Brand Executives Discuss Loyalty and Advocacy

The final morning awards presentation during the first day of the 2018 Customer Expo conference covered Customer Loyalty & Advocacy. This presentation featured Nadav Gan, Vice President of Franchise Strategy at AMC Networks; Kelly Mahoney, Senior Director of Customer Marketing at Ulta Beauty; Ron Davis, Senior Manager of Loyalty Operations at Sleep Number; and Darrin Samaha, Vice President of Brand at YesWay.
 
Gan discussed how AMC Networks deepened customer engagement with the network’s popular show The Walking Dead. According to Gan, the show is “the highest-rated series in cable history.” The company launched a loyalty program in 2017 to establish a direct relationship between fans and AMC by rewarding viewers with unforgettable, “once-in-a-life-time” experiences, sharing exclusive content with them, and turning them into advocates for the AMC brand. Additionally, the loyalty program is designed to acquire customer insights and leverage data to positively impact the business.
 
Mahoney spoke about her company’s Ultamate Rewards program and how it helped customers “bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty,” which is also the company’s tagline. With 1,000 stores located throughout the United States, the company is gradually bringing exclusive experiences to its customers. The company offers multiple ways to delight program members, from earning purchase points to exclusive content and platinum perks. The more points customers earn, the more benefits they have access to, including gift cards, free shipping, point multipliers, etc. The company also partners with Alliance Data to offer customers the Ultamate Rewards Credit Card, which has enhancing the buying experience.
 
Davis focused on his people at Sleep Number striking hard to bring values to customers through their purchase journeys. Sleep Number tries to make sure that every customer goes through excellent experiences and provide them with excellent products via an integrated, omnichannel customer service. Davis also pointed out that each customer journey is tailored to different personas. His team personalizes communication to target potential referrers, purchasers, and advocates with unique offers. The company then educates customers about their sleeping habits and recommends suitable bed types.
 
Lastly, Samaha discussed YesWay’s “fun and exciting” loyalty program, which is designed to reward both customers and frontline employees. The company upholds brand promises through activities such as the YesWay Club, YesPay, sweepstakes opportunities, special offers, and fuel rewards. The company also hosts various marketing events to spread the brand spirit as well as capture customer insights. One special thing about YesWay is that, according to Samaha, it recognizes frontline employees the same way customers want to be recognized. This helps drive more loyalty and engagement as loyal employees will generate loyal customers for the brand.
 

Recent Content

Membership and Pricing

Videos and podcasts

Membership and Pricing