#2019inreview #loyaltytrends #customerexpectations #loyaltymarketing

Dec 2019. Time to look back and assess what were the defining trends in customer loyalty marketing – and perhaps these will dictate what we will see in 2020.

Here are some that I could identify:

1) “Paid” loyalty. One of the biggest trends we could see. With the success of Amazon Prime, many want to jump on to the paid program bandwagon. The belief that the program will sustain itself with the fees.

2) Experiences rule the roost. Most programs/initiatives are including curated experiences as part of the reward and benefits portfolio as a differentiating factor

3) Partnerships – Proprietary programs moving towards enhancing their value propositions by roping in relevant partners

4) Coalitions – in India. Payback continues to thrive, RelianceOne grows within the Reliance family portfolio, JP becomes Intermiles, Flipkart goes external with Supercoins

5) Data continues to play a critical role. And with GDPR, permission marketing has become imperative.

6) The social angle and the larger cause – more and more programs appealing to the conscious millennial.

7) Research and market visits. Not in a silo anymore – most programs are realising the value of VOC and are doing this with commitment.