks me through the lessons learned from this year's panel of customers - from the surprising (plastic card anyone?) to the delightful (here's looking at you Woolworth's Rewards) and one result that's downright disappointing!Listen to this episode to understand the highlights of this latest loyalty research that includes insights and comparisons on Covid-related behaviour changes, and find out more about how you can access your own copy of the 2021 report.Show Notes: 1) Adam Posner 2) For Love or Money 2021 Reports

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 sponsored by Phaedon.Download their 2026 research paper on Humanizing Loyalty here now.In this short episode, I showcase my partnership with my friends in "The Wise Marketer™" - the world's most widely read source of news, and insights for loyalty marketing professionals.The guys in The Wise Marketer and I are equally passionate about sharing loyalty knowledge so this content partnership is the perfect way to do that.In this five minute episode, I summarise key insights from the CEO of The Wise Marketer, Bill Hanifin, and how proud I am to be working with The Wise Marketer group, adding my "voice" to be part of the world's biggest loyalty community.Show Notes:1) Bill Hanifin 2) TheWiseMarketer3) The Loyalty Academy 4) Full interview with Bill Hanifin - episode #24

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As Australia's top online pure-play beauty retailer, Adore Beauty has had incredible growth and success in recent years, even throughout the pandemic.Not only did the company successfully go public in 2020, but it also launched an innovative non points-based loyalty programme called the Adore Society.With a goal of education, a clear set of benefits for each loyalty tier based on member's spend, and simple yet exciting rewards, Miranda Bliss is the brains behind this compelling customer-focused loyalty programme that's already proving incredibly successful.In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, Miranda explains the programme proposition, the focus on education and entertainment for customers, as well as their powerful content strategy - together which are driving incredible growth and loyalty for this inspiring business.Show Notes:1) Miranda Bliss2) Adore Beauty 3) Adore Society 4) Beauty IQ Podcast 5) Skincare School Podcast

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.My favourite loyalty stories are programs or platforms that serve a higher purpose that benefit us as people as well as the companies we are customers of.In episode 23 of LetsTalkLoyalty, I was thrilled to meet Dan Gipple, who is the founder of a loyalty platform called “Better Points” that uses loyalty psychology and mechanics to change consumer behaviour such as improving their health.I had met Dan through an inspiring story that the BBC did on a loyalty programme in Italy called Bella Mossa – a programme designed by the city of Bologna to address the problem of pollution.Listen to learn a summary of key insights on human behaviour & the psychology of consumer loyalty and some fascinating programmes that serve an even "higher purpose".Show Notes:Episode #23 of Let's Talk Loyalty BBC News - Clip featuring the city of Bologna's loyalty programme.Bella Mossa - Using Rewards to incentivise citizens of Bologna to drive less frequently,Dan Gipple.Better Points Platform.

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.South Africa is famous for the innovative "shared value" business model that has created extraordinary loyalty within the insurance industry for more than twenty years.So how does a financial services firm like Old Mutual compete against the market leader?The answer is innovation, a clear intention to add value and be loyal TO members, enhancing their financial understanding, while ensuring their products and loyalty programme are accessible to customers in every segment of society.In this show, Brett Cameron, Head of Rewards at Old Mutual in South Africa, shares the ideas and insights that are driving growth, connection and financial wellbeing with Old Mutual's members and customers.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes: 1) Brett Cameron - Head of Rewards, Old Mutual2) Old Mutual

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This short show is an introduction to CX – or “customer experience” - a field that has exploded in recent years as a powerful way to drive customer loyalty.I'm summarising my episode featuring Michael Killeen, founder of the “CX Academy” to figure out what customers expect from brands, why so many companies are appointing CX professionals, and how loyalty professionals can lead CX initiatives.Show Notes:1) Episode 22 of Let's Talk Loyalty 2) CX Academy3) Michael Killeen

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 summary of my interview with Sarah Richardson, Founder of the Australian Loyalty Association.In our original interview, Sarah had showcased the impressive loyalty marketing industry in Australia, so this short summary highlights some of the amazing things I learned from her expertise in that market.Sarah now runs a boutique loyalty consultancy firm called SCIENSA, advising on loyalty strategy and helping programme owners measure and improve the value of their loyalty programmes.Listen and learn for a masterclass in the Australian loyalty market.Show Notes:1) Sarah Richardson 2) Let's Talk Loyalty - Episode 21

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Film, music and games are all assets that loyalty programme owners can leverage to drive emotional engagement with members.In this episode, I summarise my previous interview with film partnerships expert Tom Sugg, who explains how to leverage the power of the world's most popular entertainment brands as partners to engage your customers around their passion points.Show Notes:1) Brand Culture 2) Tom Sugg 3) Let's Talk Loyalty #20 - Leveraging Customer Passions to Drive Loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Dr Anil Pillai is a human engagement expert, with experience advising some of the world's top firms across Europe, India and the Middle East. He is passionate about applying a deep understanding of human psychology to consumer's behaviour - whether it's to communicate effectively or change a desired behaviour.In today's show, we discuss concepts such as the 'Effort Assessment Score" as a framework that evaluates the effort needed for a customer to complete a task, our concerns about "loss of control" and the need to design our customer's loyalty journey with speed and simplicity in mind.We also discuss insights around the perception of various communications channels for audiences and how these may be perceived by users.For anyone interested in the neuroscience of either business or loyalty, Dr Pillai offers some superb insights to include in your approach.Show Notes: 1) Dr. Anil V. Pillai 2) BuyerBrain.com 3) Terragni Consulting 4) EAS - Effort Assessment Score Framework 5) Don Peppers6) Customer Fest Virtual Conference 7) https://hbr.org/2012/05/to-keep-your-customers-keep-it-simple8) https://faculty.washington.edu/jdb/345/345%20Articles/Iyengar%20%26%20Lepper%20(2000).pdf

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 sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Running a loyalty programme can be challenging in many ways so who can you turn to for advice, a second opinion and access to global loyalty brain power when you need it?One place is the "Customer Strategy Network" or CSN, of which I'm delighted to be a member.CSN is a global organisation of loyalty practitioners and in this short episode I summarise my conversation with Nick Chambers who leads the CSN and share the types of loyalty projects the CSN typically supports.Show Notes:1) Customer Strategy Network 2) Nick Chambers 3) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #19 with Customer Strategy Network

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 world's first ever airline alliance, the Star Alliance is an extra-ordinary example of how global partnerships can be created to ensure a compelling, consistent and seamless experience for airline customers and earn their loyalty.With the alliance about to celebrate its 25th anniversary, I was delighted to learn some fascinating insights from their group Director of Loyalty, Renato Ramos who shares some superb ideas from his years of global airline loyalty experience. We discuss the evolution of loyalty for airlines in a pandemic and post-pandemic world, including the importance of non-airline partnerships, the challenge and opportunity to extend airline loyalty programmes to leisure travellers, as well as innovative possibilities such as cash back and pre-paying for loyalty points.Show Notes: 1) Renato Ramos 2) Star Alliance 3) Star Alliance Innovation Hub Announcement4) Starbucks as a Banking proposition

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. This is a summary of an already short show where I spoke about my predictions for the loyalty industry for 2020!It was recorded and released pre-Covid and featured my three big trends ideas, including the increasing role of CX for loyalty marketing, the importance of building an emotional connection with customers as well as my personal passion for using the human voiceas a way to access key services, like my loyalty programme updates.Show Notes: 1) Episode 18 of 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. What are some innovative new ideas you could use to build consumer loyalty if you were brave enough to try them as one of the first?In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, I'm discussing MY absolute favourites - Whatsapp for Business/loyalty, the power of a voice marketing strategy and my all-time favourite, payment-led loyalty. These I believe are three of the most powerful tools available to loyalty marketers in 2021!To help me understand these innovative ideas, I chatted to Lisa Brightwell, the founder of one of the UAE's top loyalty agencies Bright Insights Consulting who has studied how these powerful tools can be used to differentiate your brand in this era of dramatic changes in consumer behaviour.Listen for a masterclass in innovative loyalty marketing and the powerful tools that you can use to connect with your customers.Show Notes:1) Lisa Brightwell - Managing Director2) Bright Insights Consulting3) World Health Organisation Uses WhatsApp for Covid for Health Information4) KLM - First Airline Leveraging Whatsapp for Business 5) Whatsapp for Business 6) Esteé Lauder Voice-Activated Sampling Campaign7) Forbes Article on Loyalty

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 episode, I summarise my discussion with Deon Olivier, a well-known loyalty expert in South AfricaHe shares some of the extraordinary powerful concepts that this sophisticated loyalty market has launched, including Discovery's famous Vitality program, some unique concepts within retail banking as well recent developments in fuel retail and convenience stores in the South African market.Show Notes:1) Deon Olivier - Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional

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 currency originally created and famously known as "Air Miles", Avios is now the loyalty currency of the five airlines of the IAG airline alliance, operated by IAG Loyalty Limited, which now boasts over 35 million members across airlines including British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia - airlines that together typically carry over 118 million passengers a year.Adam Daniels, CEO of IAG Loyalty Ltd, shares both the expected and unexpected changes that have emerged through the global pandemic, with major behaviour changes including how consumers and retail partners have discovered the extraordinary power of awarding Avios points for online shopping.We also discuss some new ideas for banking partnerships and also the power of the currency as a tool to drive employee loyalty, with concepts such as "Get Fit With Avios" proving hugely successful!This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx (Part of the Collinson Group)Show Notes:1) Adam Daniels Chief Executive Officer2) IAG Loyalty 3) Collinson Group

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. This episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" summarises my top insights from British Gas Rewards - an award-winning UK loyalty programme that's loved by millions.With a goal to make customers feel recognised and rewarded in an intensely competitive sector, British Gas Rewards developed an innovative concept without using points.With customers asking for simplicity and exclusivity, British Gas in partnership with their agency Mando Connect developed a concept that combined core rewards from British Gas in the form of "loyalty days" with exclusive partners offers across key categories that customers love.Listen to hear the highlights of my learnings from the British Gas Rewards loyalty programme or listen back to the full interview in December 2019. It's episode #16 of "Let's Talk Loyalty".Show Notes:1) British Gas Rewards: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/rewards.html2) British Gas Rewards Partnership Agency: www.Mando-Connect.co.uk3) British Gas Rewards on Let's Talk Loyalty - Episode #16

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Recently voted one of the most innovative companies in Germany, Payback is a world-famous coalition loyalty programme, headquartered in Germany, that boasts over 80 million members.The company actually operates coalition programmes in six international markets, and enjoys extraordinary levels of engagement, with an extraordinary performance and over 95% of Payback Points redeemed by members!Berni Brugger is the CEO who has led the company for over twenty years from its humble origins as a simple multi-partner programme, through its acquisition by American Express, now to its current positioning as a global marketing technology and services company.In this show of "Let's Talk Loyalty", Berni highlights the amazing successes achieved over the last twenty years, the (surprising) continued popularity of postal mailings with members, as well as the retail sectors that are thriving despite the challenges of Covid 19.Show Notes: 1) Bernhard Brugger - CEO PAYBACK Global Loyalty Coalition2) Payback Global Loyalty Coalition 3) Comarch Loyalty Marketing Platform

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’m summarizing my interview with Selim Tanfous of KPMG, who shared insights from a survey of 18,520 consumers from more than 20 countries, called “The Truth About Customer Loyalty”. Selim explained the key “pillars” that drive customer loyalty, the importance of personalization compared to the power of your loyalty currency, as well as consumer-led factors such as the power of social media, online reviews and recommendations from friends and influencers in certain markets, particularly in Asia.We learn some of the key issues, including ongoing frustration around the lack of simplicity, and the reality that most programmes are still more relevant to baby boomers and generation x, rather than the consumers of the future.We discuss the power of paid loyalty programmes, and the importance of innovation, and for brands to demonstrate a clear purpose, as well as potential for more coalition loyalty programmes and brand partnerships in many markets.To learn more about this very interesting research from KPMG, you can listen to the full interview – it’s episode #15 on letstalkloyalty.comShow Notes: 1) Lets' Talk Loyalty Episode #15: KPMG Global Report - The Truth About Customer Loyalt‪y‬2) The Truth About Customer Loyalty - 2019 edition

While marketers all agree that "data is the new oil", there are few brands that seem to be personalising their brand communications effectively - only 7% of customers said they are satisfied with the level of personalisation they receive from brands!And the challenge to effectively connect with customers is about to get considerably harder, with the news that cookies as the key tool used by digital marketers to date will be phased out by Google in 2022! Loyalty members, and the data they share, is about to become even more important as THE key strategic asset in any organisation. Elliott Clayton is Senior Vice President of Media for Epsilon in the UK, and today he shares the challenges presented by "3rd party cookie deprecation" - an explosive industry issue for the future of digital marketing - which has been described as "even bigger than GDPR" and one that loyalty marketers can leverage to ensure increasing support for their programmes.Elliott explains why it's a great time to work in loyalty marketing, the emergence of loyalty programmes as media owners, as well as other key trends that marketers in advanced markets such as the US are experimenting with to drive connections with customers. This episode is sponsored by Epsilon.Show Notes:1) Elliott Clayton CLMP - SVP Media UK, Epsilon Conversant2) Epsilon Conversant 3) Loyalty Academy

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. This episode summarizes my interview with Niall Rooney, Loyalty Manager for British Airways Executive Club, in which we discussed emerging trends in airline loyalty, including the importance of “simplicity”, as well as how customers are demanding more ways to earn Avios points as well as more ways to burn them!From increasing their partner credit card spend, to doing their online shopping on the Avios eStore, it was really interesting to hear that British Airways had recently increased their reward seat availability, and had begun allowing members to use their Avios on board to buy food and drink as well as to pay for seating and baggage.Listen to this short summary to learn more about driving loyalty in British Airways and if you want to listen to the full interview, it’s episode #14 on letstalkloyalty.comShow Notes: 1) Let's Talk Loyalty with British Airways Executive Club2) Niall Rooney, Head of Loyalty, British Airways 3) Simple Flying

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. With so many loyalty professionals considering the potential for a paid loyalty proposition (also known as a subscription-based loyalty programme), this show will answer so many questions.Ros Netto has over a decade building and advising some of South Africa's top loyalty programmes and now she's delighting local consumers even more with the launch of South Africa's very first subscription programme in the restaurant/fast casual dining sector.Ros shares the exciting journey so far for the Kauai loyalty programme - it's just eight weeks old yet driving great success and learnings already.A truly inspiring success story - launched despite the additional challenges of Covid - both operationally and psychologically for consumers.Show Notes:1) Ros Netto: Customer, CRM & Loyalty Specialist at Real Foods Group2) Bond Brand Loyalty - 2019 Report 3) Real Foods Group4) Kauai Subscription Loyalty Programme

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. In this episode, I’m summarizing my interview with Ciaran Kelly, who founded “Earth Rewards”, a loyalty programme that measures, educates and inspires consumers to behave in ways that minimize their impact on the environment.We discuss their “learn and earn” feature which allows users to understand exactly how many kilos of carbon their individual lifestyle is producing each year, and compare that to the average carbon impact of other people in any one of 30 countries around the world.Earth Rewards is designed to partner with existing loyalty programmes that want to add a compelling environmental feature to their loyalty proposition, so listen to the full episode to learn how your loyalty programme can partner with them to demonstrate a real commitment to taking action to save the environment.Show Notes: 1) Earth Rewards episode - A Loyalty Solution for the Environmen‪t‬2) Earth Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Like many retailers, Lagardere Travel Retail was badly impacted by the global pandemic in 2020, particularly in China where its duty free stores remained open but customers simply couldn't buy. This episode showcases the incredibly innovative solutions developed by the management team, led by Eudes Fabre.With 1.8 million customers signed up across their two loyalty programmes, the brand had permission from customers to connect in digital channels, and so they team developed a video commerce strategy on WeChat that has become one of the most successful in China.Listen to this extraordinary story of how the company's greatest marketing challenge has resulted in the creation of a whole new revenue stream that has now become a powerful and profitable channel in its own right, powered by its digital loyalty programme.Show Notes:1) Lagardere Travel Retail Group2) Eudes Fabre - Chief Executive Officer - North Asia at Lagardere Travel Retail3) Adam McCarthy - Chief Information Officer at Lagardere Travel Retail North Asia

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. This short summary of my interview with Laura Cagnacci discusses exciting loyalty initiatives being run for Roma Football Club by their marketing agency, who realised the importance and power of connecting Roma with their fans directly, rather than simply on third-party platforms like Facebook.As a much loved football club, Roma used the power of a platform they owned to connect with previously unknown fans of all ages and profiles, with clear data points being measured, tracked and rewarded at the individual level, rather than just at a segment level as many marketers did in the past.Listen to this episode to learn all about this award-winning programme in the sports sector, as well as learnings from building both a consumer AND a Business2Business loyalty program for an insurance client.Show Notes:1) Award-winning Loyalty in Italy - Roma Football Club and Advice Grou‪p‬2) Laura Cagnacci 3) Advice Group

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Puntos Colombia is the leading loyalty programme in Colombia with over 8 million members and it is the first loyalty programme in Latin America to be featured on Let's Talk Loyalty!I was delighted to discuss this fascinating loyalty programme and some of the unique aspects of the South American loyalty market with CEO of the Puntos Colombia programme, Alejandro Gonzalez Saul.Boasting over 100 partners, including the country’s biggest bank and grocery retailer, the Puntos Colombia programme is a powerful example of the potential of multi-partner and coalition programmes that truly put their customer's interests at heart.We discuss the superb solutions the programme launched during the pandemic lockdown to drive engagement, the importance of NPS, social listening and member advocacy and some of their latest features (including Whatsapp functionality) to delight members.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes:1) Alejandro Gonzalez Saul - CEO of Puntos Colombia2) Puntos Colombia3) Article - The Advantages of Customers as Ambassadors4) Article - Winning Back Lost Customers

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 share the key lessons and learnings from a report entitled “Why Do Loyalty Programs FAIL?” This report was researched, compiled and published by Mike Capizzi, a loyalty expert and Dean of the Loyalty Academy.Mike's report identifies and explains the top TEN reasons for the failure of loyalty programmes based on insights from 34 global loyalty experts who together boast a combined total of over 500 years of loyalty marketing expertise!We discuss the power and problems of collecting and using consumer data, the role of clear, powerful and compelling communications, setting and measuring relevant KPI's, as well as the ongoing challenge of ensuring C-Suite support for any loyalty programme to be successful.Show Notes: 1) Why Loyalty Program Fail - Episode #11 of "Let's Talk Loyalty"2) Mike Capizzi 3) FREE report "Why Loyalty Programs Fail" - registration required.

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Virgin Red is the exciting new loyalty programme launched to reward customers across the entire group of Virgin companies with their new currency - Virgin Points.This episode features Kelly Best, Chief Marketing Officer of Virgin Red, who shares the unique selling points of the new programme, how it benefits members of the existing Virgin Flying Club, and their ambitious plans for world domination and a goal to engage the 35 million customers of Virgin companies worldwide.Kelly shares the insights that led to partnerships with popular UK brands such as Gregg's sausage rolls, as well as the comprehensive portfolio of earn and burn ideas that make this "Virgin Red" programme as exciting and disruptive as the Virgin brand deserves.This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx.(Part of Collinson Group)Show Notes:1) Kelly Best 2) Virgin Red

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. This summary features the key lessons I learned from Jesper Østergaard, Managing Director of the 7-Eleven chain of stores in Denmark, which in 2019 won the prestigious title of the “International Convenience Retailer of the Year”.Jesper has spent many years revolutionising the 7-Eleven business in Denmark, from a kiosk business to now a successful food service business selling healthy lunch options that customers increasingly want, as well as building the 7-Eleven brand as another essential building block for consumer loyalty.In this short show, I summarise some of the great management lessons Jesper has learnt in his career so far, and some of the amazing loyalty programmes around the world that he is looking to for inspiration for his own strategy.Show Notes1) Jesper Østergaard - 7-Eleven 2) Let's Talk Loyalty #10 - Loyalty in 7-Eleven Denmark with Managing Director Jesper Østergaard3) Reitan Convenience4) NACS International Convenience Retailer of the Year Award5) NACS Europe

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. In early 2020, On Point Loyalty published a research report on the "Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs" in the world, insights which proved remarkably relevant throughout the year as major US airlines began leveraging their programs to raise funds throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.In this episode, industry expert Evert de Boer explains some of the reasons why the financial power and true value of airline loyalty programs has been relatively hidden until now, and highlights some the dramatic changes that are taking place in the industry. He shatters some myths about the value of flight reward seats, as well as his experience on how C Suite Airline Executives are taking a fresh look at these valuable assets that have been hidden in plain sight in most airlines until now.Show Notes:1) Evert de Boer 2) OnPoint Loyalty 3) Free Report: The"Top 100 Most Valuable Airline Loyalty Programs"

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. This episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" reviews some of the fascinating insights from my interview with Leanne Papaioannou, founder of the "Chilli Pepper" loyalty agency in Ireland.Show Notes:1) Chilli Pepper Loyalty Marketing Agency 2) Leanne Papaioannou3) Full episode recording: Let's Talk Loyalty #8: Lessons from a Loyalty Expert: Leanne Papaioanno‪u

As the platform powering loyalty programmes for Walgreens, Dell, Marriott Hotels and many others, Epsilon is uniquely placed to comment on global trends in loyalty as we settle in to 2021. Today's episode features an interview with Ashish Sinha, who shares some great insights from his role as Managing Director for Epsilon in Asia Pacific, including his increased focus on the Middle East region. We share stories of innovative loyalty initiatives in eCommerce, as well as some key loyalty principles he is seeing, such as consumer demand for trust and real relationships with brands beyond just transactions.This episode is sponsored by Epsilon.Show Notes:1) Ashish Sinha - Managing Director - Epsilon APAC & MEA2) Epsilon APAC 3) Coca Cola Insider's Club 4) Dell Talks Loyalty & Gamification - Episode #46 of "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. Helène Brand is a freelance marketing consultant whose experience includes responsibilities for a community-based loyalty program in South Africa called “ My School, My Village, My Planet” which won 8 international awards.Helène herself was named "Loyalty Personality of the Year" in 2015 and this short summary discusses her approach to loyalty which includes balancing both transactional and emotional loyalty.We also discuss her passion for storytelling as a powerful tool for business and loyalty marketing professionals and some great examples of innovative loyalty concepts in South Africa.Show Notes: 1) Let's Talk Loyalty #7: Award-winning Loyalty Success and Storytelling in South Afric‪a‬2) Helène Brand 3) Global Citizen

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. In late 2020, Dubai enjoyed the launch of its newest loyalty programme in the fuel, food and convenience retail space.Yes Rewards is a programme designed to drive customer lifetime value by incentivising cross-sell across its extensive portfolio of brands.Despite the unique challenges of the pandemic, Suryaveer Singh successfully launched the Yes Rewards programme and in this interview, he shares the challenges, solutions and intention behind the programme, as well as some of their early successes.Listen to this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" to enjoy some new ideas from this ambitious programme and respected regional brand - truly a global voice of loyalty.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes:1) Suryaveer Singh - Head of Loyalty at ENOC2) Yes Rewards - Fuel & Convenience loyalty programme by ENOC3) Emirates National Oil Company 4) “Switch it up” article on Chipotle's loyalty strategy to incentivise new product trial

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 five minute episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" showcases insights from Manav Fernandez, a leading loyalty practitioner here in the Middle East, and summarises some innovative ideas from an unusual industry - the education sector.Hear the insights from this unique programme called Gems Rewards, which has already helped families save over 50 million dirhams ($15 million) towards their school fees.Listen and enjoy this short summary of Manav's key success principles for loyalty or click below to listen to the full interview.Show Notes:1) Original Interview: Award-winning Loyalty and Insights from the Middle East - Let's Talk Loyalty #52) Manav Fernandes 3) Quick Brown Brown Consulting

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. A key challenge for loyalty program owners is accurately predicting their loyalty program liability years ahead in the future, and how to plan their program from a financial perspective to optimise the lifetime value of their customers.Today's guest, Len Llaguno, specialises in leveraging the art, science and modelling skills of his actuarial toolbox to predict consumer behaviour to advise key investment and financial strategies for some of the world's largest loyalty programs.Kyros Insights are uniquely experienced in loyalty liability management, predicting customer lifetime value and advising brands on the potential impact of major program changes to ensure the optimum commercial performance of any loyalty program, particularly in these unprecedented times.Listen to this masterclass in loyalty from a financial perspective to access specialised insights for your program that your finance teams will love.Show Notes:1) Len Llaguno - Actuary for Loyalty Programs | Founder and Managing Partner at KYROS Insights2) Kyros Insights - Actuaries Helping Loyalty Programs3) Kyros Academy - Learn to optimize your loyalty program liability4) 7 Loyalty Program Tactics for Financial Recovery CFO's Will Love 5) Free Loyalty Actuarial Roadmap - Assessment

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Mike Atkin has built or advised over eighty-five loyalty programmes worldwide in his extensive career, leading to his industry title as "The Loyalty Guru".Listen to this episode of "Let's Talk a LITTLE Loyalty" for a short summary of my interview with Mike, his key insights on what loyalty programme managers are doing well and key learnings on opportunities he says are still being missed.Show Notes:1) Lets Talk Loyalty - Interview with Mike Atkin The Loyalty Guru2) Lets Talk Loyalty - Interview with Mike Atkin The Loyalty Guru on Apple Podcasts

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. Today's episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" features the latest loyalty research with consumers in Australia, conducted by Customology, the "most awarded data and loyalty agency in APAC".It highlights some shocking facts, such as the belief that new customers are treated better than existing ones, their views on how brands communicate with them, as well as the complete absence of communication from many brands who capture data but then don't use it.Mark James is the CEO of Customology, so together we discuss some back-to-basics principles of building customer relationships in a bid to create "customers for life".Show Notes:1) Mark James2) Customology3) The Unspoken Customer

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here. 3Plus was recognised as " Ireland's Best Loyalty Ireland" so this episode is a summary of my interview with Siobhan Lynch who manages it.Listen to learn how this innovative partnership proposition is used to retain customers of the 3 mobile phone network and how the programme has evolved to become a profitable media business.Show Notes: 1) Let's Talk Loyalty - Interview with Siobhán Lynch - 3Plus 2) Award-winning loyalty in Ireland - on Apple Podcasts 3) Let's Talk a LITTLE Loyalty - Summary of my Interview with Siobhan Lynch of 3Plus on YouTube