Leaders in Customer Loyalty, Powered by Loyalty360

Send us a textEstablished in the 1970s in rural Alberta, Canada, Parkland has become a leading convenience and fuel marketer across the country. Expansion throughout Canada and into the United States and the Caribbean has been driven mostly through acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Parkland is preparing to launch its loyalty program in Puerto Rico.With over 1 million customers served every day across 4,000+ retail locations operating under the field brands of Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas Plus, RaceTrac, Superpumper, Ultramar, On the Run, and Esso, as well as under Sol Petroleum internationally, the brand’s rural beginnings in Alberta have led to global success. Parkland is now in 25 countries.Acquisitions in Canada, such as major frozen food retailer M&M Food Market, have allowed Parkland to bring even more choices to members of its Journie™ Rewards program while moving fuel customers from the frontcourt to the backcourt. At the pump, strategic partnerships offer even more benefits for members. Customers with a CIBC bank credit card, when linked to a Journie Rewards account, receive an automatic three-cent-per-liter discount on every fill-up at any of Parkland’s field brands.Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Michael McDowell, Vice President of Loyalty Programs and Partnerships at Parkland, about the different experiences of approaching loyalty from an agency perspective versus the brand side, satisfying loyalty program members through early benefits, and opportunities for Parkland and its loyalty program.

Send us a textA well-known name in customer loyalty for years, ICF Next recently announced exciting news for the company as the result of the sale of its commercial marketing group to private equity firm Cohere Capital, rebranding to Phaedon. With the team's core leadership and expert teams remaining intact, the newly introduced Phaedon is forward focused on helping clients enhance their customer experiences and develop stronger loyalty strategies.  Loyalty360 spoke with Kris Tremaine, CEO of Phaedon, and Tom Madden, Executive Vice President, to learn more about the rebrand and get their take on the top loyalty trends.  

Send us a textKnown originally as Buffalo Wings and Rings, the Wings and Rings first opened its doors in 1984 in Cincinnati, OH, with four locations. Entrepreneurs Nader Masadeh, Phillip Schram, and Haytham David bought the properties in 2005 with an eye to combining their mutual love of sports and delicious chicken wings. The modern-day Wings and Rings chain was born.​With over 85 locations, the franchise has been named to FSR Magazine’s Top 25 NextGen List, which honors fast-casual dining chains leading the next generation of quick service dining and 1851 Franchise Magazine’s list of Top 25 Chicken Restaurants for 2023. Its growth and success can be attributed to a promise to serve quality fresh — never frozen — chicken, onion rings, and burgers, a commitment to tech innovation, and its focus on listening to customers and providing them with new and innovative rewards for their loyalty and patronage.      Recently, Loyalty360 CEO Mark Johnson spoke with Wing’s and Rings Associate VP of Marketing, Linsey Case, to discuss how the chain is thriving in post-pandemic consumerism, its straightforward loyalty program, and what the brand sees on the horizon for technology in its industry.Read the full interview on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/technology-makes-it-easier-a-q-a-with-wings-and-rings-on-loyalty-programs-and-improved-customer-eng

Send us a textAristocrat was founded in Sydney, Australia, in the 1950s as a gaming provider. Expansion followed in the next two decades, bringing the first five-reel slot machine to Europe and the U.S. By 1979, the all-electronic game, Wild West, arrived on the gaming scene. Fast-forward to the 1980s, and machine leasing leads to significant growth for the company.In the 2000s, Aristocrat began to operate in Nevada and continued to grow. Within the first two decades of the 21st century, Aristocrat built a global mobile business, and the worldwide gaming brand was relaunched as Aristocrat Gaming. Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Vanessa Lisnard, Program Manager of Commercial Strategy at Aristocrat Gaming, about the Reel Returns B2B loyalty program, tailoring communication to match customers’ jurisdictions, and a post-COVID shift in customer spending.  Read the full interview on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/a-game-winning-approach-a-q-a-with-aristocrat-on-building-b2b-customer-loyalty

Send us a textWith years of customer loyalty experience, the team at Marigold (formerly Cheetah Digital) has a strong pulse on the current customer loyalty landscape. In 2022, Marigold surveyed 1500+ U.S. consumers to better understand their sentiment toward brand loyalty and what they expect from their favorite brands. In an era of economic uncertainty, quickly evolving technologies, but a consistent interest in customer loyalty strategies, where are the most valuable areas for brands to focus their resources?  Loyalty360 sat down with Roger Williams, Head of Loyalty Center of Excellence at Marigold to dive into the state of customer loyalty, talk about changes in the loyalty industry, the importance of personalization, and the future of customer loyalty programs.

Send us a textFor over 75 years, Best Western Hotels has inspired guests to travel through unique experiences and comfortable stays. The company’s success comes from its team’s caring spirit and a deep commitment to providing guests with excellent service.Best Western Hotels & Resorts has led the hospitality industry with its wide brand of hotels across the United States and 100 countries and territories. The hotel brand has received high praise for its customer loyalty program for guest satisfaction and has garnered several loyalty industry awards like the Tripadvisor® Travelers’ Choice Award and Newsweek’s America’s Best Loyalty Programs of 2023.Larry Cuculic, the President and CEO of Best Western Hotels, talks about his history with the global hospitality brand and how it has developed key partnerships with like-minded organizations and innovative loyalty rewards incentives to stay ahead of the competition. CEO of Loyalty360, Mark Johnson, sat down with Cuculic to discuss how customer service improves customer loyalty and lasting memories.Read the full interview on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/exceeding-travelers-expectations-a-q-a-with-best-western-hotels-on-leadership-customer-loyalty-a

Send us a textHilton, founded in 1919 by visionary Conrad Hilton, is an iconic brand recognized worldwide. From its humble beginnings in Cisco, TX, the brand’s innovative leadership, dedicated team members, devotion to delivering the best possible stay for guests, and drive to create extraordinary customer experiences have gone on to change the world of hospitality.  That passion remains part of the global hospitality company’s practice today and is reflected in the brand’s values: Hospitality, Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Ownership, and Now — operating with a sense of urgency. In other words, Hilton. Beyond its award-winning Hilton Honors customer loyalty program, the brand continues to explore opportunities to understand and celebrate its members and guests through special experiences and unique benefits. Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Jenn Chick, Senior Vice President & Global Head, Hilton Honors & Customer Engagement, about the upcoming National Woman Road Warrior Day, how the company leverages women in leadership, and how Hilton makes it easier to bring families along on the journey — even when traveling for business.  Read the full interview on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/celebrating-women-who-travel-a-q-a-with-hilton-s-jenn-chick-about-national-woman-road-warrior-day-a

Send us a textParkland traces its beginning back to a single retail location established in the 1970s in rural Alberta, Canada. For the next four and a half decades, in addition to establishing its own fuel station chain, the brand further grew through a series of acquisitions, including a number of retail fuel operations, a refinery in British Columbia, and most recently, a major frozen food retailer, M&M Food Market. Parkland Corporation has expanded across Canada and the United States, and into the Caribbean. The company now boasts over 4,000 global retail and commercial locations.In Canada and the U.S., the company operates under the familiar field brands of Chevron, Pioneer, Fas Gas Plus, RaceTrac, Superpumper, Ultramar, and Esso. Internationally, Parkland operates mostly under the Sol brand. Additionally, Parkland has the rights to the On the Run brand in Canada and the U.S. The fuel distributor and retailer serves over one million customers with fuel, convenience store items, and refreshments every day. Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Derek Wiedl, Director of Loyalty at Parkland, about the brand’s Journie™ Rewards program, building customer loyalty in a space where drivers make choices based on fuel price and location, and the value of strategic partnerships ranging from banking to air travel.  Read the full interview on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/turning-left-or-right-a-q-a-with-parkland-on-creating-customer-loyalty-in-the-retail-fuel-space

Send us a textLendingClub® was founded in two unlikely ways. First, it began during the Great Recession of 2007, when banks were not issuing loans because of the economic climate. Second, it started as a Facebook app connecting users with personal lenders. But its model disrupted the personal loan industry. At a time when banks were looking out for their own interests, LendingClub® was working to take care of its members. The company focuses its efforts on developing financial health in its members. With this focus, it provides a range of perks, benefits, and support to build space in members’ budgets and put cash in their pockets. One of its primary resources is the Stackit rewards program, which uses customer data to automatically deliver discounts and cashback on purchases. Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, spoke with Amber Carroll, SVP, Membership & Lifecycle Marketing for LendingClub®, about the brand’s customer loyalty initiatives, how it continues to disrupt the industry, and how Stackit uses personalization to drive engagement with the program.  

Send us a textLoyalty360's Mark Johnson interviews Kim Welther, Baesman, to discuss the trends in customer loyalty and customer experience, and the changing industry landscape.