Putting a Price on Customer Experience
By Dennis Armbruster, Editor at Large, COLLOQUY, and Managing Partner, LoyaltyOne Consulting
For most people, what makes a good day is a hot cup of coffee, a full tank of gas, a refreshing snack and a good night’s sleep. What makes it a memorable day, however, is when the sellers of these products deliver them in ways that result in emotional connections.
Smart marketers know, for instance, that that there is tremendous value in quantifying customer experience. We have warehouses of highly detailed data that provide hard evidence of consumer behavior and preferences. Yet we need to rely on nuanced, human interpretations to conclude what that data might indicate when combined with outside variables.
The results can be brilliant. Some major brands have evolved their loyalty programs into sophisticated platforms from which they can manage a variety of simultaneous promotions and events. When done well, these efforts translate to emotional loyalty – when the consumer commits to one brand over all others regardless of price or convenience.
It is a topic I look forward to hashing out with my loyalty peers in October at the 13th Annual COLLOQUY Loyalty Summit.
And I won’t be alone. This year, COLLOQUY has lined up a cross-section of loyalty heavy hitters seldom seen under one roof. Walgreens, Pepsi, Caribou Coffee, Marriott and Shell will all share how they are using data analytics and loyalty to foster customer intimacy. They will join several other industry leaders on how to capture share of wallet by first gaining brand affection at the three-day event, October 14th to 16th.
Among the keynote speakers is Daniel Pink Keynote, best-selling author of “Drive,” “To Sell is Human” and “A Whole New Mind.” Pink will rewrite the meaning of selling in a presentation that shifts emphasis from problem-solving to problem-finding. In “To Sell is Human: The New ABCs of Moving Others,” Pink will dissect the personas of the best salespeople and offer a sales vocabulary for messages that resonate.
Phil Lempert Keynote, an expert in consumer behavior, marketing shifts and food trends – he’s known as the “Supermarket Guru” – will provide an exclusive first look at his 2016 Food and Retail Trend Forecast. His presentation, “Trending in the Aisles: 5 Must-Haves for Retail Success,” will provide insights on how to reshape retail strategy in the coming year.
Also, during the COLLOQUY Loyalty Summit, we will present the fifth annual ‘COLLOQUY Recognizes Awards’ at a luncheon Oct. 15. These awards honor the torchbearers of loyalty marketing who inspire us all to work toward a valued goal.
The COLLOQUY Loyalty Summit draws an intentionally limited attendance so guests can freely share ideas with others from across industries. I hope you are among them.
The 13th Annual COLLOQUY Loyalty Summit will take place at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, Va., just outside Washington, D.C. Early bird discount ends this Friday, July 31st. Register at: https://www.colloquy.com/summit/.
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