There is growing idea among marketing strategists that says wining brand loyalty is increasingly tied to customer experiences. In an age where consumers are given a near infinite selection of products and wield the power of instantaneous social connectivity, many are not prioritizing discounts and simple points-based rewards as much as they once did.
Today, the key to successful customer engagement can be best achieved through memorable and relevant events that generate excitement and create emotional bonds between a brand and the consumer.
Vodafone is a great example of brand that represents this approach to customer engagement. It is has only been one year since the world’s second-largest mobile telecommunications company launched Fantastic Fridays, an aspect of Vodafone’s loyalty program, and since then members have already redeemed 5.5 million rewards.
Purported as the program that gives that “Friday feeling” every day of the week, Fantastic Fridays rewards members with 2-for-1 movie deals, exclusive movie premiere tickets, special sporting event access, VIP treatments at music performances, and more money-can’t-buy experiences.
“We reward people with things they love purely for being a Vodafone customer,” said Matt Williams, Vodafone Consumer Director. “Great rewards are crucial, but it’s also making sure our customers are the first to grab tickets to the best concerts and have access to that money-can’t-buy experience - like meeting Six60 or Lorde after their performances. Customers should keep an eye out for new partners who’ll be bringing new rewards to Vodafone Fantastic Fridays in the coming months.”
Another key to the loyalty program’s phenomenal success is that Vodafone also effectively leverages the power of mobile to offer rewards instantaneously.
“Almost 80% of our customers have a smartphone and they’re using their devices to redeem their Vodafone Fantastic Fridays offers: 95% of prepay deals and 65% of movie tickets are redeemed via a mobile device,” Williams continued. “Given smartphone adoption is increasing all the time, we expect 100% of Fantastic Fridays customers will be using digital self-service to access their deals in the next two years.”
Not only do Vodafone’s customers find the program to be relevant, Fantastic Fridays has also helped the brand gain a deeper understanding of what customers do find meaningful. A ticket presale promotion for an Ed Sheeran concert, for example, was remarkably successful. Within hours, 8,000 tickets were completely sold out.
Now that it has a much clear idea of what customers value and what will generate excitement, Vodafone plans to use this knowledge to offer an even greater selection of unique promotions in the year to come.