As the customer loyalty space develops, many brands struggle with finding innovative ways to engage customers with a program. For every “new” idea, there are likely dozens of offerings that give consumers the same experience elsewhere....Read More

Loyalty programs continue to grow as a whole, but increasing demands have slowed that growth over the last two years. This, from Colloquy’s newly released 2017 Loyalty Census, a report analyzing trends regarding the customer loyalty industry...Read More

In hospitality, loyalty programs are a dime a dozen. What was once a differentiating factor, rewarding customers for loyalty is now little more than a baseline expectation. With hotel groups around the world now looking for new ways to stand out...Read More

Already an immensely powerful brand in casual dining, Buffalo Wild Wings continued its growth today with the nationwide launch of its new Blazin’ Rewards loyalty program.   At a glance, the program is a simple earn-and-burn structure...Read More

As the race to make loyalty program enrollment and participation easier continues, Scotiabank has taken another step in improving mobile capabilities and creating a seamless experience for its customers. Through a partnership with Points...Read More

The increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence across facets of everyday life has been a theme for several years now, and shows no signs of slowing. As our day-to-day activities are made easier by things like virtual assistants and chatbots,...Read More

Thanks to the marketing efforts of brands, it’s easy for us as consumers to forget that loyalty programs, like all facets of business, are highly iterative. When a loyalty program is in its infancy, its points system, rewards mix, and...Read More

Today’s world has become saturated with marketing and advertisement efforts, and it often seems that customers are more eager to delete these brand messages than take note of them.  As marketers look for ways to spark engagement in both...Read More

Offering ubiquitous rewards is a surefire way to increase engagement with a loyalty program. Giving members a reward option that is easily convertible into a wide variety of choices almost guarantees an uptick in redemption rates, and few things...Read More

There’s a fine line between making a sale and alienating customers through poor CX, and it seems that financial institutions, many of which have enjoyed skyrocketing satisfaction scores in recent years, are starting to push clients away by...Read More

Customer experience has always been a hot topic in the airline vertical. Unfortunately, this has often been the case because of the negativity experienced by passengers during the already stressful travel process. This trend has swung upward in...Read More

Often, the hardest part of launching any kind of marketing initiative is simply getting it off the ground; the first few months bridging the gap between concept and reality is, as many marketers will tell you, a whirlwind of iteration and decision...Read More

Note: This article orginally appeared May 11th, 2016. In the world of gaming, few names are more recognizable than GameStop, and few other companies within the industry can claim to have the same influence as the retail giant. One reason for the...Read More

Of countless technological innovations that have come into the market, few, if any, have had a bigger impact on every facet of our lives than smartphones. The explosion of the mobile platform has created a need for providers to reevaluate their...Read More

Given the need for adaptability and personalization in today’s customer loyalty market, there are few things more valuable than measurable, actionable consumer insight. At their inner core, loyalty programs are designed to gather this data...Read More

Mobile wallet has done more than make life easier for consumers: It’s also opened the door for mobile financial service (MFS) providers to tap into a vast network of unbanked customers. These people, often low-income and/or residing in...Read More

Beyond programs and marketing outreach, true customer experience is designing every outward-facing aspect of the brand to put the consumer first. ALDI has long been seen as a leader in these unique CX practices, offering customers experiences (not...Read More

Talking to the world’s top brands each week provides amazing insight for the Loylaty360 audience.  In our What We’re Hearing & Seeing podcast, Loyalty360 CEO and CMO Mark Johnson takes the opportunity to distill some of the...Read More

A well-designed loyalty program is much more than a gimmick; it’s a tool that has the potential to bring a company to the next level in terms of profitability, engagement, and relevance. This is the aim of Pizza Inn, a chain of...Read More

Customer experience is going to be a top priority for brands in the years ahead. This, according to new research out of Temkin Group that saw 165 large companies surveyed about the impact of customer experience on their profitability and customer...Read More

A new year spawns new beginnings: new resolutions, new ambitions, and a new perspective on what the coming days may bring. In few industries is this truer than customer loyalty. Given the fast pace at which the market moves, 2017 can very easily...Read More

A primary ingredient of today’s ideal customer experience is speed. Customers are looking for the answers they want, through the channel they want it, as fast as possible. The answer to this question of seamless, instant CX may have been...Read More

The migration of customer loyalty to the mobile space continues to be a strong theme going deeper into 2017. Brands that had once settled for informational marketing apps have now begun to understand that in order to win customer engagement, their...Read More

As marketers continue to search for answers regarding where they stand in relation to others in the sector, obfuscation continues to inhibit the advancement of customer loyalty across all verticals. Without a proper set of benchmarks, brands are...Read More

Among the most valuable tools for any marketer is a simple benchmark. More than anything, those heading up customer loyalty and CX initiatives are clamoring for a look to their left and right, trying to get an idea of where other top brands stand...Read More

As customer experience becomes a differentiating driver of brand loyalty, the perception of a company that delivers exceptional CX is a strong indicator of its overall success.   This is the basis of the annual Brand Keys Customer Loyalty...Read More

With a bombardment of technologies hitting the loyalty marketing space every day, there exists a temptation for brands to spread themselves too thin in trying to leverage too many of these tools at once. Often, however, the key to engaging...Read More

Companies are quickly learning that simple transactional benefits are no longer enough to create engagement. Rather, today’s consumer relationships are built on a more personal level, providing guests with customized experiences designed to...Read More

The merging of online and in-store customer experience is a theme that has seemingly been on the horizon for years but is now recognized as an immediate necessity in the evolution of CX. The novelty of shopping online has long since passed, and...Read More

Few would argue against digital engagement being among the most effective methods of building a loyal consumer base and, given that belief, something as simple as a brand’s website can potentially make or break its ability to create this...Read More

One of the most important principles of developing and implementing a differentiated customer experience is simply understanding how customers perceive the current offering. To mine this data, brands worldwide are turning to technologies that...Read More

Chatbots, in many ways, are a sensible next for the kind of personalized marketing that brands have found to be a necessity moving forward. These automated SMS assistants provide a two-way customer service dialogue with customers while reducing...Read More

Most loyalty program members think of the incentives as exclusive to a few narrow verticals. While industries like travel, entertainment, and retail have certainly carved their place into the loyalty space, they are far from being the only show in...Read More

Amazon is the undisputed king of brand presence and ubiquity. By offering a bevy of products across virtually every imaginable category, including video and music streaming, the e-commerce giant has ballooned its Amazon Prime membership base north...Read More

One metric that nearly every company monitors as an indicator of customer loyalty is NPS or a variation of it. The reason for this is that in an age where peer recommendations are as important (if not more so) as celebrity endorsements, engaging a...Read More

Creating a mobile app is quickly becoming table stakes for the QSR industry, and the question brands must ask themselves has shifted from “Do we need a mobile app?” to “What will set our mobile app apart from others?&rdquo...Read More

The phrase “card linking” may not mean much to the average consumer right now, but thanks to the work of Microsoft, the implications of the concept and its impending growth might make it a significant leap forward for loyalty programs...Read More

As customers alter their expectations of loyalty programs and how they engage with them, more and more of these offerings have spotted an opportunity to streamline the point earning and redemption process in an effort to keep up with these shifts....Read More

Apps have revolutionized the way we do things. From booking hotels to hailing a taxi, to handling money, apps have a seemingly unlimited spectrum of uses and, well, applications. The next step for these programs has already begun: making the leap...Read More

With a new year comes a new mindset. Whether that takes the form of a New Year’s resolution, a clean slate perspective, or an entirely new way of looking at the world around us, the dawn of 2017 is the perfect opportunity to take a step back...Read More

We’ve all been there: surfing the web on a smartphone, reading the news of the day, when a disruptive ad brings the page to a screeching halt, interrupting the article and frustrating readers to no end. These obstructive mobile ads are not...Read More

With the sheer number of loyalty programs on the market today, brands are on a continuous search for any way to distinguish themselves from the pack. Many companies find this distinction in unique avenues through which consumers can earn points...Read More

Delta Airlines has partnered in some capacity with Mexican airline Aeroméxico for 22 years, but the two travel companies have now expanded that partnership to form a “transborder alliance” that will see benefits coming for patrons of...Read More

Only days ago, Alaska Airlines announced the latest changes coming because of its massive merger with Virgin America, creating the fifth-largest airline in the country.   The ripples of the deal continue to reveal themselves even after the...Read More

As customers continue to increase their demand for a personalized customer experience, many brands are struggling to keep up, occasionally causing customer service to slip to suboptimal levels. In response, more and more companies are moving to...Read More

Ohio-based FUSIAN, which allows guests to create their own sushi from a menu of diverse ingredients, is stepping into the digital space with a new mobile app, featuring the chain’s upcoming loyalty program, FUSIAN Rewards.   The app...Read More

The Alaska Airlines-Virgin America merger is complete, and the deal’s impact has come to the Alaska Airlines loyalty program. Simply called Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, the program now rewards fliers for trips with Virgin America...Read More

When it comes to loyalty program engagement, customers are often looking not only for easy ways to earn points but to redeem them as well. Friction during the redemption process results in customers that place less value in the program, thereby...Read More

Members of the Colonel’s Club KFC loyalty program received an email that has become one of the biggest fears in today’s digitally connected world: Hackers may have gained access to their personally identifiable information. The warning...Read More

Building on its reputation as a leader in the customer loyalty sector, Starbucks announced last week that its Chinese stores will be opening mobile gift functionality for users of the popular WeChat mobile communications service. How popular is...Read More

The question of the perfect rewards mix is one that has plagued loyalty marketers for decades. There’s no doubt that striking the proper balance when it comes to rewards is crucial to driving program engagement, but, just as with all other...Read More

Since 2004, Recyclebank has been an innovator in terms of “customer” loyalty. The company is based around the idea of incentivizing conservation efforts, and rewarding members based on their recycling and other sustainable actions...Read More

As Uber continues its skyrocketing trajectory, effective partnerships will soon become a crucial pillar of its continued success. With customer acquisition eventually approaching a (staggeringly high) ceiling, the company will need to leverage a...Read More

Wyndham Hotel Group, already among the largest players in the hospitality space, expanded their global presence early Thursday with the announcement that it had acquired Fën Hotels, a Latin American-based hotel company with 26 locations across the...Read More

When it comes to engaging customers with a loyalty program, there are countless strategies to adopt. Some brands choose a unique reward experiences, while others may opt to focus on surprise and delight to spark loyalty within customers. Still...Read More

‘Tis the season for retail market analysis, and Monetate, a leading firm specializing in brand personalization, has jumped into the winter fray with its own findings connected to retail consumer behavior during the busiest shopping period of...Read More

As Abercrombie & Fitch continues to establish an evolved brand identity, it has turned into a tale of two brands−Hollister Co. and Abercrombie & Fitch. Third-quarter net sales sank 13 percent, to $358.3 million for Abercrombie, and...Read More

Customer loyalty has become something that is difficult to earn, tougher to demonstrate, and perhaps hardest of all to measure. Measurement was the task faced by the Temkin Group in its annual Temkin Loyalty Index (TLi). The survey of 10,000 U.S...Read More

It should come as no surprise that mobile can be the key to engaging customers and driving consumer behavior, and a new report out of Technavio confirms this notion, especially in regards to mobile coupon offerings. According to the data in the...Read More

For years, Black Friday has been both the start and the peak of the holiday shopping season. So named because of the effect it has on a brand’s bottom line, the retail tradition serves up a prime opportunity for stores across the country to...Read More

The travel industry is among the most volatile when it comes to customer loyalty. From booking flights to finding a place to stay after a long trek, engaging travelers is a constant point of focus for airlines, hotels, and any brand with a stake...Read More

AccorHotels has impressed many with its steps toward customer engagement in recent years, but its recent acquisition of concierge provider John Paul may be something more akin to a leap. The deal was finalized last week and gives the Paris-based...Read More

Rental car company Hertz is flexing its international muscle, and celebrating five years of Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, with a giveaway for customers willing to engage and rent with the brand.   Interestingly, the European contest offers...Read More

Like it or not, the Internet of Things is coming sooner than we think, and with it comes a veritable plethora of smart home connected devices. Some customers can’t wait to deck their house with this new wave of connectivity, from Wi-Fi...Read More

The season for holiday shopping is nearly upon us—only 38 days until Christmas! —and with it comes the peak shopping period for retailers across the country. To capitalize on the profit boom that has become an integral part of the...Read More

The trend of mobile payment solutions supporting retailer loyalty programs is a big development for the growing platform. With this development, mobile wallets took another step toward their dream scenario of replacing both cash and plastic...Read More

At their absolute base, loyalty programs are relatively simple: Brands reward customers for their continued business and, in return, customers come to feel a genuine bond with the company through continued touch points. The basis of this concept...Read More

As technology continues to become more complex, customer experience efforts must become more compelling to ensure that consumers are equipped to receive the best possible value from their purchases. This dynamic is especially apparent in...Read More

Customer loyalty in the automotive rental industry is often a case of simply understanding travelers. By analyzing and predicting the actions and motivations of consumers, rental car companies try to position themselves as the first option for...Read More

London Drugs, already a strong presence in the Canadian retail space, is looking to expand its customer engagement prospects through its new loyalty program, LDExtras. Launched last month, the program seeks to offer strong elements of...Read More

With so much focus placed on building a strong sense of loyalty with customers, marketers sometimes don’t know how to most effectively leverage this brand strength when they achieve it. As it has in so many other respects, Amazon is blazing...Read More

Ticket brokers have become more and more popular as a resource for dockets to sporting events, concerts, and other live events. Indeed, several of the major sports league now partner with select ticket brokers to help fans buy and sell seats...Read More

Few things have encapsulated the traditionally accepted view of "technology" quite like tablets. While smartphones have undoubtedly become the more vital device, the original iPad served to fill a need that consumers at the time hadn...Read More

Beyond individual organizations, entire industries have become known to turn in consistent customer satisfaction statistics. Airlines, for example, may have lower scores on the whole as a result of the stressful feelings generated by travel. On...Read More

Hotel coalitions can be a valuable tool in the hospitality industry. For hotels that want to retain their independence while having access to the amenities—including extensive loyalty programs—found in larger chains, the mechanism...Read More

The Staples Easy Button is well on its way to becoming much more than a piece of clever branding with the announcement that, with the help of IBM’s Watson, companies will soon be able to refill on office supplies through a platform that...Read More

Citi’s ThankYou Rewards has proven to be a unique addition to the loyalty sector, due mostly to its rewards mix. In addition to traditional redemption options (usual fare like gift cards, electronics, and luggage sets), the program allows...Read More

Already a respected name in customer loyalty, Excentus is ready to tackle a new challenge.   The company announced last week that it would add the C-store vertical to its portfolio of loyalty solutions, its first such expansion since...Read More

Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is all about streamlining the travel process, and its new Loyalty Booster by CWT goes a step further in incentivizing business travelers to adhere to company travel policy. “In the past, if you didn’t like...Read More

Some of the most intense battles for customer loyalty can be found in the smartphone arena. Due to the ubiquitous nature of the device, combined with the distinction between a small number of enormous manufacturers and carriers, many smartphone...Read More

Marriott International’s acquisition of Starwood Resorts has already paid significant dividends for members of the new largest hotel loyalty program in the world−the latest of which will come as pleasant news to those with Marriott...Read More

The adoption of mobile wallet technology has implications in countless markets. Through the acceptance of the seamless POS tool, customers are abandoning traditional cards in favor of the NFC-enabled tech in increasing numbers. After a slow start,...Read More

Sears has created an interesting intersection of two popular marketing tools with the announcement of its latest promotion. The Sears Days Lowest Prices of the Season Member Bonus Event combines loyalty program membership with price matching...Read More

“Undesirable” would be an understatement for the situation Samsung finds itself in after the cancellation of production on its Galaxy Note7 phone. The phone has endured a disastrous lifespan since its launch in late August, with users...Read More

The pressure for brands to create a digital presence is growing across all industries, but is especially true for companies in the QSR arena. The convenience that customers demand from these food establishments places an increased need for online...Read More

Among the largest points of friction for customers trying to engage with loyalty programs is the hassle of registering purchases in order to earn points. The more a customer has to work in order to earn rewards, the less likely they are to remain...Read More

Hospitality disruptor Airbnb took another step closer to traditional hotel conventions this week, with the announcement that it would be partnering with Qantas Airways to form a pseudo loyalty program. While the sharing economy pioneer won’t...Read More

The split of Xerox into two separate entities entered the home stretch on Thursday, with the unveiling of the Conduent brand identity. The spin-off of Conduent came about as a result of the company’s desire to divide its document technology...Read More

Mobile pay is everywhere. After the initial foray into the sector by Apple in 2014, brand after brand has followed suit. The concept was initially driven by technology giants like Google and Samsung, with others entering the market soon after with...Read More

Decker brand UGG, best known for its UGG Boots, kicked off a new loyalty program on Tuesday with the launch of UGG Rewards, a points-based program set to engage customers both online and in-store. The launch timing comes as no surprise, as the...Read More

Few brands inspire fanaticism in fans quite like Chipotle. In every group of friends, there’s always at least one person willing to sing the praises of the Mexican grill chain. To reward this loyal fan base, and win back customers scared off...Read More

If you’ve been to a play, sporting event, concert, or live show within the last five years, you’ve probably come in contact with a secondary ticket seller. Brokers like StubHub and Ticketnetwork have stormed the market and seized an...Read More

Customers are more receptive to video ads on DCN premium publisher websites. This new statistic comes as a result of follow-up research stemming from comScore’s “The Halo Effect,” a report released in July exploring the effect of...Read More

When it comes to online retail, brands are faced with countless challenges, but many boil down to two categories: Engaging customers on a personal level without any face-to-face contact, and differentiating from a space that has only skyrocketed...Read More

In today’s market, companies are quickly learning that when it comes to customer experience, the old adage “less is more” rings true.   With more and more loyalty programs making the move to mobile apps, the thought of...Read More

When it comes to digital marketing, the ultimate goal is to personalize messaging to a customer’s precise interests and purchasing habits. This kind of engagement is only possible via thorough analysis of consumer data that leads to a...Read More

After months of waiting, the deal is finally done: Marriott International has officially acquired Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, creating the world’s largest hotel chain. The 30-brand Marriott family now includes more than 5,700...Read More

The relationship between the digital and in-store experiences has been a hot topic for marketers in recent years. As shoppers continue to adopt the mobile and online platforms for retail shopping, it’s become imperative that brands stay on...Read More

First Watch, a growing chain of more than 180 restaurants that specializes in breakfast, brunch, and lunch took a big step toward elevated customer engagement on Wednesday. This is because the restaurant announced a new partnership with Sparkfly...Read More

After the restructuring of its loyalty program this summer, all eyes were on AMC Theatres to see how the loyalty offering would impact overall revenue. Results thus far, albeit early, are very promising in that respect. The program has now reached...Read More

Customer experience is a staple of any successful organization, but there’s no doubt that some industries place more emphasis on CX practices than others. Some verticals, like airlines and hotel chains, are the first to come to mind when...Read More

Not so long ago, brands held an enormous amount of power over consumers. Loyalty (if you could call it that) was based largely on the product offered and the scarcity of options in the sector. Thanks to this market dynamic, organizations operated...Read More

There was a time when loyalty fraud was almost a punchline; after all, in a world of electronic bank accounts and online credit card information, why would a hacker instead go after something like frequent flier miles?   As the customer...Read More

There’s no doubt that self-service has grown as a means for delivering CX in recent years. This does not mean, however, that communication with representatives via phone is going anywhere anytime soon. This is evident in the data collected...Read More

As social media continues to dominate the world of modern marketing, brands are scrambling to find ways to utilize the platform in new and engaging ways. Specializing in just that, Chirpify recently partnered with Togo’s Sandwiches to reward...Read More

Pop quiz: What do Marc Jacobs, Kanye West, and Lands’ End all have in common? Besides a razor sharp fashion sense, these brands have all jumped aboard the bandwagon of pop-up shops, the latest trend in customer engagement and interactivity. ...Read More

Given the availability of omnichannel shopping solutions today, consumers expect nothing less than a truly seamless experience when moving between devices. Crate and Barrel, a leading retailer of home furnishings, has taken these expectations to...Read More

Loyalty programs offer rewards of all kinds; some reward repeat business with apparel and electronics, while others opt for complimentary travel and accommodations. One organization, however, is taking a step into almost unprecedented territory by...Read More

Despite their best efforts, most drivers will eventually need to deal with the replacement of an old or broken transmission. For these drivers, the process is wholly negative; these repairs are rarely cheap, which forces the owners to find an...Read More

With the number of brands available to consumers, customer experience is the X-factor by which companies rise and fall in the marketplace. If an organization fails to provide the CX that’s come to be the expectation, it risks being left...Read More

Choice Hotels is bringing back one of its most popular promotions, and does so in an effort to boost brand loyalty and engage travelers in an often-slow post-summer period.   The hotel chain, one of the largest in the world with more than 6...Read More

Gift cards are on the rise, especially among young adults. This fact may seem to run counter to other trends regarding the spending habits of Millennials, but is nonetheless undeniable, thanks to data out of Mercator Advisory Group. &ldquo...Read More

Uber’s recent efforts to build customer loyalty may be a step in the right direction, but the company isn’t resting on its laurels when it comes to holding onto riders in an industry that has, up until now, essentially placed retention...Read More

Anyone who’s walked by any of Wetzel’s Pretzels 300 locations can attest to the fact that one smell is all it takes to suddenly find yourself waiting in line for one of the brand’s signature hand-rolled soft pretzels or pretzel...Read More

The casino industry, in many ways, represents the epitome of customer experience and loyalty. At its core, the market built upon the style, glamor, and (literal) bright lights needed to hook customers, as well as the gameplay loop that is...Read More

There’s no arguing that Uber has changed the way people look at transportation. Once a necessity, cars have become obsolete for thousands of commuters in crowded cities like San Francisco and Boston. The ridesharing service has already...Read More

Brands are searching for ways to offer consumers a truly connected experience. This kind of seamless CX often comes by way of a sophisticated mobile app; a smartphone experience that gives customers full control over nearly every aspect of the...Read More

As other hotels continue down the road of pushing “direct booking” discounts and benefits to combat the rise of OTAs (online travel agencies), the opportunity for disruption is ripe for whichever hotel chain is able to find a way to...Read More

Microsoft has made a big push to topple Google Chrome from atop the Internet browser throne, and the brand’s latest steps are undoubtedly its most innovative. This is because users of the Microsoft Edge browser will soon be working toward...Read More

Shopping at Walgreens just got a little easier for Android Pay users across the country because not only is the Apple Pay competitor accepted for payment at the convenience store, but customers can now also use and benefit from the Balance Rewards...Read More

As the range of payment options continues to grow, banking habits are evolving at a pace that hasn’t been seen since the dawn of credit cards. In trying to keep up with the multitude of pay solutions, many companies feel overwhelmed in...Read More

PACCAR Parts, a top manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks and parts, recently reached a milestone that many companies can only aspire to. The brand’s Peterbilt Preferred loyalty program celebrated its 10-year anniversary, speaking to the program...Read More

 The prestigious U.S. News & World Report was released on Tuesday, and Alaska Air can once again be found sitting atop the “Best Airline Rewards Program” category. The company’s Alaska Air Mileage Plan was judged based...Read More

Chase Pay continues its expansion into the fuel market, announcing on Wednesday that the mobile payment solution has come to a multiyear agreement with Phillips 66, ensuring that the platform will be accepted at not only Phillips 66, but also...Read More

For many companies, branding is about consistency: How things will look, what tone communications will carry, and how promotional efforts will be handled. For other brands, however, this positioning is the foundation upon which everything else is...Read More

From email, to direct mail, to Facebook and Twitter, it seems that every available channel is being leveraged to serve up personalized marketing to consumers. One medium that is conspicuously missing from this outpouring of advertisements, however...Read More

Marketers in the CPG vertical are always looking for new markets with which to engage, acquire, and win loyalty. One market, however, may not be receiving the attention its value warrants, and may be the key to reaching a demographic that...Read More

The age of customer experience is upon us. It’s never been easier to get in touch with your favorite brands and comprehensive customer service is never more than a click, a tweet, a status, a text, or a call away. At least, this is what...Read More

Since the launch of Apple Pay in 2014, some analysts have been counting down until the day that mobile payment overtakes traditional cards, and a new era in purchasing convenience begins. Since then, forecasts have cooled off and mobile pay...Read More

As you may have heard (or experienced) by now, Delta and its customers had a rough start to the week. The airline suffered a power outage at its Atlanta hub that caused all departing flights to be grounded at their point of departure, creating a...Read More

The term “customer experience” has pervaded marketing conversations for years now, and yet perhaps the most important piece of customer experience isn’t the experience, or even the customer. This is because the backbone of CX...Read More

As loyalty programs achieve new levels of ubiquity, loyalty points and tiers look more and more like a traditional currency every day. With that revelation comes a slew of advantages: Customers have an incredible range of options when deciding how...Read More

For many, marketing is all about the customer: Customer experience is one of the largest points of focus in the new era of loyalty marketing, and continues to prove its value to a brand’s perception and, consequently, its bottom line. This...Read More

Companies today agree that customer experience plays an important role in building loyalty, but many brands still overlook CX in favor of more tangible, metric-driven initiatives. This mindset may be changing, however, as more research comes out...Read More

For several years now, a strong digital presence has been a defining trait of small businesses that have been able to separate from the pack. While mega-corporations like Apple and Google are expected to have a strong, almost universal presence...Read More

Earlier this week, Choice Hotels announced exclusive discounted rates for Choice Privileges members that book directly through the site or Choice mobile app. This isn’t the first time a hotel chain has offered this kind of deal (and it...Read More

Defining a brand’s power is easier said than done. What constitutes brand power? Is it revenue? Number of customers? Societal impact? A combination? Brand innovation firm Tenet Partners tackles this dilemma in their annual “100 Most...Read More

The Harris Poll has revealed its 2016 EquiTrend Study insurance rankings and, in what seems to be a trend across the board, the news isn’t encouraging. Overall customer satisfaction with the brands is down, exhibiting both a failure of...Read More

Surprise and delight, as a loyalty strategy, brings with it an inherent sense of diminishing returns. Presenting a loyal customer with surprise perks is a proven method of building consumer relationships, but what happens when brands go overboard...Read More

Over the past several years, Millennials have been the hottest topic in marketing. Just hearing the word conjures up a veritable buffet of emotions: Analysts try to understand them, marketers try to engage them, and Millennials themselves, for the...Read More

As more brands enter the customer loyalty arena, some smaller ones inevitably find themselves “flying blind,” with little to no direction in terms of how to win, retain, and reward their most valuable customers. To provide these...Read More

C-store industry leader 7-Eleven once again took advantage of its unique annual “7-Eleven Day,” and leveraged its mobile loyalty program to extend the promotions for its most dedicated customers. As with previous years, the brand used...Read More

From an outside perspective, loyalty marketing is synonymous with a rewards program. After all, without earning points or moving closer to those coveted rewards, what’s the point of remaining loyal to a brand?   As research continues...Read More

Professional services company Ernst & Young is bringing its clients’ customer experience into a new age, investing in conversational commerce, the newest development in digital experiences. Perhaps best known for its use in Facebook...Read More

Since launching in 2007, Virgin America has been the epitome of a market disruptor. The San Francisco-based airline has positioned itself as a customer experience leader, offering travelers amenities and services years before competitors. What the...Read More

The convenience of Apple Pay is coming to one of the world’s largest providers of ecommerce solutions. IBM recently announced that the payment option would now be offered to all clients through the Safari browser on iPhone, iPad, and Mac...Read More

The thought of a loyalty program, for most customers, conjures up images of a quick, free enrollment process that entitles them to rewards, incentives, and discounts in exchange for their undying support (not to a certifiable wealth of personal...Read More

For those of us without TSA Precheck, we’re forced to watch in jealousy as travelers walk through the security checkpoint as casually as they would on any sidewalk in America. For some members of JetBlue’s TrueBlue loyalty program, the...Read More

Communication’s significance within the larger customer experience puzzle cannot be overstated. Simply put, effective brand communication is among the most crucial factors in fostering engagement with consumers. This is the goal for...Read More

Customers today are constantly bombarded with marketing material. From car commercials to targeted online advertisements, it’s difficult to do anything without being told to buy a new product, shop at a new store, or join a new program. In...Read More

Fandango describes itself as “a leading digital destination for all things movies,” and the company took another step toward that goal on Monday, announcing that its Fandango Rewards loyalty program would leverage a new multi-year...Read More

With the news of England’s vote to leave the European Union, world financial institutions have been thrown into a relative panic. Among the most affected industries is the foreign exchange market, in which the British Pound has plummeted in...Read More

Customer loyalty extends beyond just the brand name. Global consumers are loyal to products for a number of reasons, from color, form factor, and even specific features. In the case of automobiles, for example, a recent report released by IHS...Read More

Traditionally, all industries have been grouped into two primary categories: B2C companies cater to individual end-users, while B2B companies are focused on providing products and services to other businesses. In recent years, however, various...Read More

As a social media platform, Twitter has been one of the most influential brands in the past decade. The platform has impacted the way people communicate online, engage with brands, and even interact in face-to-face conversations. The microblogging...Read More

With all the recent talk of Millennials, other demographics seem to have fallen by the wayside as a topic of conversational focus. While the youngest generation is undoubtedly deserving of the spotlight from brands looking to usher in years of...Read More

Customer experience is more than a few canned lines and a survey on the way out. Building a true bond with customers is about making them feel at home when interacting with the brand and providing them with a shopping experience that is simple...Read More

The most famous loyalty programs in the world differ in many ways: Some are based solely on points while others make use of surprise & delight, some reward based on engagement with the brand, while others award based on dollars spent. What...Read More

As more and more Americans choose to dine out as opposed to preparing meals, restaurant loyalty has become even more significant than in years past. Dining establishments of all shapes and sizes are constantly on the hunt for the newest and most...Read More

(Image credit: LYFE Kitchen) LYFE Kitchen, a “fast-fine” food chain that originated in Palo Alto, California, is making sweeping updates to its customer experience. These changes include the launch of a mobile app, a new loyalty...Read More

American Airlines is making changes to its AAdvantage loyalty program, but not all passengers are onboard with the revamp. The revamp was announced last week and will begin rolling out as early as Aug. 1.   Under the current system, members...Read More

Companies are quickly coming around to the idea that customer loyalty will be key to success in coming years. According to a Forrester study, 81% of marketing decision makers place customer loyalty as a top priority for improvement. The challenge,...Read More

If there’s one thing drivers agree on, it’s that even a small improvement to the fueling experience can go a long way. This was the thinking from Shell, which announced Thursday that it reached an agreement with JPMorgan Chase to...Read More

Nearly all executives would agree that user experience is among the most important factors in building a strong following for any brand. What is less clear, however, is how exactly that role is defined within an organization.   This was the...Read More

Mobile pay is becoming one of the top trends in customer experience, and the latest brand to jump into the fray is QSR leader KFC, owned by Yum! Brands. The chain will accept the three market giants in the mobile wallet space: Apple Pay, Android...Read More

Fans of Penn Station East Coast Subs and its signature sandwiches, fries, and lemonade have reason to celebrate, as the company launched its new app last week, complete with a full-featured loyalty program.   Facing an increasingly mobile...Read More

Investment firms often operate on a results-oriented basis, with the idea that customers will simply go wherever makes them the most money, regardless of the customer experience. Today’s investor, however, is looking for more than a purely...Read More

When it comes to insurance carriers, Temkin Group recognizes that customer experience is of the utmost importance. In light of this philosophy, the market research company recently recognized top CX providers in the industry. According to the...Read More

It can almost be said that NFL teams require no introduction; the league has permeated American life so completely that the annual Super Bowl broadcast routinely breaks television viewership records. In providing unique fan experiences, teams are...Read More

In a recent earnings call, Nordstrom officials noted that the organization was looking to expand its loyalty program, but declined to go further into the specific changes. That was until Thursday, however, when the fine apparel retailer announced...Read More

Marcus Theatres, a division of the Milwaukee-based Marcus Corporation, faces unique challenges as a leader in the cinema industry. With so many theaters offering a nearly identical service (showing the newest and most popular films), the chain is...Read More

Traditional loyalty programs and the associated rewards mix philosophy are a thing of the past. This from a recent study out of Collinson Group, a loyalty marketing services firm whose client portfolio includes respected names like MasterCard...Read More

Customer service is no longer a one-way street: Customers expect brands to communicate in real time and use effective dialogue to improve customer experience. In the latest step toward this goal, Zendesk is partnering with Google Play to change...Read More

Samsung sent shockwaves through the mobile wallet market on Wednesday, announcing that its payment technology, Samsung Pay, is now compatible with membership and loyalty cards. This is in addition to the platform’s current functionality, a...Read More

Customer loyalty is no longer a matter of finding a “one-size-fits-all” approach and sticking to it. Customer demand is constantly shifting across generations, demographics, and even international borders, and rigid approaches are...Read More

Loyalty platform ShopSocially earned a big partnership recently, with the announcement that sports nutrition company Predator Nutrition selected the company to design and execute its loyalty program. The program encourages not only transactional...Read More

When it comes to customer loyalty, Marriott isn’t afraid to stray from the beaten path in order to innovate. Thom Kozik, Marriott’s VP of Global Loyalty, spoke to Loyalty360 about the company’s strategy for creating a unique form...Read More

In the age of social media and digital connection, customers everywhere are looking to connect with one another more than ever before. From linking social accounts, to competing with friends to see who can rack up a high score, it’s clear...Read More

Mobile wallet payment technology continues to take the shopping world by storm, and MasterPass by MasterCard earned a big victory with the recent announcement that Saks Fifth Avenue and Poshmark are now accepting the financial institution’s...Read More

Wyndham Rewards Builds on Strong Loyalty Program Reputation   Steve Taggart, Loyalty360  Wyndham Rewards is making big changes to its industry-leading loyalty program, adding a tier system that allows guests to work their way toward a...Read More

 Choice Hotels is the latest to jump on the summer travel trend with a special promotion added to its recently tweaked Choice Privileges loyalty program.   The promotion is simply titled, “Stay Twice, Earn a $50 Gift Card,”...Read More

When hearing the words “loyalty program,” many consumers immediately think of airlines. Because the loyalty program is such a cornerstone of the industry, airlines have become savvy of the fact that offering customers just the right...Read More

In a sports apparel world traditionally dominated by Nike and Adidas, Under Armour has effectively crashed the party in recent years, signing top athletes like Steph Curry and Bryce Harper while posting astronomical sales numbers and building an...Read More

Part of designing a successful loyalty program is knowing the audience. Program features that attract some members may be the same things that drive others away. Rocky Brands, maker of a wide variety of footwear, has partnered with Clutch to...Read More

Content marketing can be an incredibly effective method of delivering relevant messaging to potential customers and clients. Through this channel, brands can demonstrate their grasp on the needs, desires, and inquiries held by their target...Read More

Members of Virgin America’s Elevate loyalty program have a new trip on which to earn points, with the start of the airline’s daily flights from Los Angeles to Honolulu.   The Hawaiian capital is the most desired destination...Read More

As the world’s fastest growing travel wholesale company, Tourico Holidays offers a traditional travel booking experience with a unique high-volume, wholesale business model. As such, the brand understandably worked to find ways to...Read More

The tug-of-war between hotels and online travel advisers (OTAs) continues to rage on, and International Hotel Group has revealed its latest move to encourage customers to book directly through its hotels. Titled, “Your Rate by IHG Rewards...Read More

EMC Corporation, a global leader in cloud computing and data management solutions, is building upon its own customer experience with the launch of MyService360. A service-centric cloud-based dashboard, the system will give customers a new...Read More

Marriott has earned top honors once again for its Marriott Rewards loyalty program. Marriott Rewards garnered its ninth consecutive Freddie Award for “Hotel Program of the Year.” The awards were developed to recognize excellence in...Read More

Customer experience in 2016 is largely about speed. Consumers have grown accustomed to the lightning-fast tempo of online and mobile platforms, and brands are expected to follow suit in all customer-facing processes. Chief among these evolving...Read More

Ace Hardware, which comprises 4,800 locally-owned hardware stores around the world, wants to extend its Ace Rewards loyalty program to the brand’s retail grocery locations. This initiative is driven by a partnership with ProLogic Retail...Read More

It’s tough to achieve “firsts” in a company that was founded in 1937. Bakery product producer Pepperidge Farm has done just that, however, with the launch of its first digital loyalty program. The program will be offered until...Read More

Surveys have the potential to reveal crucial insight into customer sentiment and behavior. Through effective surveying, a brand can analyze shifting customer trends and predict how to best proceed with marketing efforts. Unfortunately, not all...Read More

Grocery chain Raley’s is taking a big step forward in the digital customer experience space with the recently launched revamp of its web and mobile ecommerce platform. Branded as E-Cart, the solution was developed in collaboration with Unata...Read More

National bookstore chain Books-A-Million is offering unique value to members of its Millionaire’s Club Card (MCC) loyalty program this week with its annual “MCC Week” promotion. The chain got its start in 1917, and has grown into...Read More

Omnichannel technology provider Now Interact recently conducted research into the personalization efforts of telecommunication providers, and the results are less than promising. As customers demand more from a personalized customer experience...Read More

Location data management leader Yext delivered impressive news on Thursday, in the form of results stemming from Denny’s implementation of the platform early last year. Since then, the world-famous diner has seen a staggering 162% increase...Read More

As MLB continues to improve on its tradition of unique and family-friendly customer experience, on Thursday it announced an extension of its partnership with MasterCard. As part of the collaboration, MasterCard was named as the presenting sponsor...Read More

Customer service has expanded to a number of different channels in recent years, and consumers now expect their favorite brands to have the ability to solve issues across any given platform. Providing this kind of customer experience has proven to...Read More

In a move to benefit both parties, American Express will be integrated into the checkout process of Newegg. With the integration, American Express will tap into the enormous number of Newegg users to build upon their Membership Rewards points...Read More

More and more companies are charging customers to join loyalty programs. Just take a look at Restoration Hardware, which recently launched its RH Grey Card Membership program, which carries a $100 annual fee. “Shopping, Reimagined,&rdquo...Read More

Building customer loyalty is something marketers pursue on a daily basis. It’s wonderful to attain customer loyalty and, more importantly, to retain it. Needle released an infographic titled, “Chutes & Ladders of Ecommerce...Read More

Spring marks the beginning of the prime season for traveling, as the temperatures are rising and schools are quickly coming up on the magical time known as summer vacation. Loyalty programs from around the travel industry are beefing up in...Read More

The movie theater industry is one that is built on customer experience. Especially considering today’s landscape, in which movie lovers can just as easily turn on Netflix or Hulu, the role of a movie theater is to provide a customer...Read More

As the weather gets warmer and spring quickly approaches, travel and entertainment companies are looking to stay ahead of the pack in taking advantage of the coming business boom. One brand that is making a move to acquire these customers is...Read More

Cash-In Club, a loyalty program from Enterprise Holdings Inc. designed specifically for travel agents, is undergoing a renovation focused on creating a more user-friendly experience. Additionally, the program is set to offer more chances for...Read More

There’s no doubt that Americans love loyalty programs that offer gas rewards. In a previous Excentus-Ipsos eNation survey, consumers ranked fuel savings as the No. 1 most-desired loyalty reward. For such a necessary expense, earning...Read More