Saturday, November 19, 2011

Customer Loyalty Programs Keep Shoppers Coming Back

By Adriana Noton


Research indicates that only between twelve and fifteen percent of shoppers feel a sense of loyalty to particular businesses. However, that group of loyal customers may generate up to seventy percent of business revenue. Customer loyalty programs are designed to recognize customers for their allegiance, as well as for their purchasing behaviors. Simultaneously, incentives help businesses to collect data regarding their customers, in order to personalize the shopping experience.

A rewards program is designed to provide businesses with a competitive edge. A good program will sustain, and even increase, customers' spending habits, so that spending does not gradually decline. A good program will also boost sales, by rewarding customers for purchasing behavior, and by giving them feelings of belonging and attachment. In addition, companies can utilize the program to collect information about customers, their shopping habits, and their purchase history.

The buy-ahead discount is one type of rewards program. A buy-ahead discount most often comes in the form of a loyalty card, which is purchased by customers. With the loyalty card, customers receive discounts on immediate purchases, as well as on subsequent purchases. The program is easy to administer and to explain, and customers receive instant gratification for signing up. However, the discount may eat into profit margins, and push away infrequent customers, by implying that prices are inflated.

The points program is another type of incentive program. As customers make purchases, they build up points, when may then be redeemed for other purchases. For customers, the program is beautifully simple; for businesses, the program allows for substantial information collection. On the other hand, a points program requires more complex administration processes, than other types of rewards.

Some businesses allow customers to earn rebates. Rebates help companies avoid providing discounts on every purchase, and allow them to tier rebates to reward the customers who spend the most. When companies give rebates in the form of gift cards, businesses will drive customers back into the store. Disadvantages include rewards to both profitable and unprofitable customers, as well as delayed gratification for customers.

Companies may utilize surprise rewards. Customers get a lot of pleasure from surprise rewards programs, and businesses get to reward certain spending behaviors. Surprise rewards may also be positioned to bring customers back into the business at important times of year. However, no surprise program is equitable, and, for companies, a surprise program may be challenging to administer.

Inevitably, rewards programs will evolve. Generally speaking, rewards will focus on growing relationships with customers, and on segmenting customers according to behavior. Segmented incentives may cater to customers based on life stage, interest, or lifestyle. Also, incentives will be more tiered, so that the highest-paying customers receive the most reward.

Businesses must analyze the advantages and disadvantages of different customer loyalty programs, and their approaches. Businesses must also tweak their rewards program over time, in order to keep it fresh. Companies will gain increased sales, and a database of customer information, which will provide them with a significant competitive advantage.




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