Customer loyalty continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Developments in digital are having a direct impact on companies and consumers alike. The removal of third party cookies and changes in the privacy protection of iPhones are now forcing brands to go back to basics for their “new generation of loyalty programs.” Their journey to customer centricity remains complex and, despite the amazing talent within big business, there is a growing need for specialized help to get this right.
To create and operate this new generation of “best in class” programs such specialized help must increasingly draw upon the knowledge and experience from a multitude of different subject matter experts. A diverse viewpoint is most often required in the design, refresh, and operation of these programs.
Bridging the gaps between customer engagement, business processes, and commercial performance now requires the involvement of a range of different specialists, from accurately predicting customer lifetime value, through neuro and behavioural science, to organizational design, and processes and culture. It includes an assessment of the current and future threat landscape of those platforms who are controlling or processing personal data. It also includes a primary objective of building sustainable competitive advantage into your future digital innovation.
And, of course, all this work must be underpinned by industry leading research and consumer insight capabilities, including truly global independent thought leadership based on changing consumer behaviors and habits, program design, and operation.
Whenever The Wise Marketer is asked to untangle some of these issues, we often rely on our established network of Certified Loyalty Marketing Professionals™ around the world. They have the expertise, framework, and local knowledge to assist us in identifying the challenges faced by the loyalty industry and what we can do about them. One of our favorite sources of advice and commentary is the Customer Strategy Network (CSN). This unique group of individual loyalty and engagement consultants, many of which are CLMPs and members of our own Delphi Panel, brings together some of the world’s leading independent practitioners in customer engagement and retention strategy to provide a truly global customer loyalty advisory service.
We asked several of the Partners at the Customer Strategy Network to share their own individual views on the future trends for consumer engagement in 2022. We hope you will find them useful as you tackle the challenges unfolding in 2022. View the CSN partner views on global loyalty trends in 2022.