Let's Talk Loyalty

Today’s episode features two powerhouses of the travel loyalty sector who have joined forces in recent years.Stephen Gilbert is the VP of Salesforce Loyalty working within the Collinson Group, with responsibility for creating the next generation of Loyalty Programs on the Salesforce Loyalty Ecosystem, and he joins us today along with Ram Machiraju, Vice President of Product Management at Salesforce, focused on loyaltyand referral marketing.Stephen and Ram share insights from airline, hotel and rail clients in the context of growth in the travel eco-system and explain why Collinson and Salesforce have joined forces.They also share and what they each believe are the key success factors for clients, with more and more consumers committed to spending their disposable income on travel and experiences.Listen to hear their insights on extending the value of your loyalty program beyond the basic transactions, through smart partnerships and everyday earn and burn solutions, so you can engage with your members even when their purchases are infrequent. This episode is sponsored by the Collinson Group.Show Notes:1) Stephen Gilbert⁠2) Collinson Group3) Ram Machiraju4) Salesforce5) #362: Discovery Vitality: Behavioural Change Programme is resulting in Healthier Lifestyle through Generous Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In this weeks episode of Let’s talk “a little” loyalty Tom reviews the original podcast where Paula was joined by Fernando Jimenez who talks about his fascinating role, designing a loyalty program for Tupperware products in Mexico.Tupperware is truly a household name with consumers around the world, famous for its innovative food storage and preparation containers.The brand has recently realised the power they can harness by investing in a professional loyalty strategy to connect with its consultants, retail partners and of course consumers.Listen to learn from his impressive loyalty background in the airline sector and his approach to this new project.Show Notes:1) Fernando Jimenez2) Tupperware3) Tupperware Brand México4) #245: Tupperware Leveraging Loyalty in Mexico

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 podcast features an amazing country and an amazing airline-led loyalty program that is not even one year old!SkyJoy is the program name for a coalition program created in late 2022 by Sovico Group based in Vietnam, leveraging some of their key businesses including VietJet, their low-cost airline, and HD Bank.Paula Thomas is joined for this conversation by Sereen Teoh, the former CEO of SkyJoy, to share both the successes and some of the challenges in creating such a huge coalition program across hundreds of partners, and in such a short space of time.Sereen is also a speaker at the Loyalty and Awards conference taking place in Brazil in October, so listen to get an exciting insight on what they have already achieved and what you can expect from her presentation at the event!Show Notes:1) Sereen Teoh2) SkyJoy3) Sovico Group⁠4) Loyalty and Awards conference5) VietJet

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 focuses on the loyalty market in The Netherlands, featuring expert insights from Emre Polatkan. Emre is a versatile professional skilled in CRM, loyalty, growth marketing, and experience design. With industry experience and expertise, Emre excels in building customer relationships, creating loyalty programs, driving business growth, and crafting engaging experiences. Their diverse background enables them to make a significant impact across industriesEmre joins us today from Emakina, an EPAM company, where they are the Head of CRM and Loyalty. They are taking the place today of Léon Huyben, who was a key contributor and provided the expert commentary on The Netherlands in the “Understanding Loyalty in Europe” White Paper created by Mando-Connect in partnership with YouGov, which explores loyalty membership, appeal and impact across 24 European Markets.Listen to learn about the loyalty landscape in The Netherlands – what membership, appeal and impact look like in this market – and which are the programmes and key innovations to be inspired by.Hosted by Charlie Hills. Show Notes :1) Emre Polatkan 2) European Loyalty Whitepaper3) Mando-Connect 4) YouGov5) Emakina

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 weeks episode of Let’s talk “a little” loyalty Tom reviews the original podcast where Paula was joined by Isobel Finlayson, Sustainability Lead for Mando Connect.Paula and Isobel share their ideas, insights, research and suggestions on practical ways that loyalty marketers can help. Sustainability is both an urgent and an important focus for businesses, and one that loyalty marketers can play an important role in supporting.Tom summarises some of the examples of global best practice in sustainability discussed in the original podcast where Isobel discusses eight specific tactics you can consider implementing to leverage the power of your loyalty program to address this critical concern for both consumer and companies alike.Show Notes :-1) Isobel Finlayson⁠2) Mando Connect.⁠3) Mando Connect’s Million Tree Pledge4) #243: How Can Loyalty Marketers Support Sustainability Goals?

Today’s episode is all about the exciting possibilities for the next generation of loyalty programmes using Web 3.0 technologies.Our guest is Connor Kelley, who was inspired by the success of the world’s leading online games such as Roblox, and has used the principles to create Flaunt Loyalty, a dedicated loyalty platform that harnesses the unique capabilities available from the third generation of the internet!Listen to hear Connor share what loyalty professionals can learn from the world of Web 3.0, which drives such engaged behavior and at such incredible scale!This episode is sponsored by Flaunt.Show Notes:1) Connor Kelley2) Flaunt Loyalty

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.As we know grocery retailing loyalty is fiercely competitive and long-standing in the loyalty industry.This podcast unpeels the many layers to building a customer-centric organisation by Shoprite, Africa’s largest retailer, which prides itself on “feeding Africa for less”.zWe talked to ⁠Meredith Allan⁠, who is Head of Rewards and Personalisation of ⁠Shoprite X⁠, a division of ⁠The Shoprite Group⁠. Its loyalty programme is ⁠Xtra Savings⁠ and has achieved an 80% sales coverage in a short period of time since launch approximately 4 years ago. The Xtra Savings programme is the first initiative in its multi-year digital transformation strategy building a customer-first organisation.Show Notes:1) Meredith Allan2) Shoprite X3) The Shoprite Group4) ⁠Xtra Savings⁠⁠

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 weeks episode of Let’s talk “a little” loyalty Tom reviews the original podcast where Paula was joined by Mark Sage, Former Chief Operating Officer at Yuu Rewards in Hong KongYuu Rewards is a leading loyalty program launched in Hong Kong in 2020 which prides itself on its innovative digital-first strategy. Created initially as a coalition programme, Yuu Rewards has proven to be a compelling proposition for the digitally-savvy consumers.Mark explains how the programme has grown, offering compelling new services, and is now firmly established as a market-leading super-app with numerous new and exciting benefits to users. Paula and Mark also discuss the power of *collectibles* as a tool to build consumer loyalty and engagement both online and offline.Show Notes :-1) Mark Sage2) YuuRewards3) DFI Retail 3)#239: Hong Kong's Leading Loyalty & Lifestyle Platform - Yuu Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features Velocity, the loyalty program from Virgin Australia.As one of the world’s most famous challenger brands, Virgin enjoys a global portfolio of inspiring businesses that are dedicated to delighting customers around the world, and Virgin Australia's Velocity programme does exactly that!Our guest is Nick Rohrlach, CEO of Velocity, who shares with us the dramatic transformation of both the airline and its loyalty business in recent years.Customer loyalty is at the heart of their propositions, with a laser focus on proving to Australian customers that they will be rewarded for their loyalty super fast.Nick shares their latest campaigns, which are earning Velocity a reputation for bringing back some fun, even at a time of intense economic pressure for consumers.These campaigns are proving to be incredibly powerful tools that drive impressive levels of engagement for the programme, as well as earning welcome publicity for the airline itself – truly remarkable in such a mature and competitive market.Listen to enjoy my conversation with Nick Rohrlach, CEO of Velocity from Virgin Australia.This episode is sponsored by ValueDynamx (Part of Collinson Group)Show Notes:1) Nick Rohrlach⁠2) Velocity Frequent Flyer3) Virgin Australia⁠

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features some industry personalities who have worked on loyalty propositions and marketing for some of the most famousloyalty firms and travel and hospitality brands in the world, particularly in the US market.Guy Cierzan and Andrew Kelly have recently joined forces to offer a loyalty advisory service for brands called Hydrate Loyalty, and they join us today to share some of their insights on the latest trends in loyalty marketing, and the importance of obsessing about your customers, before expecting them to become obsessed with your brand.Show Notes1) Guy Cierzan2) Andrew Kelly3) Hydrate 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 weeks episode of Let’s talk “a little” loyalty Tom reviews the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas, where she is joined by Erin Levzow, who shares her industry-leading insights and ideas from their “Del Yeah!” program which has already won prestigious awards – including B2C app of the year and the Gold Award for Loyalty Strategy.Del Taco is the world’s second-largest Mexican fast-food restaurant chain, and its loyalty program is playing a vital role in its popularity and growth.Learn how Del Taco has created such a compelling mobile app featuring Del Yeah! Rewards to truly attract and retain its customers.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes :-1) Del Taco 2)Del Yeah! Rewards3) Erin Levzow - Former Vice President of Marketing Technology3)#237: Del Yeah Rewards: Del Taco's Key Component for Business Growth

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 featuring an unusual category for us to have on the show but an incredibly interesting one.AB InBev is a company that celebrates life, especially key highlights like parties, sports and entertainment, and it describes its mission as creating “a future with more cheers”.The business brews and sells a diverse portfolio of over 500 beer brands includes global names like Budweiser®, Corona® and Stella Artois® which are sold both direct to consumer and of course to trade partners in nearly 50 countries worldwide.Joining Let's Talk Loyalty today to share AB InBev's focus on innovation and loyalty in the Mexican market is Raul Sandoval, Head of Digital Products and Loyalty from AB InBev in Mexico.Show Notes:1) Raul Sandoval⁠, Head of Digital Products and Loyalty from AB InBev in Mexico.2) AB InBev3) Murphys - When It Rains It Pours

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 focuses on multi-award winning UK loyalty programme, VeryMe Rewards from Vodafone, featuring expert insights from Pete O’Donnell.Pete is the Head of Loyalty for Vodafone in the United Kingdom. He is an experienced senior commercial manager with a proven track record across the telecommunications industry.Pete is a key contributor to the “Understanding Loyalty in Europe” White Paper created by Mando-Connect in partnership with YouGov, which explores loyalty membership, appeal and impact across 24 European Markets.Listen to learn what makes VeryMe Rewards from Vodafone an award-winning programme, what Pete’s favourite loyalty programmes are and what’s coming next!Hosted by Charlie Hills. Show Notes :1) Peter O Donnell2) Vodafone3) VeryMe Rewards4) European Loyalty Whitepaper5) Mando-Connect 6) YouGov

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 weeks episode of Let’s talk “a little” loyalty Tom reviews the original podcast where Paula is joined by Kelly N Cook, EVP, Chief Marketing and IT Officer for David’s Bridal.David’s Bridal is a US-based retailer that specializes in wedding gowns, prom gowns and formal wear, and offers an extraordinary collection of beautiful outfits for all of life’s magical moments.Operating over 300 store locations in various countries as well as online, in 2020, David’s Bridal stores created an industry first with the launch of their Diamond loyalty program, designed to leverage the buying power of the bride’s family and friends to help the happy couple earn a honeymoon of their dreams!Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes :-1) David's Bridal 2) Kelly N Cook 3) #236: David’s Bridal - The World's First "Crowdsourced " Loyalty Program

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 celebrates our 4th birthday in Let’s Talk Loyalty, in partnership with our friends in The Wise Marketer Group, where we are together announcing an incredible competition.My guest is Aaron Dauphinee, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer with the Group, which includes The Wise Marketer.com website and The Loyalty Academy.The Loyalty Academy was established in 2015 and offers global loyalty education. Since then, it has gone on to certify 739 loyalty marketing professionals in 46 countries.In celebration of our fourth birthday and our partnership, The Loyalty Academy is offering FOUR lucky listeners a scholarship to their CLMP program online and become a certified loyalty marketing professional.Each scholarship is worth up to $2,000.Listen to hear all the details and then enter on www.LetsTalkLoyalty.com/competition.I really hope you enjoy my conversation with Aaron Dauphinee from The Wise Marketer Group.Show Notes:1) Aaron Dauphinee⁠, Chief Marketing, and Business Development Officer2) The Wise Marketer Group3) The Wise Marketer.com4) Loyalty Academy5) UK’s First Loyalty Academy CLMP™ Certification Workshop6) 2023 Certification Workshop – Toronto, Canada7) Join the competition now! www.LetsTalkLoyalty.com/competition

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features insights on trust from Australia.Mark James and Bonnie McCoy from Customology recently released their updated research on customer concerns around trust and brand communications in the Australian market.As an essential pre-requisite to earning customer’s loyalty, Mark and Bonnie share their insights and advice to address what they are calling the “trust crisis”.This issue is becoming even more critical to address as we become more digitally connected, but also more disillusioned with brands and their marketing.Listen to learn from the latest research on trust with consumer insights from Australia.Show Notes:1) Mark James⁠2) Bonnie McCoy3) Customology⁠4) 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.Tom’s latest short summary show covers the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas where she is joined by Nicole Auman, Director of Brand Marketing at Sheetz.Sheetz Inc. is one of North America’s fastest-growing convenience store chains, already operating over 600 locations.Tom summarises the key insights from the original podcast on how Sheetz recent major insights and achievements, including a new subscription service, insights on the compelling role that their app is playing as a direct digital connection to their customers and of course, their store teams who serve as ambassadors of the program with customers.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes :-1) Sheetz Inc⁠2) Nicole Auman3) #234: Driving Loyalty in Convenience Retail with Sheetz USA

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.⁠Today’s episode features the exciting story of the "Doters" loyalty program launched by Viva Aerobus in late 2022.Pablo Sordo joins us to share the story of how they developed the loyalty proposition for Viva Aerobus, which is a low-cost airline based in Mexico.This simple coalition program features partnerships with the local bus company and a banking partner, allowing members to earn miles while flying, taking the bus around the country, and, of course, using their co-brand credit card.Listen to learn from Pablo Sordo, Chief Strategy Officer for Viva Aerobus, with thanks to the Loyalty and Awards conference team for the introduction!Pablo will be sharing further insights at the Loyalty & Awards Conference this October in Rio de Janeiro.Show Notes1) Pablo Sordo, Chief Strategy Officer for Viva Aerobus2) "⁠Doters⁠" loyalty program3) Viva Aerobus⁠4) Loyalty and Awards⁠ conference

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Johan Moolman is CEO of FNB (First National Bank)’s eBucks Rewards. eBucks is 23 years old and has recently scooped three prestigious awards at the International Loyalty Awards, including ‘Best Long-Term programme’ worldwide.Johan has been CEO of this leading retail banking programme for eight years and in this insightful podcast, he describes the obsession with doing the right thing for the customer, which has yielded over $1bn pay out since inception. 90% of eBucks rewards are redeemed within the first 30 days of being given to eBucks members.The programme actually operates nine separate programmes to meet the demands of sub-segments of the South African market.Hosted by Amanda Cromhout.Show Notes:1) Johan Moolman2) First National Bank3) eBucks Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas where she is joined by Kim Hardaker, Managing Director of the Etihad Guest Programme, who shares the latest ideas and insights from one of the travel industry’s leading reward programs.Etihad Guest is a world-leader in airline loyalty, renowned for delivering innovative ideas that delight members in unexpected ways!Tom provides a summary of the show that includes a proposition to support the airlines sustainability goals, and a “world-first” idea that celebrated the reopening of Australia’s borders post-pandemic.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes :-1) Etihad Guest2) Kim Hardaker3) #233: Etihad Guest - Powerful Propositions Building Emotional Loyalty

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 treat for anyone who is either a pet lover or a pet parent, as well as retail loyalty professionals.Our guest is Bradley Breuer, Vice President of Loyalty and Personalised Marketing at PetSmart in the United States.This year, PetSmart's “Treats” program has reached the incredible milestone of 60 million members!Bradley shares some compelling insights on member penetration of sales, as well as some of the key principles of their success that has led thePetSmart Treats program to become one of America’s Best Loyalty Programs as ranked by Newsweek. Show Notes:1) Bradley Breuer, Vice President of Loyalty and Personalised Marketing2) PetSmart3) PetSmart's “Treats” program4) America’s Best Loyalty Programs 2023 by Newsweek

Today’s episode features some "Loyalty Royalty" an interview with one of the 2023 “Top 30 under 40” award winners at the recent International Loyalty Awards in London.Joe Doran is Senior Vice President of Loyalty for Capillary in North America, and he joins us today to share and celebrate Capillary’s truly incredible list of achievements in 2023 so far.Joe also shares his insights around the latest loyalty sectors and strategies that he believes have explosive potential right now, as well as the incredible success Capillary’s is having with their latest flagship client in the US market – Nascar!Listen today to learn from Joe Doran from our friends in Capillary Technologies.This episode is sponsored by Capillary Technologies.Show Notes:1) Joe Doran, Senior Vice President of Loyalty for Capillary in North America2) Capillary Technologies3) Capillary Shines Bright at International Loyalty Awards 20234) Capillary Named A Leader in The Forrester Wave™ Loyalty Technology Solutions, Q1 2023 Report

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Tune in and catch Tom's brief overview from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas where she is joined by Jonathan Hopkins and Angus Frazer, co-founders of Sonder Media.Sonder Media is a consulting firm that specializes in identifying, valuing, and optimizing the media value of loyalty programs, and Tom will summarise the key insight from Jonathan and Angus who share their expertise on Loyalty’s high margin potential.The original podcast shows the power and potential profitability of using the unique assets, permissions and insights from your loyalty program as a media business, an increasingly popular idea being considered by program owners in order to increase returns from their loyalty program investment.Listen to Tom summarise the challenges and the potential of this big idea, and how you can explore building a media business in a way that continues to meet the needs of your members and your brand, as well as with advertising partners.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes :-1) Sonder Media 2) Jonathan Hopkins3) Agnus Frazer4) #231: Building Your Program's Profitability - Loyalty's Hidden Potential

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features a brand that has been at the TOP of our wish list to bring on the show over the past few years.McDonald’s is, of course, the world’s leading global foodservice retailer, with over 40,000 locations in over 100 countries!Just recently, the business was listed in second place in the *World's Most Innovative Companies of 2023*, and they now operate loyalty programs in over 50 markets, with over 50 million members active!Joining me today to share this incredible story is Bess Cades Director, Customer Engagement Strategy and Lifetime Value for McDonald’s.Listen to learn the insights behind the extraordinary growth for McDonald’s Rewards around the world, a program that in time, could become one of the world’s largest loyalty programs.Please enjoy this masterclass in loyalty marketing from one of the world’s greatest brands.Show Notes:1) McDonald’s2) McDonald’s Rewards3) Bess Cades Director, Customer Engagement Strategy and Lifetime Value4) World's Most Innovative Companies 2023 5) Watch the full video interview at www.Loyalty.TV

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features another leading US retailer that leverages loyalty to grow its business, in this case, to a whopping $84 billion in revenue in their most recent financial year!“Sam’s Club” is a warehouse club with 597 locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, that leverages the power of subscriptions since 1983 - way before subscription-based loyalty was so globally recognised as a cool and clever idea!Our guest is Scott Ludwig, Vice President of Membership for Sam’s Club, and he joins us today to share some of the compelling reasons for theirbusiness success, which includes renewal rates in excess of 90% for their mature subscribers.Scott explains the importance of their expanding partner proposition based on card-linked offers, and some examples of how they are achieving true personalization in ways that are delivering NPS scores that will amaze you!Listen to enjoy this fascinating conversation with Scott Ludwig from Sam’s Club.Show Notes:1) Sam’s Club2) Scott Ludwig, Vice President of Membership for Sam’s Club

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas where she is joined by Hollie McLellan, formerly Head of Customer Marketing and Loyalty for Boots UK and now Director of Customer Marketing, to discuss the company’s latest innovations and initiatives.When it comes to loyalty programmes in the UK, the gold standard programme that consumers say they love the most is often the Boots Advantage Program.This show was a masterclass in loyalty marketing, showcasing Boots “Beauty Club” which features content marketing as a new loyalty driver, as well as their new "Price Advantage" proposition, and their exciting tests with gamification and subscription strategies.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Boots Advantage Program 2) Hollie McLellan3) My Beauty4) Boots UK5) #230: The Boots Iconic "Advantage" Programme in the UK Celebrates Its 25th Birthday⁠

Today’s episode features some incredibly exciting updates from the loyalty program I personally use most often, the award-winning Skywards program from Emirates Airlines.Emirates is known and respected globally as one of the world’s best and fastest growing airlines, and its loyalty program, Skywards now recognizes andrewards over 32 million members around the world!Based in Dubai, the Emirates Group employs over 103,000 staff from more than 160 nationalities and in early May 2023, they reported their post-pandemic turnaround results, delivering their best ever profit of US$ 2.9 billion.In today’s episode, I’m once again joined by Dr Nejib Ben-Kheder, Head of Emirates Skywards, who shares all their latest exciting news, including thelaunch of Skywards Everyday proposition, which will be fascinating to anyone considering launching a card-linked concept for your own loyalty program.Dr Nejib also explains how and why the value of the Skywards currency was recently adjusted, and how the program has managed to protect its most valuable members, while also reflecting the commercial needs of the airline.Other exciting news you’ll hear today include Dr Nejib’s incredible statistics on their earn rates for airline versus non-airline activities, which proves how effectively Skywards is achieving its goal to become a truly global lifestyle loyalty program, rather than simply an airline frequent flyer program.Hosted by Paula Thomas.Show Notes:1) Dr Nejib Ben-Kheder⁠, Head of Emirates Skywards2) Emirates Airlines3) Skywards program4) Skywards Everyday

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 focuses on the loyalty market in Italy, featuring expert insights from Cristina Ziliani.Cristina is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Parma, Italy. She lectures on loyalty management and has been the Director of the Loyalty Observatory since 1999, dedicated to research, consulting and education on Loyalty Management, CRM and CXCristina is a key contributor to the “Understanding Loyalty in Europe” White Paper created by Mando-Connect in partnership with YouGov, which explores loyalty membership, appeal and impact across 24 European Markets.Listen to learn about the loyalty landscape in Italy – what membership, appeal and impact look like in this market – and which are the programmes and key innovations to be inspired by.Hosted by Charlie Hills. Show Notes :1) Cristiana Ziliani2) European Loyalty Whitepaper3) Mando-Connect 4) YouGov

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas where she was joined by Brad Macdonald, Epsilon’s Vice President of Loyalty Strategy from May 2022, where Brad talks about the methods and importance of measuring the Value of Loyalty Marketing Investment.Brad describes the methods that Epsilon use to measure and predict loyalty strategy performance and most importantly, ROI.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Brad Macdonald2) Epsilon3) #227: Measuring the Value of Loyalty Marketing Investment with Epsilon

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features the UAE’s latest loyalty program which has been recently launched by a fuel retailer.The Emirates General Petroleum Corporation is otherwise known as EMARAT, and they operate as a leading fuel and convenience store retailer across Dubai and the Northern Emirates.Our guest is Ali Bin Zayed, the Senior Manager Corporate Loyalty for Emarat, who has led the development and launch of Emcan, and today he shares the insights behind its name, how it was developed and some of its impressive early results.He also shares some of the highly innovative channels that are being used to support the incredibly diverse population of people from around the world who call the UAE their home.Ali explains how they chose their loyalty platform provider, and some of the upcoming industry-leading technology that they are implementing in order to ensure their business continues to offer more ease, simplicity and delightful experiences for their customers.Listen to enjoy this conversation with Ali Bin Zayed, Senior Manager Corporate Loyalty for Emarat.Show Notes:1) The Emirates General Petroleum Corporation2) Ali Bin Zayed⁠, the Senior Manager Corporate Loyalty for Emarat3) Emcan

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today, Let's Talk Loyalty welcomes back an iconic airline brand that is long overdue a return visit to our show.American Airlines first joined us in April 2020 to share how they were thinking about their loyal customers and the role of the AAdvantage program in those first early days of the Covid pandemic.Now, three years on, we revisit this iconic program – which is in fact the longest-running computerised or travel loyalty program in the world.AAdvantage was established in 1981 with a laser focus on rewarding frequent flyers on American Airlines.Today, the program has more than 100 million members and has evolved dramatically.AAdvantage no longer considers itself a frequent flyer program, but instead a travel rewards program, and now they are once again leading the industry, with new ways for members to earn and keep their status in return for any of their loyalty within the Advantage eco-system.!To hear the full story, I’m thrilled to be joined today by Chris Isaac, Director of AAdvantage, to hear how Covid ironically created new insights for him andhis team on just how loyal their members were being – even when they were unable to fly!Listen to enjoy the latest insights from AAdvantage.Show Notes:1) Chris Isaac, Director of AAdvantage2) American Airlines⁠3) AAdvantage

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 weeks Let’s Talk a Little Loyalty podcast Tom reviews the original show hosted by Paula Thomas where she is joined by Matthew Stevens, Albertson’s Former Director of Loyalty Programs and Strategy, who shared how their loyalty program is supporting the dramatic transformation of their business, in direct response to changing consumer behaviours and expectations. The original interview with Albertsons showcases a masterclass in retail loyalty strategy and success.Albertsons is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States. Boasting almost 2,300 retail stores in the United States across multiple brands including Albertsons, Safeway, Shaw’s, Randalls and United Supermarkets among others.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Matthew Stevens⁠, Former Director of Loyalty Programs and Strategy2) Albertson’s3) #222: Loyalty Leads the Transformation of Albertsons4) Safeway

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features industry insights from Giant Food, the #3 grocery chain in the United States.Our guest is Ryan Draude, who is leading Giant Food’s loyalty approach with a unique perspective!Ryan believes that loyalty leaders have a unique opportunity to create *rituals* that become meaningful moments in their member’s lives, and he is passionate about making sure we create *tangible value* in a way that matters now more than ever to shoppers.Listen to hear Ryan’s willingness to be courageous with his work, and especially how he said how success often comes from deciding to simply "shut up and listen".Enjoy this masterclass in loyalty with Ryan Draude, Head of Loyalty at Giant Food.Show Notes:1) Ryan Draude2) Giant Food

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This show is extraordinary as we hear Paula’s voice but as the Let’s Talk Loyalty guest rather than show host. Paula shares the evolution of the Let’s Talk Loyalty show which is already in the top 3% of global podcasts and three times higher listenership per show than average B2B podcasts.We learn of Paula’s original intent for starting Let’s Talk Loyalty almost 4 years ago and her future vision and plans to expand into Loyalty TV later this year. Moreover, we learn about the power of content marketing for not only brand management but for loyalty programmes to embrace emotional loyalty.Hosted by Amanda Cromhout.Show Notes:1) Paula Thomas2) 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.In this weeks episode of Let’s Talk “a little” Loyalty Tom’s reviews Paula’s original podcast with Adam Posner, who talks about his hugely popular “For Love or Money™ Australia” research report and insights from 2022Adam explains key insights from his research and discusses what compels consumers to join a loyalty programme and the “3 Bs” of loyalty: behaviour, belief and belonging. We also talked about generational differences in loyalty preferences, rewards and even currency types.Whether you are working in loyalty marketing in Australia or elsewhere, these consumer insights offer invaluable ideas to reflect on.Tom’s provides a great review of Adam’s superb insight, highlighting the key messages from this great original podcast.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Adam Posner, CEO and Founder, The Point of Loyalty2) For Love or Money™ 2022 Australia 3) The Point of Loyalty 4) #219: "For Love or Money" - Australian Consumer's Loyalty Perspectives For 2022

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today we meet the CEO of an iconic brand here in the UAE.Dubai Golf was established in 1988 and manages some of the best-loved golf clubs in the whole region, Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.The company is incredibly proud of its internationally acclaimed championship courses, and has also successfully evolved its hospitality and entertainment business, with both casual and fine dining restaurants of offer, as well as beautiful swimming, fitness and tennis facilities.Leading the development of the whole group is the CEO Chris May, who joins today to share how the business really values and nurtures loyalty its members, having created a lifestyle app called Viya that allows both members and non-members alike to book rounds of golf, dining or other facilities and earn rewards.Listen to enjoy our conversation with Chris May all about Dubai Golf and Viya Rewards.Show Notes:1) Dubai Golf2) Emirates Golf Club3) Jumeirah Golf Estates4) Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club5) Viya Rewards6) Chris May

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 our friends in Bond Brand Loyalty and their annual Loyalty Report.The Loyalty Report is an annual survey, and this year, Bond has tracked a quarter of a million consumers globally, from more than 750 brands, in dozens of industries, across every type of loyalty strategy.With so much scale and visibility from global markets, the 2023 Loyalty Report truly highlights the key insights loyalty program managers need to know right now, such as the number of programs that consumers say they are members of and active in. It’s not surprising to hear that this year, consumers are finding more loyalty programs to join, and they are enrolling and engaging in them more than ever.So, the stakes are getting higher, as is the level of competition, so it’s even more critical to hear what consumers are telling us that they value in 2023, and the opportunities that still exist for true differentiation.Listen to hear the insights from this year’s Loyalty Report as I discuss them with Maegan O’Neill and Sean Claessen from Bond Brand Loyalty, who share their key take-outs and watch-outs for leading brands and loyalty programs in 2023!Show Notes:1) Bond Brand Loyalty2) 2023 Loyalty Report3) Maegan O'Neill4) Sean Claessen

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas where she is joined by Kristi Gole, VP, Head of Product at Global Hotel Alliance to hear how this model works and benefits both the brands and consumer members.The Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, supporting 35 hotel brands with more than 500 hotels across 85 countries, each leveraging the DISCOVERY guest recognition programme to drive loyalty with guests.This alliance allows small and independent hotels to compete with global hospitality brands, while still operating independently and giving consumers the opportunity to earn rewards across their many brands.Listen to Tom’s views on how GHA build loyalty across independent hotel groups as well as finding more ways to reward travellers.Show Notes:1) ⁠Kristi Gole⁠2) Global Hotel Alliance3) GHA’s DISCOVERY guest recognition programme4) #218: Anantara, Avani, Kempinski - Leveraging the GHA "Discovery" Program To Drive Customer Loyalty for Independent Hotel Brands

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 celebrates a brand that recognizes and rewards a relatively forgotten segment of the community – those who educate children!Lakeshore Learning Materials is one of the most innovative manufacturers of educational materials in the United States, specializing in top-quality products for the home and classroom.Originally founded as a toy store in 1954, Lakeshore Learning Materials now operates sixty stores and a thriving online business, catering to both teachers and parents.The business had been operating a program called the “Teacher’s Club” for over 20 years, but about 2 years ago, it realized it needed a complete overhaul!Alex Tavera was brought on board to advise on a complete redesign and a new strategy for the business, and in late 2021, he led the launch of their new loyalty program.With a new name and a completely new strategy, combined with some great technology and a supportive leadership team, Lakeshore Rewards is now an incredibly exciting program that is going from strength to strength!Listen to enjoy this inspirational conversation with Alex Tavera, Director of CRM, Email and Loyalty with Lakeshore Learning Materials.Show Notes:1) Lakeshore Learning Materials2) Alex Tavera3) Lakeshore Rewards4) #84: Virgin Red Loyalty Programme Launches in the UK5) #195: Virgin Red - The Red Thread Connecting the Virgin Brand Globally

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.This episode focuses on the loyalty market in The Czech Republic, featuring expert insights from Radek Hrachovec.Radek has dedicated the last 20 years of his professional life to loyalty programmes and direct marketing and is one of the most skilled practitioners in Central Europe and a Partner of the Voxwise company.Radek is a key contributor to the “Understanding Loyalty in Europe” White Paper created by Mando-Connect in partnership with YouGov, which explores loyalty membership, appeal and impact across 24 European Markets.Listen to learn about the loyalty landscape in The Czech Republic – what membership, appeal and impact look like in this market – and which are the programmes and key innovations to be inspired by.Hosted by Charlie Hills. Show Notes :1) Radek Hrachovec2) European Loyalty Whitepaper3) Mando-Connect 4) YouGov5) Voxwise6) Net Loyalty Score introduction

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas featuring a conversation with James Berry, Commercial Director, Valuedynamx at Collinson where he shares game-changing concepts he believes are becoming pivotal for loyalty professionals.Listen to Tom’s views on the dramatic changes in consumer behaviour, and some of the innovative ways that Collinson have found to connect programs, consumers and merchants in order to ensure loyalty programmes become even more relevant in everyday lives, as well as emerging technologies like NFTs and cryptocurrencies.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) James Berry2) Valuedynamx (Part of Collinson Group)3) #216: Everyday Loyalty - Connecting Customers, Members and Merchants

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 conversation features our friends from the *Loyalty and Awards* conference, which is the largest annual conference dedicated to loyalty managers in the travel sector.Ahead of this year’s event in Rio de Janeiro, Ravindra Bhagwanani, shares his views on the state of the loyalty industry in 2023 and some of the key challenges he sees for loyalty practitioners in the travel sector.These trends of course are also helping to shape the content and agenda for the Loyalty & Awards conference agenda being planned for our meeting in Brazil this October, so listen to hear the topics that I’m looking forward to hearing presented on stage this year.Ravindra also highlights some key improvements in this year's Golden Loyalty Awards, to inspire those of you who operate programs to enter your programs.Listen to enjoy some insights and inspiration on travel loyalty and the upcoming Loyalty and Awards conference with Ravindra Bhagwanani, Managing Director of Global Flight.Show Notes:1) Ravindra Bhagwanani⁠2) Loyalty and Awards3) Golden Loyalty Awards4) Loyalty & Awards conference agenda

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Fionna Ronnie is Head of Customer and Loyalty at The Foschini Group. Whilst TFG is based in South Africa, it spans 5 continents, 26 countries and has 34 leading retail brands in its stable.Its loyalty program, TFG Rewards,is the biggest in retail in South Africa with 30 million + members.Fionna shares KPI results, data strategies, customer centric retailing approach and how the Customer team are the life blood of TFG Rewards. This team underpins everything driven for a future customer narrative of this extremely impressive retail group.Hosted by Amanda Cromhout.Show Notes:1) Fionna Ronnie 2) The Foschini Group3) TFG Rewards

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas featuring a conversation with Henry Christian. LinkedIn loyalty guru and independent loyalty consultant.Henry has many years of experience guiding brands and managing loyalty programmes throughout Asia. Henry shares insights on the importance of speaking like a CEO, leveraging customer data and how A/B testing can prove valuable instead of making assumptions for members versus non-members.Henry shared strategies for membership retention and acquisition talks about a very important principle that loyalty is not a program, it is an outcome to expect from your customers.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Henry Christian2) LinkedIn Loyalty Post – Speak Like a CEO3) #215: Loyalty Insights from Asia - Speak Like a CEO

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features an award-winning Australian retail brand that has won recognition both as the “Innovation Champion of the Year” as well as being rated one of Australia’s COOLEST brands!Barbeques Galore is a nationwide speciality retailer that is dedicated to nurturing Aussie’s love of outdoor cooking and helping everyone “barbeque better”.We are joined by Mike Ainsworth, General Manager of Marketing and Customer with Barbeques Galore, who shares the insights behind their Barbeque Legends Club.As you will hear, this wonderful proposition uses the power of community, education and inspiration from Australian barbeque industry legends, to help their customers find even more joy and connection with their friends and families when they gather together around the barbeque flame!Listen to learn some truly innovative loyalty insights from Mike Ainsworth and the Barbeque Legends Club.Show Notes:1) Barbeques Galore2) Mike Ainsworth3) Barbeque Legends Club

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Today’s episode features Indonesia's GoTo Group, which is the largest digital ecosystem in the country.This Group is a publicly-traded company, and it combines on-demand services like ride hailing and food delivery, as well as e-commerce functionality and financial services under various brands.Their first platform is the first one in Southeast Asia to host these three essential use cases in one ecosystem, and it already captures a majority of Indonesian consumer household expenditure, which is even more impressive when you realise that Indonesia also enjoys the fourth largest population of any country on the planet!In 2022, the GoTo Group appointed Henry Christian as their SVP Head of Loyalty, and today he joins us to share the amazing opportunities and of course challenges of driving profitable behaviour change for such an exciting business with so many internal and external stakeholders to delight.Henry is truly a “global voice of loyalty”, so listen today to hear my conversation with Henry Christian from GoTo Group, all about driving loyalty for the largest technology brand in Indonesia.Show Notes:1) GoTo Group2) Henry Christian

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.In 2022 Shangri-La transformed their beloved Golden Circle loyalty program into a powerful direct-to-consumer platform, to include digital marketing, mobile and e-direct capabilities, social media and content development, rewards marketing operations and global brand partnerships.Listen in to hear Tom’s short summary show from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas featuring a conversation with Kevin Siew, formerly Vice President and Head of Shangri-La Circle, the latest innovation from the Shangri-La International premium global hotel management group.Hear how they have crafted their latest proposition to further enrich their appeal to travellers of all ages and backgrounds, and allow for greater freedom and flexibility, including iconic lifestyle partnership.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Shangri - La Hotels & Resorts 2) Shangri-La Circle3) Kevin Siew, Former Vice President and Head of Shangri-La Circle4) #213: Relaunching The Shangri-La Hotel Rewards Program

Let’s Talk Loyalty today features Mastercard, who as well as being one of the world’s leading payment providers, are also in fact, one of the world's largest loyalty services providers.With so much global loyalty expertise, we were thrilled with the opportunity to meet Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, Mastercard’s Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty, who joins us today to share Mastercard’s latest announcement and partnership with Expedia called “Travel With Rewards”.Stephanie also shares her insights on some of the emerging trends in loyalty in 2023, garnered across the incredible roles she has held in her career to date, leading loyalty and driving performance for various multi-billion-dollar digital channels for some of the US market’s biggest hospitality and restaurant brands.Listen to learn from this inspiring conversation with Stephanie Meltzer-Paul, Executive Vice President of Global Loyalty with Mastercard.This episode is sponsored by Mastercard.Show Notes:1) Mastercard2) Stephanie Meltzer-Paul3) Expedia4) Travel With Rewards5) Expedia Group and Mastercard turn everyday spending into extraordinary experiences

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 shares some early insights from one of the keynote speakers at this year’s Loyalty & Awards conference in Rio de Janeiro.CarTrawler is one of Ireland’s great technology success stories, and as a B2B technology brand that partners with many of the world’s leading airline loyalty programs to deliver their car rental proposition, we were delighted with the opportunity to chat with their Head of Loyalty - Heather Nolan.Listen to this episode to learn Heather's fascinating perspective on the principles of partnerships and driving loyalty in the travel industry, particularly for younger demographics who might not yet travel frequently enough to qualify for top-tier status and bonuses, yet who are incredibly important for the future growth and profitability of any airline.Show Notes:1) CarTrawler2) Heather Nolan3) Loyalty & Awards - Rio de Janeiro

This episode is sponsored by Points, a Plusgrade company. Read more about their Exchange solution as a growth channel for loyalty programs here.Circle K Ireland is a highly successful and well-known fuel convenience retail brand in Ireland, the market leader for food, fuel and convenience retail.Tune in to hear Tom’s summary from the original podcast hosted by Paula Thomas featuring a conversation with Eadaoin Keane, Head of Marketing for Circle K Ireland who won the “Best Loyalty Programme 2021” from the Irish Loyalty Awards for their “Play or Park” programme.Circle K’s "PLAY or PARK” loyalty programme features gamification, rewards and charitable contributions, benefits the members and business in equal measure.Listen to hear how Eadaoin and her team continue to build new campaigns within “PLAY or PARK” to support Irish Olympic athletes, connecting with customers through local community activations, growing the programme’s membership and ultimately winning the hearts of Irish customers.Hosted by Tom Peace.Show Notes:1) Circle K Ireland⁠2) Eadaoin Keane3) Irish Loyalty Awards4) "Play or Park"5) #212: Circle K's Award-Winning "PLAY or PARK" Programme in Ireland