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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today's show summarises my interview and insights with Bryan Pearson, former CEO of LoyaltyOne, who is known globally as a leader in loyalty, as well as retail marketing strategy based on consumer analytics.We discuss how companies can succeed and even thrive in the context of our dramatically changing world by understanding what truly matters to customers.We also discuss key industry trends, such as whether the coalition model for loyalty in global markets remains as relevant as it was in the past.Show Notes:Bryan Pearson – Former CEO of LoyaltyOne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.How do you know your loyalty investment is worthwhile?If you're interested in measuring your “return on loyalty”, listen to learn from industry experts Ellipsis how they they isolate, measure and define the levers within any loyalty program to understand what’s working, what’s not and why!A MUST-listen episode to answer the most-asked question in the loyalty industry IMHO :)Show Notes:1) Ellipsis Australia 2) Adam Schaffer - Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Ellipsis & Company3) Tim Tyler - Managing Partner at Ellipsis & Company

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Bilt is the world’s first rewards program that lets you earn loyalty points on rent.This incredibly innovative idea was launched in June 2021, rewarding the highest monthly expense for US consumers.With a particular relevance for younger consumers such as millennials and Gen Z, Bilt Rewards is already available for residents of two million apartments, and is also proving a hit with leading US landlords by incentivising the prompt payment of rents, while minimising the costs of acquiring and retaining residents.This interview features a masterclass in loyalty from industry veteran David Canty who transformed the airline loyalty industry during his career in JetBlue Airways, as well as leading hotel and retail brands and who now brings his loyalty expertise to real estate.This episode of Let's Talk Loyalty discuses how Bilt Rewards creates opportunities for US rental consumers to earn rewards such as airline travel, educating them about the potential financial benefits of loyalty programs, while also supporting them on their own path to eventually become home owners - truly a lifelong loyalty program proposition.Show Notes:1) Bilt Rewards 2) David Canty - Head of Loyalty & Partnerships at Bilt Rewards3) Ankur Jain - Founder Bilt Rewards 4) Loyalty & Awards Dubai UAE

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As one the world’s largest cashback programs, Rakuten Rewards has paid out over $2 billion to members in North America.In this summary episode I am excited to discuss the power of affiliate marketing and great partnerships to build a brand as well as commercial value for merchants and consumers alike.Listen to this summary of episode of Let's Talk Loyalty to learn all about the power of the Rakuten brand and Rakuten Rewards to drive consumer loyalty and profitable behaviour, both online and offline.Show Notes:1) Kristen Gall - President, Rakuten Rewards2) www.Rakuten.com – leading Cash Back service in the US3) Let's Talk Loyalty Episode #36 - Rakuten Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today's episode showcases Livelo, the leading loyalty and coalition marketing services provider in Brazil.Built as an entirely digital loyalty programme, Livelo's innovative and customer-centric approach have ensured exponential growth, and it's now one of the fastest growing and more profitable companies in the country.As Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Pagano joins in this episode of "Let's Talk Loyalty" to share some of their latest successes, and the power of a structured and strategic approach to delight customers and merchants alike.This episode is sponsored by Comarch.Show Notes:1) Daniel Pagano2) Livelo 3) Comarch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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