When the customer comes first the customer lasts….
Customer Loyalty is what every marketer seeks to achieve. Here’s a look at Loyalty Programs, their feasibility and the requirements to create a successful program…
From delivering to your doorstep those pair of altered trousers, to wishing you on your birthday, from offering you customized meals in the comfort of a private lounge to providing you and your families with the dream holiday of a lifetime, companies are getting the message across loud and clear, You are a loyal customer, and we value you…
Loyalty programs have now become extremely common in the Indian scenario. The need for these programs is based on the simple principle: A customer is the hardest thing to get and the easiest thing to lose. In today’s day and age with intense competition today any firm has only 2 ways to maximize its share of the pie a) Increase its customer base and attract new customers b) Maximize the value from its existing customers.
More than 90 % of the organizations lose more than 30 % of their customers in a given year. The only reason that market share figures remain more or less stable is because the customers are traded between competitors. There thus emerges the need for Loyalty Programs, which when supported by Excellent service, and delivery of value can be a potent force in emerging as true leaders.
The power of existing customers is immense. One good experience can create enough publicity which cannot even be generated through the widest means of communication.
The power of customers is illustrated through the diagram shown here.
The power of existing customers
The numbers say it all when they highlight the importance of retaining a customer:
Reducing customer defections can boost profits by 2-85 percent.(Harvard Business School)
The price of acquiring new customers can be 5 times than the cost of keeping current ones (US Office of Consumer Affairs)
The return on investment to marketing for existing customers can be up to seven times more than to prospective customers. (Ogilvy and Mather Direct)
Unfortunately loyalty programs are not the panacea for all the problems a company faces. They can be tremendous value additions and key component in building up relationships with your clientele. But they can exist only when the core offering ie your products and services offered is delivering value to the customers. No loyalty program can succeed when the core benefits do not satisfy the customer. The pre requisite thus always remains that a company must go beyond the expectations of its customers and strives to achieve Customer Delight.
Disappointment Satisfaction Delight
The current scenario
In the present scenario there are numerous loyalty programs existing, and in many ways the Indian customer is exposed to the “points barrage”. Today the customer is rewarded with points for virtually any scenario be it the frequent flyer miles earned, the points accumulated in the lifestyle and apparel stores, or even at your neighborhood grocery store. No longer is it a novelty and with so many of them around, they no longer influence the purchase decision. Moreover they are an expensive affair and require a heavy investment from the view point of companies. A company needs to break through the clutter and firstly evaluate whether loyalty programs are economically feasible, and if so which customers can it be “special” to.
Getting Started
Today of the numerous loyalty programs existing in the country, only a few of them are actually boosting the sales, and satisfying the customers simultaneously. The process of starting a loyalty program is far from simple. It requires proper planning, analysis of data generated, designing of an offering, tracking the data and transactions, updates and feedback. The most crucial point to be noted is that Investment in Loyalty programs is not a guarantee of success and all loyalty programs which are successful, pay dividends in the long term.
One of the key starting points for designing loyalty programs is deciding the membership criteria. This could be either by making purchases above a standard threshold level set, or by charging an annual membership fees. In either case, the success of the program largely depends on which customers the company decides to target. Setting lower threshold limits is a fairly common practice for ‘frequent use’ products like grocery stores.
Loyalty Programs in the Retail Sector
The concept of loyalty programs in our country was introduced by Shoppers Stop through their First Citizens Program. Today the program has a membership of more than 300000 members. The first citizen members account for 20% of the footfalls but 57% of the sales. Moreover the average cash memo size of First citizen members is twice that of non- members. One of the major requirements for the success of the program is a strong IT Infrastructure. The program was restructured in 2000, along international lines when a 3 tier structure was started based on the annual purchase bill of the customer. Some of the special services offered to first citizen members include: exclusive billing counters for the Golden Glow card members, free delivery of alterations, additional reward points on purchase of private label brands, carry forward and web tracking of reward points. The rewards are further sweetened through exclusive shopping festivals held for the first citizens, and updates on sales promotions and offers through the magazine First Update.
Although the First Citizens club program has been immensely well received it has not gone unscathed without its share of problems. The billing time increases as virtually every customer needs a point update, moreover the customers have realized that the redemption of points comes at a heavy cost. Co-creation of value one of the basics of Marketing is seriously doubted from the customer’s point of view. The heavy investment in terms of IT and back-end infrastructure, and the frequent updations, have recently led to the slashing of points on offer leaving a large number of disgruntled customers.
Loyalty Programs are increasingly being used in other sectors of retail. To counter the advantages of the nearby kirana store, Loyalty programs have now been implemented in the grocery stores, and super markets. A typical example is the “TruSmart” card offered by the Tru Mart chain of stores. A one time purchase of Rs 500 could gain you membership of the club. Thereafter the customer enjoys a discount of 4% on all purchases. Moreover the company is in a position to collect data about the customers’ purchases, and also offer value added services like home delivery.
Making them Work
A company must understand that it cannot be everything to everybody. Although it is necessary to provide a delightful experience to customers it is crucial, that loyalty programs must be optimally designed to be economically beneficial. A company may categorize its customers on the basis of current revenue generated and potential for attrition. Those customers who are currently responsible for a major proportion of the revenue and who have a high potential for attrition are to be categorized as prime targets of the loyalty program. Another way to find out who your target customers for the loyalty programs would be by asking “ How likely are my customers going to recommend my product or service offered to others?”. The ones who would most likely do so are your “Idea Merchants” and they deserve special treatment.
Personalization has become the key: “ To know your customer is to love your customer” and a customer appreciates personalized, customized treatment. For those customers with whom the company has had a large gap between visits, they could possibly consider selling personalized mailers informing the customers of the latest in- store activities, and offers.
Two crucial points are to be kept in mind in the designing of the programs. Firstly if in case the loyalty programs have a tiered structure, then there must be a differential which encourages a customer to upgrade. Aspirations of the customers are to be targeted. Secondly, no one is going to make a purchase decision on account of mere points being accumulated. The customer must perceive value in what he would get after accumulating all the points. It is no longer enough to provide the customers with the run of the mill cash discount, or a gift voucher. If the reward is something which strikes a chord with the customer, causes him to look upon the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with excitement, which gives him a sense of tangibility, only then would he consider accumulating those hard earned points. Abroad some of the innovative rewards include, a round of golf with Tiger Woods, or a test ride in F1 car! These are the “WOW” experiences which woo customers to be loyal.
The benefits of the programs should be clearly stated. These could be hard benefits in the form of discounts, or soft benefits like provision of toll free help lines, or magazines and free updates. Sometimes complaints arise that the free gifts comprise of the ‘dogs’ of the company’s product line. This is done at the company’s own peril as you can take the customer for a ride once, but not again. Moreover you have lost one precious ambassador, a potential evangelist for your brand. There are also complaints from customers that the data which the company collects, infringes on their privacy and many a time the sacrosanct database is sold to fellow marketers targeting similar customer segments.
Shining Examples
Just to drive home the point we consider 2 success stories. Raymond has long been the market leader in men’s apparel The company has recently launched its Premium Circle loyalty club in the metros. It realized that 9% of the customers account for 30 % of the sales and the average cash memo size of one its club card members is Rs 8000 as against Rs 2951 for a non- card member. The company has a tiered structure with Blue, Silver, Gold classes based on the size of the invoice purchased. The company has made an honest effort in delighting its members by offering fashion tips, personalized services and even free passes to events like concerts at the Belgian embassy, which have proved to be a hit with the customers and have ensured that the cash registers keep ticking away.
Loyalty programs in the real estate sector have been so far un heard of. But the Bangalore based Purvankara Group has innovated and succeeded. Owners and residents of the properties are offered a bouquet of tangible and intangible services right from home improvements to free tickets to movies. Apart from this the company allows its present member base of size 5000 families to earn through referrals. For example a Rs 25 lakh product sold would fetch a reward of Rs 25000. The company has managed to sell about 50 flats with a mere investment of Rs 50 lakhs on its Loyalty program.
The future ahead
Loyalty Programs have been introduced in numerous sectors. They have done rather well in the Airline Industry, particularly because they offer tangible and visible benefits like free trips, or personalized facilities. Also in the cooperative sector, certain cards have been introduced which require a monthly or yearly payment/fee and offer specialized services with respect to rations, and provisions.
With competition and international benchmarks set, a few loyalty programs are shaping up for the future ahead. Dual cards have become the order of the day. Earlier a few organizations had their exclusive club cards which could be used only at their outlets. For the customer it meant adding another piece of plastic to his already burgeoning wallet. Now the card doubles up as a credit/debit card, which can be used in other outlets. Considerable progress has been made through such collaborations like the Bharat Petroleum Petro Card, which offers convenience to customers by the usage of smart card, and lets them accumulate points which can be redeemed for points.
Another product launched recently was the first coalition program of the country, I-mint. This card brings together 6 large organizations, Airtel, HPCL, ICICI, Indian Airlines, Lifestyle and Make my trip and provides the customer with an integrated solution for his needs. Points are added to the kitty whenever the customer interfaces with the above mentioned companies, and can be redeemed.
Conclusion
Increasingly it is realized that Loyalty Programs need to be Royalty Programs, and they do not work unless a customer feels special to be a part of them. Loyalty Programs have fast caught up in our country and are going through stages of transformation.
With improved emphasis on Data Analytics and CRM, these are being tailored to meet customized needs of various segments of business. But a word of caution, Loyalty does not come easy. It requires a solid structure, heavy investment and most of all an offering which satisfies and delights the customer. It takes a lot to build that magical bond with the customer and Loyalty programs if structured well enough to create a sense of belonging and value in the minds of the customer could be one of those threads which attach a company to the heart of the customer, the undisputed king!
Customer Loyalty is what every marketer seeks to achieve. Here’s a look at Loyalty Programs, their feasibility and the requirements to create a successful program…
From delivering to your doorstep those pair of altered trousers, to wishing you on your birthday, from offering you customized meals in the comfort of a private lounge to providing you and your families with the dream holiday of a lifetime, companies are getting the message across loud and clear, You are a loyal customer, and we value you…
Loyalty programs have now become extremely common in the Indian scenario. The need for these programs is based on the simple principle: A customer is the hardest thing to get and the easiest thing to lose. In today’s day and age with intense competition today any firm has only 2 ways to maximize its share of the pie a) Increase its customer base and attract new customers b) Maximize the value from its existing customers.
More than 90 % of the organizations lose more than 30 % of their customers in a given year. The only reason that market share figures remain more or less stable is because the customers are traded between competitors. There thus emerges the need for Loyalty Programs, which when supported by Excellent service, and delivery of value can be a potent force in emerging as true leaders.
The power of existing customers is immense. One good experience can create enough publicity which cannot even be generated through the widest means of communication.
The power of customers is illustrated through the diagram shown here.
The power of existing customers
The numbers say it all when they highlight the importance of retaining a customer:
Reducing customer defections can boost profits by 2-85 percent.(Harvard Business School)
The price of acquiring new customers can be 5 times than the cost of keeping current ones (US Office of Consumer Affairs)
The return on investment to marketing for existing customers can be up to seven times more than to prospective customers. (Ogilvy and Mather Direct)
Unfortunately loyalty programs are not the panacea for all the problems a company faces. They can be tremendous value additions and key component in building up relationships with your clientele. But they can exist only when the core offering ie your products and services offered is delivering value to the customers. No loyalty program can succeed when the core benefits do not satisfy the customer. The pre requisite thus always remains that a company must go beyond the expectations of its customers and strives to achieve Customer Delight.
Disappointment Satisfaction Delight
The current scenario
In the present scenario there are numerous loyalty programs existing, and in many ways the Indian customer is exposed to the “points barrage”. Today the customer is rewarded with points for virtually any scenario be it the frequent flyer miles earned, the points accumulated in the lifestyle and apparel stores, or even at your neighborhood grocery store. No longer is it a novelty and with so many of them around, they no longer influence the purchase decision. Moreover they are an expensive affair and require a heavy investment from the view point of companies. A company needs to break through the clutter and firstly evaluate whether loyalty programs are economically feasible, and if so which customers can it be “special” to.
Getting Started
Today of the numerous loyalty programs existing in the country, only a few of them are actually boosting the sales, and satisfying the customers simultaneously. The process of starting a loyalty program is far from simple. It requires proper planning, analysis of data generated, designing of an offering, tracking the data and transactions, updates and feedback. The most crucial point to be noted is that Investment in Loyalty programs is not a guarantee of success and all loyalty programs which are successful, pay dividends in the long term.
One of the key starting points for designing loyalty programs is deciding the membership criteria. This could be either by making purchases above a standard threshold level set, or by charging an annual membership fees. In either case, the success of the program largely depends on which customers the company decides to target. Setting lower threshold limits is a fairly common practice for ‘frequent use’ products like grocery stores.
Loyalty Programs in the Retail Sector
The concept of loyalty programs in our country was introduced by Shoppers Stop through their First Citizens Program. Today the program has a membership of more than 300000 members. The first citizen members account for 20% of the footfalls but 57% of the sales. Moreover the average cash memo size of First citizen members is twice that of non- members. One of the major requirements for the success of the program is a strong IT Infrastructure. The program was restructured in 2000, along international lines when a 3 tier structure was started based on the annual purchase bill of the customer. Some of the special services offered to first citizen members include: exclusive billing counters for the Golden Glow card members, free delivery of alterations, additional reward points on purchase of private label brands, carry forward and web tracking of reward points. The rewards are further sweetened through exclusive shopping festivals held for the first citizens, and updates on sales promotions and offers through the magazine First Update.
Although the First Citizens club program has been immensely well received it has not gone unscathed without its share of problems. The billing time increases as virtually every customer needs a point update, moreover the customers have realized that the redemption of points comes at a heavy cost. Co-creation of value one of the basics of Marketing is seriously doubted from the customer’s point of view. The heavy investment in terms of IT and back-end infrastructure, and the frequent updations, have recently led to the slashing of points on offer leaving a large number of disgruntled customers.
Loyalty Programs are increasingly being used in other sectors of retail. To counter the advantages of the nearby kirana store, Loyalty programs have now been implemented in the grocery stores, and super markets. A typical example is the “TruSmart” card offered by the Tru Mart chain of stores. A one time purchase of Rs 500 could gain you membership of the club. Thereafter the customer enjoys a discount of 4% on all purchases. Moreover the company is in a position to collect data about the customers’ purchases, and also offer value added services like home delivery.
Making them Work
A company must understand that it cannot be everything to everybody. Although it is necessary to provide a delightful experience to customers it is crucial, that loyalty programs must be optimally designed to be economically beneficial. A company may categorize its customers on the basis of current revenue generated and potential for attrition. Those customers who are currently responsible for a major proportion of the revenue and who have a high potential for attrition are to be categorized as prime targets of the loyalty program. Another way to find out who your target customers for the loyalty programs would be by asking “ How likely are my customers going to recommend my product or service offered to others?”. The ones who would most likely do so are your “Idea Merchants” and they deserve special treatment.
Personalization has become the key: “ To know your customer is to love your customer” and a customer appreciates personalized, customized treatment. For those customers with whom the company has had a large gap between visits, they could possibly consider selling personalized mailers informing the customers of the latest in- store activities, and offers.
Two crucial points are to be kept in mind in the designing of the programs. Firstly if in case the loyalty programs have a tiered structure, then there must be a differential which encourages a customer to upgrade. Aspirations of the customers are to be targeted. Secondly, no one is going to make a purchase decision on account of mere points being accumulated. The customer must perceive value in what he would get after accumulating all the points. It is no longer enough to provide the customers with the run of the mill cash discount, or a gift voucher. If the reward is something which strikes a chord with the customer, causes him to look upon the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with excitement, which gives him a sense of tangibility, only then would he consider accumulating those hard earned points. Abroad some of the innovative rewards include, a round of golf with Tiger Woods, or a test ride in F1 car! These are the “WOW” experiences which woo customers to be loyal.
The benefits of the programs should be clearly stated. These could be hard benefits in the form of discounts, or soft benefits like provision of toll free help lines, or magazines and free updates. Sometimes complaints arise that the free gifts comprise of the ‘dogs’ of the company’s product line. This is done at the company’s own peril as you can take the customer for a ride once, but not again. Moreover you have lost one precious ambassador, a potential evangelist for your brand. There are also complaints from customers that the data which the company collects, infringes on their privacy and many a time the sacrosanct database is sold to fellow marketers targeting similar customer segments.
Shining Examples
Just to drive home the point we consider 2 success stories. Raymond has long been the market leader in men’s apparel The company has recently launched its Premium Circle loyalty club in the metros. It realized that 9% of the customers account for 30 % of the sales and the average cash memo size of one its club card members is Rs 8000 as against Rs 2951 for a non- card member. The company has a tiered structure with Blue, Silver, Gold classes based on the size of the invoice purchased. The company has made an honest effort in delighting its members by offering fashion tips, personalized services and even free passes to events like concerts at the Belgian embassy, which have proved to be a hit with the customers and have ensured that the cash registers keep ticking away.
Loyalty programs in the real estate sector have been so far un heard of. But the Bangalore based Purvankara Group has innovated and succeeded. Owners and residents of the properties are offered a bouquet of tangible and intangible services right from home improvements to free tickets to movies. Apart from this the company allows its present member base of size 5000 families to earn through referrals. For example a Rs 25 lakh product sold would fetch a reward of Rs 25000. The company has managed to sell about 50 flats with a mere investment of Rs 50 lakhs on its Loyalty program.
The future ahead
Loyalty Programs have been introduced in numerous sectors. They have done rather well in the Airline Industry, particularly because they offer tangible and visible benefits like free trips, or personalized facilities. Also in the cooperative sector, certain cards have been introduced which require a monthly or yearly payment/fee and offer specialized services with respect to rations, and provisions.
With competition and international benchmarks set, a few loyalty programs are shaping up for the future ahead. Dual cards have become the order of the day. Earlier a few organizations had their exclusive club cards which could be used only at their outlets. For the customer it meant adding another piece of plastic to his already burgeoning wallet. Now the card doubles up as a credit/debit card, which can be used in other outlets. Considerable progress has been made through such collaborations like the Bharat Petroleum Petro Card, which offers convenience to customers by the usage of smart card, and lets them accumulate points which can be redeemed for points.
Another product launched recently was the first coalition program of the country, I-mint. This card brings together 6 large organizations, Airtel, HPCL, ICICI, Indian Airlines, Lifestyle and Make my trip and provides the customer with an integrated solution for his needs. Points are added to the kitty whenever the customer interfaces with the above mentioned companies, and can be redeemed.
Conclusion
Increasingly it is realized that Loyalty Programs need to be Royalty Programs, and they do not work unless a customer feels special to be a part of them. Loyalty Programs have fast caught up in our country and are going through stages of transformation.
With improved emphasis on Data Analytics and CRM, these are being tailored to meet customized needs of various segments of business. But a word of caution, Loyalty does not come easy. It requires a solid structure, heavy investment and most of all an offering which satisfies and delights the customer. It takes a lot to build that magical bond with the customer and Loyalty programs if structured well enough to create a sense of belonging and value in the minds of the customer could be one of those threads which attach a company to the heart of the customer, the undisputed king!
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