Leaders in Customer Loyalty, Powered by Loyalty360

Send us a textTravel rewards have become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people taking advantage of the opportunity to earn points and miles on their everyday spending. According to a recent survey by NerdWallet, 41% of Americans have at least one travel rewards credit card. The variety of travel rewards programs in the market allows consumers to choose rewards that fit their lifestyle and build loyalty with brands they identify with. s have at least one travel rewards credit card. The variety of travel rewards programs in the market allows consumers to choose rewards that fit their lifestyle and build loyalty with brands they identify with.  BWH Hotels has accommodated travelers and listened to their needs for over 75 years. At the core of this diverse portfolio of brands, including Best Western, is a commitment to exceptional customer experience. BWH's recent initiatives, including the launch of two new co-branded credit cards in partnership with Mercury Financial and Visa, highlight their commitment to meeting the evolving needs of customers and helping them stand out in the competitive hospitality market. These credit cards offer a variety of benefits tailored to both frequent and occasional travelers.   "We are excited that this will make travel experiences more possible for our cardholders and our members," said Jay Hubbs, Vice President of Advertising, Marketing, Innovation and Analytics at BWH Hotel Group. "Our partnership combines the expertise of Mercury Financial and Visa with our award-winning Best Western Rewards loyalty program." Read the full article on Loyalty360 here: https://loyalty360.org/content-gallery/in-depth-exclusives/bwh-hotels-elevating-customer-loyalty-and-inspiring-travel

Send us a textIn our latest edition of Loyalty Live, Loyalty360, speaks with Shamba Schmidt, Vice President, Solution Consulting at Epsilon. As a global marketing and data technology company known for its innovative approach to loyalty solutions and data-driven customer engagement, Epsilon leverages its extensive data repository and robust data practices to help brands forge meaningful and personalized connections with their customers.Listen to learn more about how Epsilon enables brands to harness data to drive loyalty, from enhancing customer profiles to implementing customized loyalty strategies that resonate with today’s consumers.

Send us a textDesigning an enterprise-level loyalty program from scratch is challenging on its own, but doing so for a large franchise organization like Supercuts—spanning 1,900 locations with over 400 local loyalty initiatives—raises the stakes even higher.Despite the daunting nature of the project, leadership at Supercuts saw an opportunity to build on the brand’s existing culture of customer loyalty. With a culture centered on customer connections, they leveraged guest feedback as a guide throughout the process. These details- the holistic approach and the culture- are table stakes needed within an organization to lay foundational guideposts to create a successful and personalized customer loyalty strategy.  Loyalty360 CEO Mark Johnson recently spoke with Michelle DeVore, Sr. Vice President and Head of Marketing for Regis Corporations, parent company of Supercuts, who is responsible for the launch of the Supercuts for Reward Program. Their discussion touches on several fundamental principles in building a successful loyalty program and best practices that can apply to any industry.

Send us a textArtificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) continue to be top of mind as marketers are leveraging AI and ML in a variety of ways to improve their customer loyalty programs and strategies. Integration of these technologies into day-to-day workflows is a challenge for many brands, especially when considering potential roadblocks from limited budgets, internal resources, and the ability for these innovative technologies to complement brands’ existing marketing technology stacks.Loyalty360 CEO Mark Johnson recently spoke with Monique De La Rosa. VP, Data Science and Analytics at Ansira, about the opportunities AI and ML present to elevate customer loyalty programs with more seamless and personalized experiences.

Send us a textThe philosophy “the customer is always right” drives many marketers to value client, patron, and guest feedback.  Piada Italian Street Food, known for its fresh Italian-inspired menu, has steadily expanded since its founding in 2010, now operating in seven states with plans for continued growth. The brand has made it a priority to listen closely to customer feedback, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance both its on-site and digital experiences. As loyalty programs evolve, Piada has embraced gamification, flexible reward redemption, and exclusive offers to engage guests more deeply.  Loyalty360 recently spoke with Jason Profitt, VP of Technology at Piada Italian Street Food, about their latest loyalty program updates aimed at delivering a more personalized, seamless experience for customers. 

Send us a textWhen a large financial institution decides to enhance the construction of its customer loyalty program, it can be challenging. Yet repositioning a program in a highly competitive Canadian market where large coalition programs are inter-matched with traditional brand-based customer loyalty efforts can be even more daunting. One of the ways to measure how brands enhance customer loyalty efforts is to look at the program’s metrics and KPIs. Another is to take home multiple awards at Loyalty360’s 2024 Loyalty Expo. Nothing says success quite like the recognition from your peers within the customer loyalty industry!To learn more about this award-winning program, Loyalty360 recently spoke with Avery Miller, VP of Avion Rewards Digital Product, at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). Miller “grew up” in the financial services industry in the payment space, working for a relatively large issuer in the U.S. He joined RBC about two years ago to lead the digital product for their freshly revamped Avion Rewards. In this interview, Miller discusses the award-winning Avion Rewards program, creating emotional loyalty, and growing relationships with non-RBC clients.  

Send us a textFounded in 1993, The Lacek Group designs, builds, and maintains loyalty programs for top brands across the globe. As part of the Ogilvy network, the Lacek team converts disconnected tech stacks and processes into successful CRM programs powered by data-driven strategies. The company helps brands deliver relevant messaging at scale across channels to ensure connected, seamless experiences. The company works across a broad range of industries, including travel, financial services, hospitality, cruise lines, QSR, retail, automotive, health care, telecommunications, CPG, and more. Loyalty360 spoke with Todd Hedberg, Senior Director of Digital Strategy at The Lacek Group. Hedberg has been with Lacek for just over three years and is still relatively new to the marketing side. He defines customer loyalty as an opportunity to strengthen customer bonds—both emotionally and transactionally—in every customer interaction. Hedberg and the Lacek team aspire to help clients achieve brand devotion with their customers.In this article, Hedberg discusses working with clients to achieve deeper personalization, how artificial intelligence and machine learning fit into the equation, and going deeper to mine individual customer preferences.

Send us a textInspired by its San Antonio roots, Church’s Texas Chicken® has served flavorful fried chicken for over 72 years. Founded by George W. Church in a location across the street from the iconic Alamo, the restaurant was first known as Church’s Fried Chicken To-Go®. Today, there are 800 Church’s locations in the U.S., spanning 25 states plus Washington D.C. Outside of the U.S., the brand is known as Texas Chicken® and can be found in more than 23 countries and regions, including Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, the Middle East, and more.   Loyalty360 recently spoke with Jessica Wu-McConnell, Vice President Digital and Loyalty at Church’s. With just over a year at the brand, Wu-McConnell’s role is to ensure guests are presented with the easiest, fastest, and most rewarding ways to enjoy Church’s menu.  In this interview, Wu-McConnell discusses the newly launched Church’s REAL REWARDSTM program, prioritizing a true omnichannel experience to better serve all guests, and educating team members so they can communicate the value of the program.  

Send us a textFounded in 2008, WillowTree was built on a heritage of mobile applications. While the company still engages in much of that work, it’s grown into other areas in support of brands, including strategy and consulting, data and artificial intelligence (AI), digital marketing, loyalty program design, and more. WillowTree works alongside brands to develop successful loyalty programs and, in many cases, administers them. The company works in a variety of industries, including Financial Services, Health Care, Telecom, Travel and Hospitality, Food Service, and Retail and Consumer Goods, among others.  Loyalty360 spoke with Caitlin Watson, Partner, Marketing Services, and David Shaw, VP, Business Development, at WillowTree. Watson has been with the company for the last three years, helping to develop the company’s marketing services department—specifically in the areas of loyalty, strategy, and technology—while also working to build out MarTech services, CRM, lifecycle, and all elements of the customer journey. Shaw has led insight and strategy teams for his whole career. At WillowTree, he leverages his experience in strategy development to help determine how the company can go to market with individual companies and with specific vertical strategies—many of which involve loyalty.

Send us a textFounded by William Carter, children’s apparel retailer Carter’s is nearly a 165-year-old company that helps parents navigate parenthood. Today, the company operates more than 1,000 stores worldwide. Carter’s family of brands—including Carter’s, OshKosh B’gosh, Little Planet, and Skip Hop—are recognized across the globe and available online and in Carter’s owned stores, while exclusive lines can be found at the brand’s retail partners, such as Walmart, Target, and Amazon.   To learn about the recent updates to Carter’s loyalty program and how the brand is intentionally addressing the challenges and perceptions of parenthood, Loyalty360 spoke with Jeff Jenkins, CMO at Carter’s. Jenkins is an acclaimed marketing professional with extensive experience in multiple industries and has been with Carter’s for five years. In his role, he oversees marketing, brand strategy, customer insights, business intelligence, communications, creative, visual merchandising, PR and customer service experience, and more. In this interview, Jenkins discusses the concept behind the “More Than Just Cute” campaign, appealing to the next generation of customers, and how platform integration needs to work in a martech stack to create a seamless customer experience.