Day two of the 2018 Customer Expo commenced with presentations from award finalists. The first sessions featured representatives from a range of innovative brands: Canadian Red Cross, Firehouse Subs, Sony Rewards, Wyndham Hotel Group, T-Mobile, Loblaws, Caesars Entertainment, Foot Locker, AMC, Yesway, Ulta Beauty, and Sleep Number. Presentations included discussions of brand efforts toward Customer Insights, Customer-Centric Culture, and Loyalty & Advocacy.
In the Cumberland Ballroom, Andrew George, Associate Director of National Customer Experience Marketing at Canadian Red Cross; Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse Subs; Suzanne McDonnell, Senior Marketing Manager of Sony Rewards; and Toyin Powell, Director of Member Acquisition and Early Management Strategy at Wyndham Hotel Group, presented on their companies’ strategies to improve customer insight. George spoke about how donations to his organization have improved through a better understanding of donor motivations. Fox discussed how changing on-site interactions with customers has improved overall customer satisfaction at his company. McDonnell described her company’s efforts to achieve greater segmentation by identifying customers interested in theatrical releases. Finally, Powell offered advice based on how her company has used rewards program data to drive revenue.
In the Nashville Ballroom F, representatives gathered to discuss customer-centric culture. The first to speak was Doug Speedie, Senior Partnership Manager of T-Mobile. He emphasized the importance of partnerships in connecting with customers and explained how working with brands like RedBox and Shell created a greater connection with customers. Jim Noteboom, Senior Vice President of Loyalty & Customer Insights of Loblaws, spoke next. He discussed the changing market and observed that while retailers once innovated for customers, the latest trends demand that retailers innovate with customers. Ryan Hill, Director of Customer Experience for Caesar’s Entertainment, showed how a brand known primarily for a particular venture can build awareness of other ventures. His company’s Experience the Empire loyalty campaign has raised awareness of other Caesars locations across the United States and promoted a safari in South Africa. Finally, Tyler Saxey, Director of Customer Experience for Foot Locker, described the brand’s past as a siloed organization, but then explained how it reached out over social media and offered personalized experiences to its customers.
In the Nashville Ballroom A, representatives presented on customer loyalty and advocacy. Ron Davis, Senior Manager of Loyalty Operations at Sleep Number; Nadav Gan, Vice President of Franchise Strategy of AMC Networks; Darrin Samaha, Vice President of Brand at Yesway; and Kelly Mahoney, Senior Director of Customer Marketing at Ulta Beauty, discussed this issue. Gan shared how AMC Networks improved customer engagement with a rewards program for fans of The Walking Dead. Mahoney spoke about her company’s Ultamate Rewards and how it helped customers “bring the possibilities to life through the power of beauty,” which is also the company’s tagline. Davis focused on his people striking hard to bring values to customers through their purchase journeys. Lastly, Samaha discussed how Yesway’s “fun and exciting” loyalty programs reward not only customers but also the company’s frontline people.