Modern loyalty programmes need to offer a lot more than merely points if they are to elicit any interest from cynical consumers, who have become jaded by the generic perks offered by most loyalty programmes. To be effective, loyalty programmes need to ensure a deeper level of engagement and personalisation and should become part of consumers’ conversations, believes Neal Jones, chief sales and marketing officer for Middle East and Africa at hotel group Marriott International. “Earning and burning points is a thing of the past,” says Jones. He believes that, particularly in the hospitality industry, a good loyalty programme is the backbone of a good business strategy. However, we live in an era when consumer expectations and behaviours are changing, as is the landscape in which brands operate, and he says brands, marketing companies and advertising agencies need to aware of this when determining marketing strategies. “When it comes to loyalty, transaction-based relationships are ...
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