Let's Talk Loyalty

Vodafone is renowned internationally as an innovative telecommunications network, operating in many of the world's most competitive markets such as the UK.

With a laser focus on customer retention and loyalty, the "Very Me Rewards" programme was launched in 2018, leveraging a portfolio of partnerships and personalised rewards, including almost 30 million rewards redeemed in just two short years.

Camilo Courtenay talks us through their award-winning customer loyalty proposition, as well as their recent gifting strategy which leverages customer feedback to build emotional loyalty with customers and their family and friends - even if they are not on the Vodafone network themselves.

Enjoy this episode and insights on "Very Me Rewards" to learn how to build loyalty in the ultra-competitive utilities sector in the UK.

Show Notes:

1) Camilo Courtenay - Loyalty Product Manager (VeryMe Rewards @ Vodafone)

2) Very Me Rewards - Vodafone UK's Loyalty Programme

As winner of the "B2B Marketer of the Year" award, Margaret Molloy is recognised globally as a marketing thought leader. She is the Chief Marketing Officer of Siegel + Gale, a top global branding firm based in New York renowned for delivering global insights through its annual Simplicity Index.

In this interview, we explore how simplicity drives business performance and enhances the customer experience. We also discuss the role of brands in the customer journey, as well as the power shift from buyers to users, employee loyalty and some intriguing statistics that help explain the role of simplicity in driving consumer loyalty.

Margaret is a true believer of keeping things simple, and she highlights how Covid-19 has made it even more important for brands to simplify.

We also discuss the role and impact of GEN Z on current marketing trends, and characteristics that define this critical consumer segment including the crucial role they play in the future loyalty market.

Listen to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty to understand how simplicity is as an increasingly powerful (yet underestimated) factor that drives loyalty in every business.

We also announce the winner of the first ever Loyalty Academy Scholarship Competition in partnership with our friends in the Loyalty Academy!

Show Notes:

1) Margaret Molloy: Chief Marketing Officer - Siegel + Gale

2) Margaret Molloy on Twitter - twitter.com/margaretmolloy

3) World's Simplest Brands website

4) Simplicity at Work study

5) How CMOs Commit newsletter

6) How CMOs Commit podcast

7) Future of Branding Events page

8) Siegel + Gale

9) “In their words” article by Siegel+Gale: The skills used by global CMOs to navigate COVID-19

10) Gen Z and Brand Building podcast episode

Pavel Los is the Global Loyalty Manager for Shell, the world-renowned oil company running loyalty programmes in 21 countries.

Shell recently topped the leader board at the Loyalty Magazine Awards, winning awards for Shell Go+ in the UK, as well as Shell Club Smart programme in China that integrates with the WeChat platform. Pavel talks us through those value propositions and also shares some insights around the use of carbon offset programmes in key markets such as the Netherlands and the UK.

With the increasingly role of loyalty programme to protect commercial revenue, Pavel shares the key statistics and loyalty metrics that Shell focuses on from their central team of loyalty subject matter experts.

We also discuss the concept of coalitions and the important ingredients for success for any brand when it comes to marketing partnerships.

Listen to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty for a truly global loyalty perspective from one of the world's leading retailers.

Show Notes:

1) Pavel Los - Global Loyalty Manager Shell

2) Shell Go+ - Shell's new UK Loyalty Programme

3) Shell Clubsmart - China

As a former Creative Director and senior board director of Saatchi & Saatchi, Dr Chris Arnold is a business strategist, innovative thinker and a "proudly dyslexic" champion of thinking differently.

With a deeply held belief in the power of community, Dr Chris highlights the challenges of relying on digital marketing and short-term measurable metrics that limit the full potential of a truly customer-centric mindset.

Dr Chris reminds us of the power of communities as a way to create true customer loyalty, including the opportunity to connect our loyal customers with each other in a way that builds powerful brands and businesses.

Show Notes:

1) Dr Chris Arnold

2) Connect 2 UK

Every year, loyalty marketers around the world send off their programmes to compete with the best in the industry for the annual Loyalty Magazine Awards.

With 23 categories, the entries are carefully evaluated by a panel of loyalty experts from around the world and one winner gets to celebrate being the best in the world in their industry or region!

In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, I interview Annich McIntosh, CEO of the Loyalty Magazine Awards about the great entries that came out on top this year, as well as the very special Loyalty Magazine Awards 2020 online global party. Loyalty Magazine is a leading international title providing coverage of the world loyalty business.

We also discuss some of the key trends she's seeing in the world of loyalty as an industry commentator and expert.

Show Notes:

1) Annich McIntosh, CEO of the Loyalty Magazine Awards

2) Loyalty Magazine Awards

As customers respond to our dramatically different world, trust is becoming an essential ingredient in business, not just to ensure customer loyalty, but to ensure business survival.

In its fascinating reports on the "New Customer", KPMG reveal some dramatic findings - for example, 91% of customers do NOT want to return to the pre-Covid world.

Listen to this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, as Nathan Beaver, Partner at KPMG UK, shares the latest insights on the "integrity economy", and how consumer behaviour is evolving, as well as the principles that loyalty programme managers need to keep in mind to connect with, and keep their most valuable customers.

Show Notes:

1) Customer Connections in Uncertain Times

2) Meet Your New Customer. The UK Customer Experience Excellence report 2020

3) Customer Connections: Competing in the New Reality

Let's Talk Loyalty is one year old on August 22nd so today we are celebrating!

It’s been an incredible roller-coaster year, filled with fun, extra-ordinary guests, incredible sponsors and partners and of course an amazing audience so I’m truly grateful for every listener and every message of support that you've sent.

To celebrate our first birthday, this episode features my first competition in partnership with my friends in the Loyalty Academy – offering one lucky listener the chance to enjoy a FREE Loyalty Academy Scholarship worth $1,750!

Show Notes:

To enter the competition, simply sign up to our newsletter here: http://letstalkloyalty.com/competition/

Etihad Guest is the loyalty program for Etihad Airways - the flag carrier of the UAE, based in Abu Dhabi.

With over 7 million members, re-launched in November 2019, the Guest programme has continued to innovate, finding new ways to reward members who are keen to stay connected while staying home.

This episode features Kim Hardaker, a self-confessed "data nerd" who shares a compelling loyalty statistic and then explains their new and extra-ordinary "world of thoughtfulness" campaign - a great example of building emotional loyalty at a challenging time.

This episode is sponsored by Valuedynamx (Part of Collinson Group)

Show Notes:

1) Kim Hardaker - Head of Etihad Guest programme

2) Etihad Guest - Loyalty Programme of Etihad Airways.

3) Etihad Guest relaunches award winning Etihad Guest loyalty programme

4) Etihad Guest launches world first seamless miles redemption proposition via new mobile app

5) Etihad Guest rewards members while staying home

6) World of Thoughtfulness campaign

Shirley King has been designing, developing and building loyalty programmes for a luxury boutique hotel brand within IHG Group, including the "Kimpton Hotels Inner Circle" as well as the "IHG Rewards Club" for over twenty-five years.

In this episode of Let's Talk Loyalty, we discuss some of her award-winning programme elements, key principles of creating extra-ordinary experiences for top tier members, as well as some exciting and inspiring updates for her career at a very challenging time for the travel industry globally.

Show Notes:

1) Shirley King - Loyalty Program Manager, IHG Rewards Club & Kimpton Inner Circle

2) Kimpton Boutique Hotels

3) Skift - Daily Travel Podcast

4) The Points Guy

5) One Mile at a Time

6) Flyer Talk

Dell is one of the world's best known computer companies, positioning itself as "powering the next technological revolution".

With a laser focus on driving clear and measurable business outcomes, Dell's Mitch Kennedy discusses his insights on the impact of transactional rewards, the power of gamification, the importance of understanding human psychology as well as the increasing importance of the Advantage Rewards program and loyalty initiatives in Dell worldwide.

This episode is sponsored by Epsilon.

Show Notes:

1) Mitch Kennedy: Global Loyalty Strategy Lead, Dell

2) Dell Advantage Programme

3) Book: Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

4) Book: Actionable Gamification by Yu-Kai Chou