<![CDATA[Documents]]> f09f6b70-7e8d-41c2-812f-d586bb013f40 <![CDATA[Loyalty as a Growth Engine in the Era of AI: Q&A]]> With customer acquisition costing at least five times more than retention and third-party cookies phasing out, enterprise brands are rethinking their loyalty strategies. In a recent Loyalty 360 webinar, Ian Young, Head of Loyalty Business Development and Account Management for Comarch Loyalty, detailed how artificial intelligence is transforming customer loyalty from a traditional cost center into an enterprise-wide growth engine. Let’s recap the session and answer key audience questions.

Evolving Loyalty from Cost Center to Revenue Driver
Modern loyalty programs resolve many problems of cookieless marketing and fragmented consumer attention. Capturing and retaining first-party data has become vital to understanding consumer behavior and maximizing Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). As these industry dynamics evolve, several key benchmarks illustrate what separates top-performing retention strategies from legacy models:

  • The Financial Performance Gap: Top-quartile loyalty programs significantly outperform lower-quartile ones. Highly rated programs yield up to a 14-point higher Net Promoter Score (NPS), make members 20% more likely to choose the brand over competitors, and make consumers 50% more likely to increase purchase frequency.
  • The Shift in Search Behavior: Over 35% of consumers already use AI tools like ChatGPT to research and evaluate loyalty programs—a trend particularly pronounced among Gen Z and Millennials in retail and grocery. Programs must be discoverable within AI search environments.
  • The AI Progression Roadmap: Loyalty tech is moving from basic precision (predictive churn, fraud prevention, CLV scoring) into the "agentic shift". AI assistants will handle campaign execution, simulate promotional budgets, and resolve offer conflicts automatically.
  • The 6 Dimensions Framework: Leading programs focus on behavior-driven growth, omnichannel real-time offers, cross-industry partnerships, deep experience integration, and continuous AI optimization.

Audience Q&A: Deep Dive into the Future of AI Loyalty
1. Which brands are leveraging AI effectively, and what platform capabilities should enterprise leaders look for?
Top performers across travel, retail, and financial services leverage AI for next-visit propensity modeling, individualized product recommendations, and automated fraud prevention (such as detecting unauthorized card scanning or internal misuse).

When evaluating loyalty platforms, decision-makers must ensure they are getting native machine learning capabilities rather than legacy rules engines wrapped in AI marketing terminology. Look for platforms with built-in predictive engines that deliver automated churn scoring, send-time optimization, personalized offer generation, and conversational marketing assistants. These capabilities streamline operations for marketing and IT teams while delivering clear ROI metrics to the CFO.

2. From the consumer POV, how much does program differentiation drive brand selection, and do members prioritize total value or novelty?
Program differentiation directly translates to consumer adoption and wallet share. While total tangible value (e.g., discounts, points, cash back) establishes the rational foundation of a program, novelty and convenience drive ongoing engagement.

Consumers, especially younger demographics, increasingly evaluate programs based on instant gratification, seamless app experiences, and emotional touchpoints. Soft benefits (such as exclusive access, free shipping, or experiential rewards) often create stronger brand advocacy than points alone.

3. Is there growing demand to integrate loyalty programs with ChatGPT or Claude via Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers?
Yes, demand is shifting rapidly from initial curiosity to strategic planning. As LLMs become primary engines for search and commerce, consumers will expect to query their point balances, check tier status, and redeem benefits directly within AI conversational interfaces.

Brands that utilize standards like Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers can connect their loyalty platforms safely to external AI tools. This ensures their loyalty rewards and value propositions remain fully discoverable and actionable wherever consumers make purchasing decisions.

4. What is the value difference between a coalition program and a standalone program?
While traditional multi-brand coalition models face operational hurdles in large markets like the United States, targeted cross-industry partnerships offer the benefits of a coalition without eroding individual brand identity.

Standalone programs provide direct customer intimacy, but pairing them with relevant partners (such as hotel brands partnering with rideshare services) drives higher program usage, increases daily app engagement, and expands total value for members. Developing integrated partnerships adds measurable value to any loyalty ecosystem.

Key Takeaways and Next Steps for Loyalty Leaders

  • Align Loyalty with C-Suite Priorities: Build a clear business case by tracking non-member versus member spend uplift and conducting A/B campaign testing to prove measurable ROI to your CFO.
  • Prepare for AI-Native Commerce: Ensure your rewards structures and program benefits are indexed so AI agents and search tools can easily discover them.
  • Adopt Agentic AI Capabilities: Transition your team toward AI marketing assistants that reduce manual campaign setups and optimize promotional spend.
  • Replace Static Tier Mechanics: Move away from rigid, legacy structures toward dynamic, real-time personalization across every digital and physical touchpoint.

Transitioning your program into an enterprise growth engine requires aligning tech stack capabilities with dynamic consumer expectations. By integrating AI into your loyalty platform, you can turn everyday engagement into predictable, long-term brand equity.

]]> Sat, 29 Aug 2026 18:27:27 GMT af74a612-fc7a-4373-b452-8ef9f520da30 <![CDATA[Contact Centers Play an Important Role in Customer Loyalty]]> The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically shifted daily routines, forcing business leaders to react quickly to adapt engagement strategies and support for employees and customers. Almost immediately, hundreds of thousands of support agents and customer service representatives transitioned to working remotely, all the while looking for new ways to help their customers adjust to the pandemic. Through it all, organizations have seen an increase in the value of customer service and support, making contact centers a more critical touchpoint to maintain and build customer loyalty.

To uncover the changing pandemic-driven perceptions and roles of customer service and support teams, Calabrio conducted a study with U.S. and U.K. contact center managers across the retail, utilities, distribution, airline, financial services and healthcare industries. The study reinforced that almost three-quarters of contact center managers believe that most of the changes made to accommodate the pandemic will become the new standard for the customer service industry.

Many of these changes relied on adopting new technology and have shown a positive impact on both agent satisfaction and customer experience (CX). And by leveraging technologies and tools – such as analytics-driven insights, omnichannel strategies, cloud-based software and automated workforce management systems – contact centers can elevate their perception among employees and end-customers, thus playing an ever-larger role in creating a positive customer experience, essential to a brand’s success. 

Meeting Customer Expectations in the Age of COVID-19
Due to COVID-19, customer expectations for service quality are rising. Amid the pandemic, customers have been highly stressed and emotional. They desire more empathy and have a greater need to feel “heard” by customer service representatives more than ever. But contact center managers anticipate that customers will continue to expect the same level of empathy and emotion from customer service agents even after the pandemic subsides. To support this, many are turning to technology.

For example, contact centers are deploying analytics-based insights to facilitate a more human-centric customer service offering. With these insights, contact centers can understand customer emotion through speech or text analysis and identify customer needs through trend mapping. These insights are effective tools that help agents create a richer, more personal customer service experience. They can also provide managers with an abundance of strategic information to help make more informed CX decisions and develop a culture of customer-centric agents.

Moreover, the study showed that greater than half of the contact centers surveyed are seeing marketing teams utilize real-time automated analytics insights and dashboards to gain greater visibility into customer opinions and behaviors. Managers are equally using advanced quality-measurement tools and analytics to monitor customer interactions, ensure ongoing standards, and identify areas for improvements. This is especially helpful for newer agents who need coaching, or when agents are working remotely and have less of an opportunity to learn from other agents simply by participating in or overhearing conversations.  

Adapting with Cloud-Based Systems
In the age of COVID-19, cloud-based systems should be a contact center manager’s best friend. Most contact centers report this to be true, with 9 out of 10 contact center managers reporting that they are either already using some sort of cloud-based software or looking to move. There is only a small percentage of contact centers – a startling 4% – that report not planning to increase their use of cloud-based systems.

Cloud-based systems make the integration between vital contact center technologies  such as the automatic call distributor (ACD), workforce management solutions, quality management tools, CRM, and financial systems much easier. With all these features connected, contact center managers can tap into aggregated data collected from a variety of systems both inside and outside the contact center. By bringing together this data, operations and agents gain a better picture of the customer profile, experience and interaction history. This helps agents identify the customer’s most pressing issues to provide high-quality and efficient customer service. It also translates to better customer satisfaction and loyalty when customers have a positive connection with an agent, feel understood and receive prompt support.

Cloud-powered systems also encourage workplace agility, which is needed in the constantly evolving landscape that contact centers deal with every day. They are naturally scalable and allow contact centers to adjust in real-time to changes in staffing, contact volume, channel preferences, active work hours, holidays, inbound versus outbound needs and more.

One example of contact center managers adapting to meet customer needs is through the adoption of multichannel communication platforms such as video capabilities, which helps ensure better customer service and stronger brand loyalty. The cloud makes such adoption easier and faster.

Connecting and Collaborating with Workforce Management Software
Keeping agents connected and dialed-in is another imperative to cultivating strong customer loyalty. However, working from home complicates that in a variety of ways. Employees may find it difficult to engage with coworkers and learn on-the-job from a remote setting. Maintaining quality assurance processes based on interaction recordings can bolster agent training and help agents receive ongoing feedback from managers even from a remote office. The key is to drive quality monitoring with more automation and analytics-infused predictions and insights.

One other complicating factor is the complexity of agent scheduling. With the pandemic forcing agents to work from home they (like employees across most industries) may face the additional responsibility of childcare or other family needs, school support, greater health concerns and the general balancing of life and work in a pandemic. Most employers are leaning into a more flexible approach to work in order to keep employees on board and productive, but scheduling and staffing have become a challenge.

With on-the-day scheduling automation, contact center managers and agents can view real-time staffing needs and agent availability, allowing them to easily match customers with available and skillful agents, regardless of agent location. AI-powered self-scheduling options give agents the ability to schedule flex hours, overtime and trade shifts, so they gain the flexibility they need to work when they can and stay dialed-in to customer service. Since COVID-19 began, 65% of contact center managers have increased their investment in these types of workforce management solutions to create a more connected remote-work environment.

Fostering a Customer-Centric World
In our evolved world, changing customer demands have been instrumental in shining a light on the value and importance of agents and customer service. Contact center managers saw this first-hand, with 84% saying that the pandemic elevated the importance and value of their business.

With the right technologies, contact centers can continue to provide human interaction, empathy, availability and connection during a time of uncertainty. By adapting to changes fast–and embracing digital transformation–contact centers foster a better sense of customer empathy and centricity, all important elements in creating loyalty.
 
With over 20 years in the industry, Brad Snedeker has extensive knowledge of the contact center space. As Calabrio’s director of product marketing and customer advocacy, he ensures that customers have access to the best information and resources available for Calabrio products. He works directly with users to develop new and innovative techniques to implement workforce optimization best practices. Workforce Management and Analytics have been Brad’s primary areas of focus for over 10 years.
 ]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2020 07:46:47 GMT 94ea5862-637e-4174-af28-169404e354ee <![CDATA[How Social Loyalty Programs Drive Engagement: The Psychology of Group Loyalty]]> In this three-part interview series, loyalty expert Axel Mayer shares his perspective on the rise of social loyalty programs and group-based engagement. In Part 1, he explores the psychological forces behind why customers engage more deeply when loyalty becomes social.
 

Part 1

Today we’re exploring the fundamental human forces that make social loyalty programs so powerful. Joining us is a Senior Loyalty Consultant and Strategist with deep expertise in behavioral psychology and loyalty design. Let’s start with a simple but uncomfortable question.
 

Rethinking Loyalty Program Engagement Through Social Loyalty

Traditional loyalty programs still focus heavily on individual points and personal milestones. Are we missing something fundamental when it comes to loyalty program engagement and customer motivation?

Axel: In many cases, yes. Loyalty programs have optimized transactions while overlooking how people derive identity, motivation, and self-worth from group membership. From a customer loyalty psychology perspective, Social Identity Theory shows that belonging to a group shape how people see themselves and how committed they feel. When social loyalty programs introduce group mechanics, customers stop relating only to the brand and start relating to each other. That shift transforms loyalty from a rational exchange into an emotional attachment. Points alone can be copied; belonging cannot.
 

When we talk about social loyalty programs, what actually changes in terms of customer behavior and overall engagement?

Axel: Three mechanisms matter most: behavioral contagion, reciprocity, and social accountability. People copy the behavior of peers far more readily than they respond to brand messaging. Within loyalty groups, members feel an obligation not to let others down, which increases participation and strengthens loyalty program engagement. Leaving the program no longer means abandoning points, it means abandoning relationships and shared progress. That psychological cost is what makes group loyalty so resilient.
 

The Psychology Behind Group Loyalty and Stronger Customer Relationships

You often mention both competition and collaboration. How do these dynamics work together within social loyalty programs without creating friction?

 Axel: The strongest programs balance both dynamics. Inter-group competition activates status and recognition, while intra-group collaboration creates support and shared achievement. Not everyone is motivated by winning, but almost everyone responds to contributing to something bigger than themselves. By allowing teams to compare and compete externally while collaborating internally, social loyalty programs engage both competitive and cooperative personalities. The result is sustained engagement rather than short-lived spikes.
 

Looking at current loyalty program trends, which psychological or emotional drivers do brands still tend to underestimate?

Axel: FOMO (the fear of missing out) and altruism are consistently undervalued. Group-exclusive benefits dramatically increase urgency and desirability, especially when participation is visible. At the same time, purpose-driven loyalty groups tap into emotional loyalty: people feel good contributing to causes together. Collective giving and shared missions activate emotional rewards that outlast discounts. These mechanisms deepen loyalty in ways purely transactional rewards cannot.
 

If you had to distill everything we’ve discussed into one key idea - why does group loyalty ultimately create stronger and more lasting customer relationships?

Axel: People don’t stay loyal to programs; they stay loyal to people. Group loyalty aligns loyalty design with how humans are wired socially and emotionally. When customers belong to a group, loyalty becomes part of their identity rather than a calculation. That’s why social loyalty programs create defensible, long-term relationships. They turn customers into communities. Or the other way round: a loyalty program should map and support relationships that already exist.
 

CONCLUSION: LOYALTY IS BUILT ON BELONGING, NOT JUST BENEFITS.

What becomes clear from this conversation is that social loyalty programs are not just about incentives, but about identity and connection. When programs tap into social dynamics, they move beyond transactions and start shaping or mapping how customers feel, act, and engage. Group loyalty introduces something that traditional approaches have long missed: a sense of belonging. And as we’ve heard, that sense of “we” is far more powerful and enduring than any number of points.
 

Read Part 2: Customer Retention Strategies - The ROI of Group-Based Loyalty

Group loyalty works because it transforms transactions into belonging. In our next interview, we’ll look at how these psychological effects translate into measurable financial ROI. Read Interview-Part 2

]]> Sat, 29 Aug 2026 18:17:25 GMT 864be968-99c9-4bd0-b284-f39307110483 <![CDATA[Why Marketers are Victims of Inflated App Reviews]]> For brands, it’s a good time to have a mobile app. In Q3 this year alone, consumers spent $28 billion on apps and clocked more than 180 billion hours using apps each month in July, August, and September.

A significant driver of the pandemic app surge is Apple’s App Store, which houses almost two million apps. Browse through the App Store and you’ll find apps with thousands and even millions of ratings. For example, The Home Depot has over 700,000 ratings on its app, which carries a 4.7 star overall score. Domino’s Pizza has 4.9 million ratings of its app, with a rating of 4.8 stars.

A near 5-star App Store score based on thousands or millions of user ratings is impressive. But what many don’t know is that these scores are the result of a system that enables false app ratings and inflated scores — which should concern marketers everywhere. 

A Good Mood Goes A Long Way
It’s crucial for app developers to generate a large volume of high ratings. Higher rankings equal greater visibility and a stronger correlation to user trial. Apple also positions apps with better ratings higher on their lists than those with lower scores.

Apple introduced in-app review prompts in 2017, allowing developers to solicit greater amounts of ratings and reviews without a user visiting the App Store. The ratings and reviews guidelines tell developers to, “Ask for a rating only after the user has demonstrated engagement with your app. For example, prompt the user upon the completion of a game level or productivity task.” Users can also turn off the in-app review prompts on their Apple device settings.

If you own an iPhone or iPad, you’ve probably received multiple rating prompts. For instance, a grocery delivery app may ask for a review after you spent big on groceries. Or a retailer may ask for a rating after you make a purchase during a holiday sale.

Review invitations appear to be randomly generated requests. However, Apple’s guidelines give developers the ability to manipulate users into giving a positive review or rating when they’re likely to be in a better mood while simultaneously identifying users with poor experiences and avoiding asking them to leave a review. The result of this manipulation of ratings is egregiously inflated scores across many apps — and most consumers don’t even know it’s happening.

Through my own research, I found that within six months of Apple’s new in-app review prompt guidelines, the average score for 30 randomly selected apps that featured the prompt grew from 3 stars to 4.7 stars. User rating frequency also exploded by a factor of 62. Many brands gained considerable boosts in their scores as well. Hulu saw their average star rating go from 2.4 to 4.7. Subway’s average score also significantly increased from 1.7 to 4.6. Moreover, Subway specifically wrote in their app release notes that making it easier to post ratings and reviews was the only significant update the sandwich chain made before their ratings jumped, making the in-app review prompt the only reason for the score increase.

In addition to generating inflated positive ratings, app developers can reset their ratings if they receive too many bad ratings or reviews, effectively giving the app an unlimited number of chances to get a better rating.

Marketers Need To Know The Truth About Their Brand
Developers will continue to engage in ratings manipulation as long as Apple’s policy remains the same. However, the continued creation of inflated scores ultimately hurts marketers and consumers.
  1. Skewed scores create a false sense of customer experience.
Access to customer behavior and activity on an app can be valuable for marketers in creating engaging content and specialized offers. But with inflated App Store ratings, you’ll have the wrong impression of the experience your brand’s app provides. This disconnect on user feelings can create distrust and hurt your brand’s image.
  1. Overrated successes lead to problematic marketing efforts.
Skewed customer satisfaction can also lead you to waste marketing dollars propping up a poorly performing app. This misguided investment can prevent your brand from delivering an app that customers truly want. In the end, concentrating on the wrong areas of customer engagement can lead to unsatisfied customers and hurt your bottom line performance over the long term.
  1. Innovation becomes non-existent.
With thousands or millions of high ratings, your brand has little to no incentive to actually improve its app. As we’ve seen since 2017, it’s simple for developers to create a 4+ star app and reap the rewards while the broader company is unaware of the real customer experience. Conversely, realistic user feedback will push brands to innovate their apps for improvement and deliver real customer engagement, not grossly inflated ratings. High ratings may stimulate a trial period, but they don’t mean customers will keep using the app, limiting its ability to ultimately drive the strongest possible impact on your business.
  1. Inflated ratings encourage anti-competition
The technical execution of app mood manipulation is relatively simple to accomplish, but it requires significant financial investment. The time spent gaming app store promotion algorithms and the use of behavioral analytics to identify optimal customers for rating prompts requires hours of dedication from developers. These tactical efforts give an advantage to brands with heavy cash flow and make App Store rankings anti-competitive. As a result, brands with less money to invest in app manipulation experience fewer downloads and are excluded from top app lists, even if they offer a better mobile app than larger competitors.  

Apple’s ratings and reviews guidelines only benefit one group — developers at large companies with deep pockets. But marketers on both sides suffer in the end. Marketers at companies where mood manipulation occurs don’t truly improve their customer experience and small brand marketers don’t get a true shot to compete. But nothing will change unless marketers hold Apple accountable by demanding a fair ratings and reviews system.
 
Brian Levine serves as Mobiquity's VP of Strategy & Analytics, in addition to running Mobiquity's insurance vertical in the United States. At Mobiquity, he has developed digital strategies for multiple insurers, including Amica, Arbella, Mercury, and Travelers. In addition to his work in this vertical, Brian has pioneered research products at Mobiquity that look at clients through new lenses, including developing the Mobiquity Friction Report (tm) which uses large sets of consumer sentiment data to prioritize digital development based on consumer interest. Prior to his role at Mobiquity, Brian founded a consumer research company acquired by Nielsen in 2015 and led the development of Audible on Alexa for Amazon.
 ]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2020 07:53:00 GMT 99edeb3f-9642-43f9-b365-1bc25639262c <![CDATA[Augmented Human Intelligence: The Real Key to AI Success.]]> I had the pleasure of sitting with our Head of Digital Engineering and one of our Solution & Data Architects. They were demoing a new AI capability that, in plain language, allows us to derive insights from 15 years of Bond Loyalty Report data. The tech is impressive, but then our Data Architect said, “the most valuable commodity in business will become employees who can formulate the right question.”

In that moment, I realized a new truth.

We’re surrounded by powerful AI tools, agents, and platforms that can process unimaginable amounts of data and generate insights at lightning speed.

But  AI is only as good as the questions that we ask of it.

The full value of AI won’t be unlocked by access to more data, or even more advanced algorithms. Gartner reports that up to 85% of AI projects fail—most often because teams haven’t clearly defined the problem they’re trying to solve. The real unlock comes through individuals and teams that can think critically, frame problems creatively, and ask the right questions.

When human intelligence and curiosity meet AI’s computational power, we unlock insights that drive real competitive advantage. Companies that embrace data-driven decision-making are 23 times more likely to acquire customers and 6 times more likely to retain them (Bain & Company).

At Bond, we believe the future belongs to companies that invest, not just in AI infrastructure, but in cultivating teams who can challenge assumptions, connect dots, and turn raw capability into strategic impact. This is where true intelligence lives.

Yet, in the AI arms race, most companies are stocking up on data scientists, engineers, and algorithm experts. The irony: the most advanced AI in the world is useless without the right human questions to guide it.

So, then I thought, who’s best at asking those questions?

Not always the people who can code them—but the ones who can frame them.

  • Philosophy students trained in logic and ethics.
  • English majors skilled in narrative, nuance, and interpretation.
  • Sociology grads who understand systems, human behavior, and social context.

These are the disciplines that teach curiosity, critical thinking, and the art of connecting seemingly unrelated dots—exactly the skills that turn AI’s raw output into business-shaping insight.

The next competitive advantage won’t be just in better models, it will be in building teams where diverse thinkers and storytellers work alongside AI, translating possibility into actionable strategy. This means combining tech talent with the philosophers, poets, and observers of human nature. This means bringing them together and celebrating their distinct strengths. Because the future of AI-powered business isn’t only about artificial intelligence; it’s about augmented human intelligence.

When I think about this, I truly get excited about our team at Bond, the work that we do, and the value that we are bringing to our clients.
 

]]> Sat, 29 Aug 2026 18:03:41 GMT 4b7c61b4-46d1-49e3-b5cc-720a4d8f4ce4 <![CDATA[Maintaining Compliance with International ‘Do Not Contact’ Regulations Remains an Issue for Companies]]> There are several compliance laws and regulations at the state and federal level that many businesses could be violating without knowing it. Issues surrounding Do Not Call, Do Not Email, Do Not Text and Do Not Mail are important topics of discussion among marketers as Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) lawsuit cases are on the rise.

In fact, vacation time-share giant Wyndham Destinations was recently fined over $159,000 by the Australian Communications and Media Authority after an investigation into breaches of Australian telemarketing rules. An even bigger fine was issued against TIM SpA by the Italian DPA for telecommunications infringements, totaling over $27.8 million euros. However, with TCPA regulations top of mind for many marketers, a new related topic is emerging in the wake of international consumer privacy policies around the globe.

While many companies have focused their telemarketing efforts on United States based outreach, telemarketers are seeing great opportunity for international business outreach. According to Small Biz Trends Magazine, 97% of all U.S. companies that export their products or services internationally are small businesses. The data also reveals that U.S. companies that do business internationally grow faster and are nearly 8.5% less likely to go out of business. This makes a strong case for international telemarketing opportunities.

In a recent survey, businesses across the U.S. were asked about their telemarketing campaigns and their international reach. Approximately half reported they are already conducting outbound phone, mobile and text campaigns in other countries. However, a whopping 81% of those same companies said they’re either not knowledgeable or only somewhat knowledgeable on international regulations related to telemarketing calls. While the opportunity for revenue growth is significant for companies doing international business, so is the risk.

Big Concern When It Comes To International Do Not Call Regulations, Legislation
In the same survey, 65% noted that financial penalties are a big concern when it comes to international Do Not Call regulations and legislation. The Federal Trade Commission recently cracked down on billions of illegal robocalls in the U.S., and many marketers familiar with the TCPA expect other countries to follow suit.

Furthermore, four separate operations responsible for calling consumers nationwide with billions of unwanted and illegal robocalls pitching auto warranties, debt-relief services, home security systems, fake charities, and Google search results services agreed to settle FTC charges that they violated as a result. Imagine what fines companies could incur when infringing upon international laws related to telemarketing.

Another concern among these businesses with external telemarketing efforts is not having the ability to demonstrate compliance. Forty-nine percent reported in the same survey that compliance demonstration to be one of their biggest concerns. However, an additional 17% of these individuals also noted they were unaware if registration with a Do Not Call list is required in the country’s they do outreach to like it is in the United States.

This only further complicates matters for businesses with an international reach. Additionally, the European Union (EU) has stringent regulations on privacy and electronic communications. Through the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) under the “do not contact” tag, if a customer requests to not be contacted, call center agents must honor the request immediately.

It’s complicated to say the least. The only way for companies that use international telemarketing to truly protect themselves is to implement a proactive approach to compliance. Consumer regulations are getting more stringent and complex, not less. One way to remain in compliance is to maintain a database that scrubs all calling lists prior to outreach campaigns, as well as updates on known plaintiffs and attorneys who have filed class action lawsuits against telemarketers. This same database should ensure Do Not Contact marketing compliance requirements are met with relevant legislation across all channels and in all countries.
 
Eric Tejeda is the Head of Marketing for PossibleNOW, a marketing technology company that provides SaaS-based preference management, regulatory compliance and consumer privacy solutions that enable consumer driven personalized communications. Visit https://www.possiblenow.com/do-not-call-compliance
 ]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2020 08:07:40 GMT f885c099-19d1-464d-bce4-8ef3caddc52a <![CDATA[Choosing The Best Gas & Fuel Loyalty Program: The Buyer's Guide]]> Two out of three American drivers with a gas or diesel vehicle are already enrolled in at least one fuel loyalty program, according to YouGov's August 2025 research. That saturation is the opportunity. The challenge is building a program with a strategy strong enough to break out of the sea of sameness.

For anyone building, managing, or upgrading a loyalty program at a large gas station or convenience store chain with hundreds or thousands of sites, enrollment is rarely the hard part. Keeping members active is. A program earns repeat visits when it does something different from every other one a customer carries in their phone, rather than sitting unused in an app drawer.

In this guide, we'll walk through how to evaluate a fuel and convenience loyalty platform, including:

  • What sets the top programs apart: The experience-led patterns shared by the highest-scoring programs.
  • Five criteria that actually matter: What to test for, from pump-level activation to real-time decisioning and EV readiness.
  • Three mistakes to avoid: The traps that keep fuel loyalty programs from changing customer behavior.

What separates the top fuel loyalty programs right now

Recent industry rankings cover a broad mix of convenience store and gas station brands. The top scorers win on experience over the deepest per-gallon discounts.

A few patterns stand out across the strongest performers:

  • The highest-ranked programs connect fuel savings with in-store food, drinks, and other purchases instead of treating fuel as a standalone rewards category.
  • Status tiers tied to fill-up frequency or qualifying fuel purchases appear in several top programs, giving members a reason to consolidate fill-ups at one brand.
  • Periodic promotions, in-app games, and streak-style incentives keep members active between visits, especially among programs targeting younger drivers.

The best gas loyalty programs build habits through a broader experience that extends beyond the pump and into the store.

How to evaluate technology for fuel loyalty programs: 5 criteria that actually matter

Fuel and convenience retail has its own loyalty requirements, ones that most ecommerce or QSR evaluations simply don't cover.

1. Does it work at the pump, not just at the register?

Fuel discounts need to apply at the dispenser as well as at the in-store point of sale (POS). Most customers who stop to fuel don't enter the store. If the loyalty system only captures in-store transactions, the customer record is incomplete and the behavioral triggers needed for personalization are missing.

Pump-to-store conversion logic triggers an in-store offer after a completed fuel transaction. It turns a fuel customer into a food buyer, for example: "Fuel up and spend $5 inside to earn double points." This mechanic is central to fuel retail loyalty because it moves members from a low-margin transaction to a high-margin one.

2. Can it handle real-time decisions at volume?

Fuel retail generates high transaction volumes in short windows: Morning commutes, lunch rushes, promotional events like Circle K's Fuel Day. The loyalty platform needs to evaluate offers, check tier status, apply discounts, and update point balances in real time across every channel simultaneously.

Request load performance documentation during vendor evaluation. Ask for benchmarks under peak conditions, not just average throughput.

3. Does it integrate with your existing stack without requiring a rip-and-replace?

The IDC MarketScape 2025 evaluates fuel and convenience POS vendors on strategy and capabilities, including partnerships, data and AI/analytics, customer engagement, and scalability. IDC views POS-loyalty integration as a combined capability.

For fuel retailers with established back-office infrastructure, integration lets you add loyalty functionality to existing fuel management systems instead of replacing them. Card-linking is another practical consideration, particularly for operators who want to recognize loyalty members at the pump without requiring an app scan.

Key questions for vendor demos: What pre-built connectors exist for your POS stack? What is the published integration timeline? Can you reference operators on comparable infrastructure?

4. Can marketers launch and adjust campaigns without filing engineering tickets?

Fuel retail loyalty relies on time-sensitive promotions. Fuel day promotions, weather-triggered offers, and daypart-specific discounts all require the ability to build, launch, and modify campaigns quickly. If every promotional change requires engineering involvement, the marketing team will always be a sprint cycle behind the market.

In fuel retail, where promotional windows are measured in hours rather than weeks, that speed is the difference between capturing a margin opportunity and missing it.

5. Does it support the mechanics you need today and the ones you'll need in two years?

Ask where fuel loyalty is heading over the next two years. Include coalition and partner programs, electric vehicle (EV) charging integration, and gamification and subscription models in the evaluation.

Shell's Fuel Rewards program, for example, lets members earn across dining, participating retailers, rental cars, and linked grocery programs. If your strategy includes multi-partner earning, the platform needs to support those mechanics.

EV readiness also matters. NACS/Titan Cloud's 2025 report projects that U.S. fuel consumption will level off in 2025 before declining in 2026. 27% of EV drivers want charging integrated into loyalty programs. A loyalty platform that cannot apply earning mechanics to charging sessions ties your program to a declining transaction type.

Some regional chains already combine in-app games, variable discount outcomes, and subscription-style offers inside the same loyalty experience. A basic points engine cannot support those mechanics.

The 3 mistakes that keep fuel loyalty programs stuck

Choosing the right loyalty platform is step one. But these three mistakes are what consistently get in the way of fuel loyalty programs delivering real results.

Mistake 1: Building the entire program around fuel discounts

Fuel margins are razor-thin. A loyalty program built around cheaper gas gives away margin on the lowest-margin category while ignoring higher-margin opportunities inside the store.

This approach becomes riskier as EV adoption accelerates. A program built around fuel discounts is tied to a transaction type entering structural decline.

Mistake 2: Treating enrollment numbers as the success metric

High sign-ups paired with low active redemption indicate that the program is subsidizing membership rather than changing behavior. When sign-up rates outpace active engagement, the issue is usually operational: The program exists, but the in-store experience does not match the promise. Active redemption rate and the basket-size difference between members and non-members are more meaningful key performance indicators (KPIs).

Mistake 3: Running personalization through a loyalty channel but sending the same offer to everyone

The ACSI Convenience Store Study (October 2025) found that loyalty members visit weekly 64% of the time versus 45% for non-members. Member satisfaction scores also run five points higher. The program needs to deliver differentiated value to produce those outcomes.

Sending the same deal to every customer through a loyalty channel is mass marketing. Harvard Business Review and Talon.One's report found that 62% saw increased sales from personalized promotions. The shift from commodity fuel discounts to margin-protective personalization separates programs that change habits from programs that subsidize existing ones.

What to look for in your next fuel loyalty platform

The fuel and convenience sector is highly fragmented, which makes digital loyalty harder to implement and harder to differentiate. When evaluating platforms, ask these questions:

  • Does the platform connect to your POS, pump hardware, mobile app, and web simultaneously, with real-time state synchronization across all channels?
  • Can it handle pump-level discount activation, fleet customer segmentation, and multi-partner earning?
  • Can your marketing team build, launch, and modify campaigns without filing a ticket for every change?
  • Is fraud detection a native platform function or a third-party integration?
  • Can the platform accommodate EV charging, subscription models, and AI-driven personalization as your program matures?

Why fuel loyalty programs need a different kind of platform

The reality is that most loyalty platforms weren't built for fuel retail. Pump-level activation, high-volume real-time decisioning, multi-partner mechanics, and the transition toward EV charging all require infrastructure designed for that complexity. Talon.One unifies loyalty and promotions in a single platform and puts campaign control directly in the hands of the loyalty team. A peak-hour bonus, a weather-triggered discount, or a daypart offer can go live or change within hours, with no developer dependency.

That architecture is already proven at scale, with enterprise clients across grocery, retail, and QSR managing millions of loyalty members and thousands of simultaneous campaigns from a single system. For fuel retailers building programs that need to work at the pump, inside the store, and across partner networks, that kind of unified control is the foundation.

]]> Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:13:15 GMT 78ca797b-f94a-4f80-912e-1364e6ab6cdf <![CDATA[How Companies Can Take Full Advantage of Checkout-Free and Remote Order Entry Systems Taking Over the Retail Sector ]]> Many retailers have increased their adoption of contactless checkout in an effort to follow social distancing guidelines, especially in sports stadiums across the United States.

Joe Scioscia, vice president of sales at VAI, discusses why checkout-free and remote order entry systems are taking over the retail sector and how companies can take full advantage.

Why has the pandemic increased the usage of contactless payment in retail?
For businesses, reducing risk for in-store customers has been a top priority during the ongoing pandemic. In turn, to help fight the spread of COVID-19, retailers are encouraging consumers to use low-touch or no-touch forms of payment whenever possible - resulting in a surge of contactless and mobile payments as well as remote order entry systems. Dunkin’, who has supported contactless payment for years for example, began testing a new checkout-free payment system from Mastercard earlier this month, as did Circle K and White Castle.

When Amazon Go launched a few years ago, the thought of walking into a convenient store or coffee shop without checking out seemed absurd. Now, to survive in this new normal, convenient stores and retail chains are taking checkout-free payment systems more seriously and piloting the technology across the country. This even goes beyond consumer brands to the supply chain, as many buyers are looking to pay remotely and avoid face-to-face interaction. As the pandemic continues to force companies to implement protective measures, more retailers will gravitate toward contactless payments and discover ways to integrate the technology into their day-to-day operations in order to address cleanliness concerns moving forward.

What technology should retailers put in place to enable a checkout-free payment system?
In order to enable a check-out free payment system, retailers must combine an intuitive, user-friendly retail application with powerful enterprise functionality. For quick transactions, retailers are in need of a solution that provides a simple touch screen interface, quick barcode and RFID scanning, and integrated payment options to accelerate the checkout process. One way that retailers are accomplishing this contactless payment option is through PayPal and Venmo QR code technology, in addition to contactless chip cards and mobile devices. Customers simply scan the QR code on the terminal and instantly pay with a debit or credit card or with their PayPal or Venmo account - eliminating all physical touchpoints. Customers can also utilize a retailer’s mobile app to complete transactions. Today, credit card issuers offer contactless credit cards, such as CashApp, Google Pay, or Apple Pay, through their smartphones, which enables customers to hold the card near the reader and complete transactions.

No matter what form of technology retailers decide to put in place to launch a contactless cards program, they must consider both cardholder and employee education as well as effectively relay the message around the switch to contactless. When the industry moved from magnetic strip to EMV cards, cardholder education played a major role in mass adoption. Similar to this, in today’s growing digital marketplace, cardholders need to understand how to successfully complete a contactless transaction, types of merchants where contactless transactions are supported and continued emphasis on security and safety. It is important for retailers to keep this education top of mind when moving forward.

How will retailers benefit from contactless payment systems?
The most obvious benefit is the reduction in transaction time because of the lack of having to handle payments, and not having to sign for transactions. Contactless payment systems will eliminate the main touch point or moment of contact between customer and merchant. In the age of COVID-19 that’s a huge win. Alternatively, retailers will also benefit from reduced checkout lines and not having to hire additional employees during shopping surges like the holidays to keep up with checkout congestion. Contactless payment systems enable employees to focus their time and attention on ensuring shoppers are having a positive in-store experience, and keeping stores sanitized and organized, instead of helping check out customers to keep lines low.
Additionally, check-out free payment systems eliminate the need for large amounts of money in cash registers to make change and employees going to the bank to deposit checks and cash at the end of the day.
Beyond the high fees associated with the touchless payments, retailers are also concerned about cybersecurity and data privacy risks. What tools should retailers and IT teams put in place to secure operations?
Keeping data safe and secure is an ongoing challenge with all payments, but partnering with banks that work with third-parties, like Plaid and Akoya, can help prevent breaches particularly with touchless payments. Those third-parties work as a middle man between banks and apps like Venmo. Essentially, consumers enter data like their account number and password and connect apps (like Venmo) to their bank account, and then the third-party verifies the connection but then does not store data past that point, making it a safe bet for allowing data to be shared and accessed.

Another measure is hiring IT employees or an IT company to work closely with day-to-day operations ensuring proper software is up-to-date and employees are trained correctly in handling processes and platforms. There are a few considerations organizations need to have built into their architecture to protect their businesses as well as customer information. It’s important to have a security-first environment by installing additional layers of security infrastructure between the payment system and hardware platform. This includes having continuous security testing and automating scans of hardware and software systems to seek out vulnerabilities and patch potential issues as they arise.

How can an efficient supply chain help streamline orders connected with contactless payments?
An effective supply chain will be the key to creating positive experiences associated with contactless payments. If a customer purchases a product on their device and then goes to the physical store to pick it up, only to be told by an employee that the product they just purchased is out of stock, they then become a potentially lost customer. If a customer is told an item is out of stock after completing an entire check-out process, there again they become a potentially a lost customer.

Using intelligent automation and eventually blockchain across the entire supply chain — from the manufacturer, warehouse, transportation status, backroom storage, and the retail floor, to the app or website a customer is ordering from — will keep product data consistent and updated. Retailers will know important information like how much of a certain product they have on the floor and in the back. Keeping this process seamless and efficient will eliminate inaccuracies and improve efficiencies that result in satisfied customers, especially when implementing something new like contactless payment.
 
Visit https://www.vai.net/
 
 ]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2020 12:01:20 GMT 2018080d-43b9-4e08-bb26-af6308c42a96 <![CDATA[Cheat Code For Loyalty Cards – Integrated Personalization and Point-of-Sale Rewards]]> Key takeaways

  • Credit card loyalty programs still drive card choice, but traditional catalog offerings are losing relevance fast as consumers expect more flexible, immediate value from their loyalty programs.
  • Consumers want everyday flexibility from credit card loyalty programs with more options for pay with points and instant redemption.
  • Personalization and integrated technology help issuers connect loyalty, merchant and checkout data to cut redemption friction, tailor offers and drive the engagement that builds long-term card preference.

Keeping a card top-of-wallet starts with delivering a great experience.

Did you know that Americans belong to an average of 19 loyalty programs per person? And of those 19, nearly 10 are active. Loyalty programs are intended to drive repeat business but can struggle because of their inability to adapt to changing customer expectations.

The loyalty game has become much more competitive, and cardholders may have trouble finding the right rewards and easily redeeming them. Redemption options in traditional credit card loyalty catalogs can be limited and expensive. They have long focused on higher-price reward items such as travel and experiences, and they come with a delayed timeframe to enjoy them (e.g., taking a trip in June that you book in March).

Cardholders are losing interest, and that has become apparent, with travel loyalty program usage having stagnated the past few years. Hotel loyalty programs are having a more difficult time drawing repeat guests than other travel loyalty programs, according to a Morning Consult report.

Rewards points also don’t go as far anymore, especially for travel, which means cards are becoming less valuable to cardholders. That’s not to say consumers don’t want credit cards for their rewards, quite the opposite.

Almost 75% of Americans cite rewards-related factors (such as a sign-up bonus) when deciding which credit card to open.

Plus, 55% rank loyalty and rewards as the top reason in influencing which credit card to use to pay.

Cardholders want loyalty programs with more attractive, affordable and flexible options they can redeem at the point of sale – everyday items such as groceries and gas. In fact, nearly 80% of consumers would engage more in their loyalty program if the pay with points was offered at checkout, according to a survey from The Wise Marketer.

Innovation is needed to enhance customer loyalty, streamline reward redemption and provide an engaging experience.

How can pay-with-points drive incremental spending and loyalty engagement?

When it comes to loyalty programs, cardholders want more reward choices in one place and easy-to-redeem points for those items anytime. Some loyalty programs are expanding their redemption options to offer more immediate rewards such as cash back or the ability to pay with points.

Many cardholders are already reaping the benefits, with 61% using rewards for cash back or gift cards, as opposed to 17% for a free flight and/or hotel stay. When it comes to choosing the best feature of a rewards credit card, the numbers show a similar disparity: Cardholders prefer cash back (50%) over travel (9%).

Another option is shopping with points that cardholders accumulate through transactions. A cardholder can shop at a retailer or e-tailer using card loyalty points to cover the partial or total cost of their items at checkout. This capability is preferred by 64% of consumers.

This approach also benefits card issuers, with incremental translation and spend activity generating additional value for a loyalty program.

How can issuers use transaction data to create personalized rewards?

Successful loyalty programs have moved beyond tracking points and applying rewards. They integrate with a point-of-sale system and e-commerce platforms to streamline transactions. Those point-of-sale systems can also match financial transaction data (purchase history) with loyalty data to reveal customer insights. That information can be used to understand customer preferences and behaviors so issuers can create tailored, customized communication and rewards.

With personalized rewards being important to 74% of cardholders, it has the potential to increase engagement and improve loyalty through repeat business.

This approach can also help avoid sending unattractive rewards, which 71% of consumers  are turned off by as they perceive them as low-value.

Unfortunately, many reward programs don’t make it easy to engage beyond making a purchase. Less than 25% of programs are personalizing member experiences based on previous interactions, purchase history and stated or inferred preferences.

“Reward points and experiences should always be connected to and personalized for cardholders’ daily interactions and transactions,” Sabrina said. “This helps to better understand their changing expectations and ultimately continue to retain them as loyal customers.”

How can issuers reduce friction in the rewards redemption experience?

Connecting all parts of a loyalty program to drive improved outcomes means having the right technology. Issuers need a solution that integrates a point-of-sale system with a redemption program and includes hundreds of retailers, from e-tailers to fuel merchants.

Cardholders can redeem rewards for virtually any product, and the technology prevents friction during the redemption checkout process.

That’s a big point of contention with credit cardholders, as 72% report having experienced friction.

In fact, nearly 1 in 3 say that friction occurs when trying to redeem their rewards. Factors include confusing technology (23%), lengthy redemption process (22%) and redemption details that were unclear (almost 22%).

This friction exposes potential problems with gaps in technology as well as a lack of sophisticated decisioning and engagement tools. If loyalty programs and merchants are not integrated smoothly or there are problems with integrated vendors into a card program, then cardholders may experience issues redeeming their rewards.

How does expanding loyalty offers help issuers stay competitive?

The ability to enhance customer engagement using loyalty programs has immense potential. Yet many continue to be limited to basic points-for-purchase systems containing high-end rewards, which don’t give cardholders the flexibility they want. Issuers need to embrace a loyalty program that expands offers and brands while enhancing customer engagement and driving success.

]]> Sat, 22 Aug 2026 21:27:03 GMT 115f3161-4187-4d7c-a632-01e631f9dfc1 <![CDATA[4 Steps to Setting Up Customer Service Programs for Long Term Success ]]>  
At Majorel, we have a global workforce of more than 50,000 in 29 countries, so the challenge was unique. During the transitional phase, it quickly became apparent that it’s crucial to ensure policies and technology usage are not temporary using four key steps: technology set-up, managing and motivating people virtually, ongoing training, and recruiting the right talent in the first place.
 
Each step in the process also has implications for the future, as customer service will rely on the flexibility to work from anywhere.  More than 40% of millennials, who now make up the largest generation in the workforce, say flexibility to work from anywhere is a priority when evaluating job opportunities.
 
Step 1: Set up the necessary technical and legal conditions to enable representatives to execute their roles efficiently and effectively
 
There are several challenges associated with transitioning customer service teams to a home setting. Together with legal safeguards and data protection issues, businesses need to assess the technological requirements that the employee has access to at home. Do they have a strong internet connection that’s secure? Is there a private area of the home that the representative can work from to ensure customer privacy? Is personal hardware sufficient or do new devices need to be purchased?
 
Depending on the answers to these questions, private devices can be set up for professional use by IT through remote desktop solutions such as a VPN. Or, if private devices aren’t suitable, new PCs, laptops, and mobile phones will need to be purchased. Legal conditions must also be considered, particularly for highly regulated businesses like banking and insurance. Arrangements need to be made to ensure all data is properly protected and compliance precautions are in place.
 
Step 2: To help manage remote teams, transition processes to the virtual world to ensure consistent communication with customer service staff
 
After technical and legal factors have been sorted out and implemented, the next step is to set up processes for managing a remote customer service team with the goal of maintaining and promoting communication by managers and between representatives. Remote work eliminates a lot of informal communication—such as saying hello to co-workers in the morning—but this type of communication is essential for teams to feel motivated every day.
 
Managers and team leaders should schedule regular one-on-one check-ins with staff to maintain a regular connection. Businesses should also use communication tools to help support regular team conversations that go beyond chat—think video and calling capabilities. Collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams also help staff to share important documents and reports while making the process easy and seamless. With these measures, businesses can maintain and improve team cohesion, staff morale, and productivity in a remote setting.
                                                                                                       
Step 3: Ensure new employees are well-trained and must-know information is current
 
When training can’t be done on-site, it must take place digitally. Training materials will have to be revised and adapted for virtual training along with the use of online tools to ensure training modules can be viewed by staff at home. One factor to keep in mind is that since representatives will be participating in trainings remotely, it can be tedious without direct face-to-face interaction, so make sure that modules aren’t too long and are easily digestible.
 
To truly make virtual training a success, businesses also need to decide the requirements for training software, which should factor in security, user-friendliness, and reporting capabilities. Software that isn’t time-consuming to install tends to have the most success. That way, representatives can participate in the training they need, such as new brand updates, and focus the majority of their time on servicing customer inquiries.
 
Step 4: Find long-term ways to recruit new employees via online channels and to map the application process entirely online
 
Setting up customer service for long term success doesn’t just mean catering to the current workforce, it also applies to recruitment. Over the last several months, several sectors have seen exponential increases in customer inquiry volumes—the airline industry alone has seen a 199% increase in customer service calls. To help fill hundreds and thousands of jobs within the growing customer service industry, video communication tools are a key technology asset—applicants can speak directly with recruiters when in-person interviews are no longer an option. Other aspects of the application process that should become digital include testing customer service applicants on their phone and digital skills. For example, technology can simulate a chat window interaction to help businesses assess this important skill for representatives.
 
A glimpse into the future of customer service
 
Following these four key steps to support remote work preparation, management, training, and recruitment will allow companies to realize business continuity and continue to provide a high level of service to customers. As the industry moves forward with the “new normal” of work, it will be that much more possible for representatives to work from home, especially with the right policies, processes and technology in place. The flexibility that remote work provides will also open the door to attract new talent who are looking to work in customer service without having to commute into an office. Overall, the transition of customer service teams to remote settings has several benefits, and by following the aforementioned four steps, businesses can set themselves up for long-term success and remain competitive.
 
About the Author
Fara Haron is the CEO North America, Ireland and Southeast Asia & EVP Global Clients at Majorel. She leads a rapidly growing team of customer service professionals helping companies with their global customer service strategy, providing top-notch customer engagement to some of the world’s largest and most respected brands.
 
 ]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2020 07:08:25 GMT