It's no secret that the power of social media lies in the connections it creates. More companies, however, are also realizing that good social CRM connections can improve their bottom line as well.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is a case in point. The company's Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program... Read More

It’s a phrase echoed by brands in their quest to attract and retain customers, yet, in talking with marketers across myriad industries, we realized that it’s a concept that is often very misunderstood.

However, it is the key to building and maintaining strong, sustainable, and profitable customer relationships.

... Read More

Guest experience is well recognized in the industry as the primary driver of loyalty. The Zagat 2012 America’s Top Restaurants Survey found that service – at which consumers are still looking more critically than anything else in a restaurant – continues to be the main complaint of a 66 percent of diners. Further, a recent... Read More

First there was the Smart Phone…. Then there was mobile messaging…. mobile coupons .... mobile loyalty program apps. What's the next mobile marketing trend?  It may very well be QR Codes.

Short for "quick response," a QR code links online content to a mobile device. The barcode type graphic can hold... Read More

Does your loyalty program promote loyalty?

While your initial response may very well be “of course it does”, I encourage you to give this question more thought.

If yours is like most hotels, chances are your loyalty program focuses on the accumulation and redemption of points. Accrue points in return for free... Read More

In this week’s guest post, Mark Johnson, President and CEO of Loyalty 360 – the loyalty marketer's association – gives us his insights to the association’s first year and what loyalty marketing really means.

Many of today’s marketers rely on loyalty programs to improve customer relationships and experiences. In fact, a majority of loyalty program marketers use this tool to manage customer retention and increase revenue, according to a survey conducted by Kobie Marketing.

During a recent Loyalty 360 webinar titled: Read More

Two levels of collaboration:

1. Collaboration among Loyalty Partners

While companies continue to spend well over $1.3 billion on loyalty programs, most do not tap into their full potential. This is primarily because they have a Field of Dreams “if you build it they will come” mentality. Yes, guests... Read More

Membership in hotel loyalty programs reached 176.8 million, making up one-third of total loyalty program membership. With most programs having a zero entry fee, this number may well reflect the fact that many travelers join multiple programs just to have the basic membership benefits. Their allegiance to a program is, however, often trumped... Read More

Paperless receipts are the wave of the future. Major banks email customers ATM slips. Mobile vendors send you e-receipts to your inbox. The number of retails stores offering customers electronic invoices is exploding. Shaleighne Murphy sends e-receipts at her store, "More customers are opting to receive their receipts via email because it... Read More

Each time you pay with plastic your bank is watching, analyzing and calculating every move you make. That's right…and we found your bank may be using your purchases to lure you into spending more money.

When Oren Milgram opened his most recent credit card statement he found coupon offers mixed in with the rest of his... Read More