To Affinity and Beyond - Decision Intelligence for Retail

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

For episode five, we're joined by Sebastian Wangerud, keynote speaker and founder of growth agency SCHMACK.

The best loyalty programmes of 2025 look more like fan clubs than transaction schemes.

Tom and Sebastian explore how loyalty, personalisation and AI are reshaping the relationship between retailers and their customers.

There's more on our website: https://hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

For episode four, we're joined by Ed Child, Costa Coffee's Global Head of Consumer Data and Digital Analytics.

Everyone’s talking about AI, but few retailers are making it pay its way.

We dive into a how retailers can use AI to drive real commercial results, and explore why most AI projects fail (and how to avoid it).

There's more on our website: https://hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

For episode three, we're joined by Rasmus Houlind, author of 'Hello $Firstname' and Chief Experience Officer at Agillic.

Personalisation can be frustrating. It's been stretched to cover targeting, segmentation, automation and product recommendations - but more often than not, it fails to deliver. Rasmus explains how data alone isn't enough for successful personalisation - it also needs content and strategy.

PS This is our first remote episode and it's complete with video footage, plus some bonus slides.

Resources

You can find the models mentioned in the discussion here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/resources

The cards discussed are available here: https://www.omnichannelinstitute.com/en/personalizationcards 

And order Rasmus's book here: https://amzn.eu/d/5yrgx12 

There's more on our website: https://hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

For episode two, we're joined by Toolstation's Senior Customer Insights Manager, Victoria Pickup.

She explains how retail personalisation is more than just adding a first name to an email. Microsegmentation allows retailers to go deeper and truly treat customers as individuals.

It's not optional. It's expected.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

We're back for season four. This time, we're interviewing leading retail experts on their views on customer loyalty.

For episode one, we're joined by JD Sports’ Global Customer Director, Chris Chalmers.

He explains how the real power of customer loyalty comes from the data it generates. For years, loyalty has been seen as a cost. But that's changing. The smartest retailers now see a loyalty data strategy as an investment that drives commercial growth.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

Join us for a summary of what we've covered in season three, including how to measure loyalty; why you need to explore supplier funding, and whether loyalty pricing is here to stay.

We also round off the episode with our predictions for what's coming next in the world of customer loyalty.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

Loyalty pricing is a growing retail trend right now. Tesco and Boots are leading the way with highly personalised prices and discounts; reserved for loyalty programme members only.

But with some consumers wary of member pricing, we dive into whether it's a con, or a genuine benefit that's here to stay.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

Resources mentioned in the conversation:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6749f28975bb645366b3a2a9/Executive_summary__2.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/groceries-loyalty-prices-offer-genuine-savings-says-cma

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

Loyalty schemes are hot right now. Every brand wants one –but the uncomfortable truth is most are haemorrhaging money faster than they’re building genuine loyalty.

58% of consumers don’t even use the loyalty programmes they’ve signed up for - so what’s going wrong? We dive into it in episode six.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

Resources mentioned in the conversation:

https://www.capgemini.com/mx-es/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2022/12/redefining_loyalty_programs_capgemini_consulting.pdf

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-new-battleground-for-marketing-led-growth

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

When you're building an engaging loyalty programme, you don't have to do it alone.

In this episode, we explain how many suppliers are keen to fund retailers' loyalty programmes - to create stronger brand engagement and improve their understanding of customers. It's a triple win - for customers, retailers and suppliers.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

Resources mentioned in the conversation: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1370352/digtial-retail-media-advertising-spending-uk/#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20digital%20retail%20media,the%20end%20of%20that%20period.&text=Log%20in%20or%20register%20to%20access%20precise%20data

This is To Affinity & Beyond; HyperFinity's decision intelligence for retail podcast.

You’ve got your loyalty programme. You’re dishing outrewards left, right and centre. But you’re still struggling to change customer behaviour.

In this episode, we’ll explain how the answer isn’t to buy another SaaS platform. It's to get the most from your existing tech stack by powering loyalty decisions with strategy and decision intelligence.

There's more on our website: hyperfinity.ai/loyalty

Resources mentioned in the conversation: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-value-of-getting-personalization-right-or-wrong-is-multiplying