5 Trends from the Customer Loyalty and Retention Conference
Our team were excited to attend the Advanced Customer Loyalty and Retention Conference in London last week.
Rob Pellow, executive technical director, and Jessica Geary, strategy director, held a talk sharing our findings on Big Brand Loyalty and CRM. And chairman, Chris Thurling, was on hand for plenty of discussions and insights.
Across the fantastic talks as well as conversations with attendees, other exhibitors and speakers, we noticed 5 key trends that really came through on the day.
1. Data needs action
There's a lot to consider when it comes to the complex world of data, including what to collect and how to encourage customers to share it. Ensuring they see the value of parting with their data by receiving relevant and personalised comms allows trust and reassurance to be built, and for customers to feel happy with the exchange. While this is an ongoing challenge for CRM leaders, the opportunity then lies in deciding what to do with that data once you’ve got it. After all, data holds a lot of power – but it’s only as useful as you make it.
Testing in real-world scenarios helps refine what we know about customers’ actual needs. Data should live, breathe, and be stress-tested to ensure insights lead to better, more efficient outcomes.
2. Ensuring the tech lines up with the data
The journey of combining data with technology is one that comes with its own challenges for brands.
We heard from some of those going through the process of onboarding a Customer Data Platform (CDP) to create a holistic view of their customers. This will allow them to align their online and offline data, allowing true targeting that delivers personalised experiences to individual customers.
The trick is making sure any new tech aligns with the rest of your MarTech stack, is implemented thoughtfully, and is used effectively.
3. We must celebrate our failures
Embracing failure is essential for innovation. Richard Carroll from Deliveroo emphasised that failing well, and celebrating it from the top down, should be embedded in company culture.
This perspective elevates ‘test and learn’ beyond one-off projects to an organisational mindset. Bold risks should be valued and learnt from, regardless of outcome.
4. Loyalty as a value system
True loyalty goes beyond traditional schemes. It should be an emotional and flexible value system that a brand shares with its customers. This approach nurtures deeper connections and long-term relationships built on mutual respect and understanding.
Key to achieving this with a loyalty programme is personalisation. Without harnessing data to create personalised offers and content, the programme itself becomes purely transactional. It was clear throughout the conference that loyalty programmes with personalisation outperform those without, so adding that personal touch is a must. It’s important to understand your customers and what makes them tick.
5. Gen Z are demanding more personalisation
As the generation brought up in a world of technology and internet access, it’s no surprise that gen z expect a deeper level of personalisation. Plus, gen z customers have a different approach to purchasing and tend to focus more on their values when making a decision.
CRM, and more specifically personalisation, can help those customers feel they are important as individuals. And it can help highlight how a brand aligns to their values.
Of course, gen z are not the only group who should be delivered targeted experiences, but they are definitely leading the charge for hyper-personalised customer journeys.
Being at the conference was a great experience – we took away a lot of interesting insight. And we hope we were able to inspire others with ours in return.
