Let's Talk Loyalty

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.I’m delighted to be today meeting with another Fortune 500 brand as we meet with Bank of America, one the world's largest banks.According to its latest annual report, Bank of America now serves approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients, and surpassed $100 billion in revenue in 2024, with net income in excess of $27 BILLION.As part of the bank’s celebrations for the ten year anniversary of its Preferred Rewards program, I am joined today by Shikha Narula, the Managing Director, Head of Consumer & Small Business Product Strategy, Transformation and Rewards at Bank of America.Shikha shares some of their key achievements including a membership base of over 11 million members, a 99% retention rate, and some of their flagship partnerships such as their coffee / cash-back program with Starbucks in the US market.Shikha also shares how their award-winning Preferred Rewards program really differs from other programs in the financial services industry.Please enjoy our conversation.Show Notes:1) Shikha Narula2) Bank of America3) Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program4) Coffee, meet Cash Back - Bank of America Promotion | Starbucks Rewards5) Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less (Book)

Today I'm chatting with Don Smith - well known to many of you for his role as the Chief Consulting Officer of Brierley which is now a Capillary Services Company.Don shares his expertise around optimising some of the common KPI’s for loyalty professionals, the importance of the “mental mantle” of loyalty, as well as some of the big nuggets he learned from the recent Capillary Captivate Conference in Mumbai.As one of the loyalty industry’s most respected brands, I’m thrilled to bring you some of Brierley’s unique frameworks and perspectives that can help us all build better programs. We also discuss Capillary's most recent news as they acquire Kognitiv Corporation, to enhance both their client portfolio and their position in the US market. Please enjoy our conversation.This episode is sponsored by Capillary Technologies. Show notes:1) Don Smith2) Brierley3) Capillary Captivate Conference4) An Economic Theory of Democracy (Book)

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.This episode celebrates Comarch which has become our new title sponsor for Loyalty TV, and we are thrilled to announce this as our biggest partnership so far of 2025.Sponsoring Loyalty TV is how Comarch is showcasing its ambition to be recognised worldwide as the go-to partner for loyalty professionals.In today’s episode, Paula Thomas is joined in studio by Marlena Polrola and Joanna Witsch, both based here in Dubai with Comarch’s Middle East team.Marlena and Joanna will share why you should be following, learning from and talking to Comarch throughout your loyalty journey, including some real examples of the scale and success of their loyalty projects worldwide over more than 30 years so far.Episode sponsored by Comarch. Show Notes :1) Marlena Polrola2) Joanna Witsch3) Comarch4) The Five Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom (Book)5) Loyalty Program and the Currency Effect : A Comprehensive Guide to Realizing the Power of Points (Book)

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.I’m thrilled to be announcing a new member of the Let's Talk Loyalty family as we continue to grow our network of guest hosts around the world.Today’s announcement is incredibly exciting as we’re being joined by someone who has led one of the biggest airline loyalty programs in the United States.Bridget Blaise-Shamai is most notably a former President of the American Airlines Advantage Program, the award winning travel rewards program of American Airlines, which of course includes leadership responsibility for the entire proposition and partnerships portfolio, where she led a team of over 700 professionals to deliver that world-class program.Bridget has also worked at V. Group, a leading global shipping services firm, as well as serving as an advisory board member to several loyalty and payments start-ups.She is also a guest speaker at Universities on how to affect consumer preference, loyalty/digital marketing and data analytics.Today Bridget is bringing more than 25 years expertise in loyalty and leadership roles to Let’s Talk Loyalty and Loyalty TV, where she will be hosting monthly episodes featuring guests from various lifestyle programs and industries across the United States.Please enjoy our conversation.Show Notes:1) Bridget Blaise-Shamai 2) The Pillars of The Earth -Ken Follett (Book)3) Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drive Our Success (Book)

This episode is available in audio format on our Let's Talk Loyalty podcast and in video format on www.Loyalty.TV.For a masterclass in gamification, you can enjoy Yu-Kai Chou’s down to earth interview with Amanda Cromhout about gamification and his Octalysis Framework. He is the Founding Partner of The Octalysis Group and the creator of The Octalysis Framework which has been translated into 16 different languages, serving not only the commercial work but also academia. This interview highlights the impact gamification can have on customer engagement and the commercial results it drives in loyalty programmes. Yu-Kai Chou leaves us with three case studies of Porsche, Latam Airlines and La Quinta hotel group, all of which boast positive results worth taking note of.Show Notes 1) Yu-Kai Chou2)Amanda Cromhout3)The Octalysis Group4) Actionable Gamification by Yu-Kai Chou (Book)5) 10,000 Hours of Play by Yu-Kai Chou (Book)6) Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (Book)

Juan Restrepo, leader of retail media strategy at OXXO and former Google executive, shares his insights on monetizing loyalty programs. He delves into the powerful synergy between retail media and loyalty initiatives, emphasizing the importance of consumer data in crafting personalized experiences that foster long-term loyalty. The discussion also highlights innovative marketing strategies, the role of AI in optimizing communication, and the critical need for clarity in mission to drive both customer engagement and growth.

Carly Neubauer, Managing Director of Elevate Loyalty and OneTap Group, introduces two leading strategists from Mando Connect—Charlie Hills and James Davies. Together, they bring a wealth of experience in loyalty strategy and analytics, shedding light on their collaborative work in the loyalty space.Charlie Hills is the Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder of Mando-Connect, WPP’s specialist agency for partnerships, loyalty, promotions, and rewards. As a passionate advocate for loyalty, she co-hosts Let’s Talk Loyalty, authors multiple white papers on loyalty and promotions, and serves as an Editor at Large for the Wise Marketer.James Davies, Senior Strategist and Analyst, specializes in loyalty and reward analytics, partnerships strategy, and consumer insight. With his expertise, he works alongside Charlie to produce cutting-edge research, including the third edition of the “Understanding Loyalty in Europe” white paper. This white paper explores membership, appeal, and impact across 24 European markets, marking a leading study in the field of loyalty.Show notes:1) Charlie Hills2) James Davies3) Mando-Connect4) YouGov5) Understanding Loyalty in Europe 3.0 - Whitepaper6) Knowledge is Beautiful - Book7) Zero to One Notes on Start Ups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel - Book****************************This episode is sponsored by Phaedon.Visit their website to learn more about how they're powering the world's most beloved loyalty programs at www.wearephaedon.com

Join Martina Lipp, a loyalty expert renowned for her transformative work at Disney, as she delves into the secret sauce of fan engagement. Discover how she revamped Disney's loyalty program, creating a seamless omni-channel experience that captivates superhero, Pixar, and Star Wars fans alike. Martina highlights the importance of personalization and the balance between innovation and customer trust. She also shares insights from her journey in the loyalty space and discusses influential business literature that shapes leadership and marketing strategies.

In this episode Bill speaks with CLMP™ and recognized industry figure, Steve Allmen, EVP, Strategy and Partnerships, Canadian Automobile Association. Steve is guiding marketing efforts for this large membership organization. His insights in this conversation will shed light on strategies and tactics to grow loyalty and engagement across large member groups and change the way you think about Membership Loyalty. Hosted by Bill Hanifin.Show notes:1) Steve Allmen2) Canadian Automobile Association3) Bill Hanifin4) The Wise Marketer5) Life: Keith Richards (Book)****************************This episode is sponsored by Phaedon.Visit their website to learn more about how they're powering the world's most beloved loyalty programs at www.wearephaedon.com

In this episode Charlie Hills interviews Amanda Cromhout, the CEO and Founder of Truth. Based in South Africa, Truth is a boutique consulting business specialising in customer centricity and customer loyalty programmes. Amanda is also a proud co-host for Let’s Talk Loyalty!Today we will be learning about her favourite book and loyalty programmes, her background in loyalty and the highlights and key learnings from her new research report on loyalty in South Africa - The Truth and Brand Mapp Loyalty White Paper. It’s the only study of its kind in South Africa which is a renowned mature loyalty market.Hosted by Charlie Hills.Show notes:1) Blind Loyalty Trust2) Truth Loyalty Whitepaper download3) Amanda Cromhout Loyalty 4) Follow Amanda Cromhout on Instagram5)The Wealth Money Can't Buy: The 8 Hidden Habits to Live Your Richest Life6) Becoming SuperNatural **********************************************************************************This episode is sponsored by Phaedon.Visit their website to learn more about how they're powering the world's most beloved loyalty programs at www.wearephaedon.com