"Airline loyalty innovation died in 1960.” - Mark Ross-Smith   In this episode of Data Chats, Chris Richardson sits down with Mark Ross-Smith, an award-winning leader in the airline loyalty industry, for an insider’s perspective on how airlines use data analytics to optimize their loyalty programs.   Mark Ross-Smith is CEO and co-founder of statusmatch.com and the editor of traveldatadaily.com >> read the Cathay Pacific Churn Analysis Case Study.   Mark shares how airlines drive revenue through elite status flyers and co-branded credit cards. He explains the metrics airlines track to increase share of wallet and prevent churn. He also advises how airlines could innovate loyalty programs with data to build emotional connections and make flying more personalized and joyful for customers.   In this wide-ranging discussion, Mark covers:

• The business model behind the profitability of airline loyalty programs
• The disproportionate value of top-tier elites and credit cardholders
• How customer data reveals motivations and future behaviors
• Why loyalty innovation has stagnated and advice to spur progress
• How better use of data ultimately benefits customers’ lives

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