Erika Blanchard
Consumers are Savvy to Scripted Service Encounters
Scripted calls. We've all been there – and oftentimes it's easily tell when a call is scripted. I know I've been involved in service calls where the agent actually appears to be reading (and more than likely, is reading). I recently came upon an article...
Executive Insights: Mark Robeson
The article reprinted below appeared in the recently-published Q2 issue of Loyalty Management magazine, which is published by Loyalty 360. Mark Robeson, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing with VIPdesk, has over 18 years' experience designing and managing bespoke B2B and B2B2C customer loyalty program...
Top Travel Trends for 2012
Trying to keep up with changes in the travel market is a daunting task. Technology has completely transformed the travel industry and both consumers and businesses have had to adjust to this ever-changing landscape. "There's an app for that" about sums it up – all...
Brands are People too
I recently stumbled upon the article, "Consumers choose brands like they do people" on The Wise Marketer, one of my favorite websites to visit (subscription required). The article gave an overview of a recent research study that found compelling new evidence that consumers judge...
The NEXT Step in Loyalty Marketing
Express, an American fashion retailer headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and New York, New York which operates over 550 stores in the United States and generates $1.8 billion in annual sales is paving the way for a new and hip loyalty program. Today, many brands simply...
7 Customer Service Resolutions for 2012
It's 2012, which means; a new calendar, a new year and a new opportunity to start over… Over the past week, I've seen a lot of resolutions come (and already go), but I feel that each year, we each have the opportunity to look back...
Do You Believe?
When I recently came across the article "You Gotta Believe" by COLLOQUY Partner Jim Sullivan, I was intrigued. According to a recent COLLOQUY Loyalty Practitioner Study, an online survey of loyalty marketers, it was discovered that lack of belief in program ROI is the...
Experiential Rewards in Loyalty Programs is Expected to Increase in 2012
We recently conducted a survey during a webinar which we hosted on Experiential Rewards, "Experiential Rewards Programs: Rewarding Customer Loyalty One Unforgettable Experience at a Time". This webinar offered attendees insight into the role of experiential rewards in an overall customer loyalty offering, as...
Article of Interest: Let me guess
It seems like everyone has a loyalty program in place – and for that, as a consumer, I am grateful. I utilize each and every program to its fullest and have been lucky to receive my fair share of free flights, hotel nights, merchandise...
Holiday Shopping: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly – and How to Survive
Now that Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday are behind us – I thought this would be a good time to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly. Much of what we talk about on this blog is about customer...
Article of Interest: Brand Loyalty or Loyalty to the Rewards?
Brand loyalty or loyalty to the rewards? This is an interesting question posed by Suzanne Vara recently on Social Media Today – and one that I often think about. We all know that times are tough and the economy isn't what it used to...
Customer Service: Practice what you preach
I think we all know that many companies are seriously deficient in quality customer service. I know in any given week, I am horrified on at least a few occasions – either in person at a store or over the phone. This week,...
Article of Interest: Rewards Breakage – Boon or Bane?
I recently read a rather lengthy article, "Rewards breakage-boon or bane? The role of technology in optimizing breakage" by Sanjai Velayudhan, Senior Manager, Loyalty Programs, ITC Infotech. This article was eye opening on the amount of breakage left on the table each year –...
From the VIP Concierges
With Labor day weekend behind us – and the fact that I stayed put for the long weekend – I got to thinking (and dreaming) about travel?which made me decide to tap into our VIP Concierges' comprehensive list of unique travel destinations, once again. Our...
Article of Interest: The Greatest Customer Service Story Ever Told, Starring Morton’s Steakhouse
s="c1"> So, I've been following Peter Shankman since I discovered HARO (help a reporter out) a couple of years ago; an extremely useful concept for both reporters and marketers alike. Since then, I've seen his following grow. Today he has 109,647 Twitter Followers, 51,889 Facebook...
Article of Interest: 20 Ways to Kill Customer Loyalty
Are your customers loyal? I'm sure you have some loyal customers, or odds are you wouldn't be in business; however, I'm sure there's quite a few that aren't truly loyal to your company or your brand. Shep Hyken, the bestselling author, speaker and customer...
Article of Interest: Creating Dramatically Different Customer Experiences
So how do companies differentiate themselves from their competitors? First, they need to be sure that they are focusing on the entire customer experience?from the store windows, the store touch points, the website, the telephone, via social media or a magazine. That customer experience...
Article of Interest: Customer Loyalty: Beyond Earning Miles
It's hard to believe that loyalty programs started thirty years ago. Thanks to the AA Advantage, others followed suite – and many of us have been lucky enough to cash in on "free flights" and other free perks over the past thirty years. In...
Learn how to tweak your loyalty initiatives for success
I recently read an article titled, Seven ways to tweak your loyalty initiatives for success by Mitch Martin, Director Business and Consumer Intelligence for LoyaltyOne Consulting. He points out that the bigger a company gets, the easier it is for a customer to...
Premium Customer Care: Developing a Customer Experience Blueprint
Many marketers today don't really understand what today's "new" customer wants; nor do they know what marketing strategies and tactics work anymore. We all know that there has been a fundamental shift in marketing –The old "one-to-many" communications are no longer accepted and customers,...