Press

So, you're a retailer and have been running a loyalty program that is starting to deliver diminishing returns. Or, you may be getting serious about a loyalty program for the first time.

In either case, you might be thinking about going outside for help and partnering with a loyalty service provider. You are looking for a program that is innovative and goes beyond the typical loyalty programs. You want to be on the forefront of savings trends and supporting technology.

So, how do you jump-start your customer loyalty program for the first time, or take it to the next level? For retailers, choosing a partner is a serious commitment. After all, a next generation loyalty service provider needs to be turn-key and fully integrated into your business to ensure your customers are part of a program that is measurably successful.

So, as you start evaluating loyalty service provider partners, here are six key questions to ask:

1. How long have they been providing loyalty programs? Knowing how long a company has been providing loyalty services isn't enough. It's important to know how well they have integrated their systems, processes, and technology with other retailer clients to ensure there's a strong infrastructure that supports the program. This critical aspect, coupled with a highly appealing program design, strong customer service support, and an online destination that unifies all marketing channels including in-store, mobile, and online, are key essentials to a successful and seamless loyalty solution.
2. Does the provider have deep sector experience? Deep sector experience may or may not matter to you. Providers can work with diversified or specific sectors. Know what you are looking for and see if the company client list meshes with your expectations. The provider may work with companies that you haven't thought about, but a great, strategic loyalty provider should be able to deliver no matter what market sector their clients may fall into.
3. Can they integrate their program with your company within a month? If they can, they are not for you and you should be wary of such claims. Although it depends on the size and scale of the retailer – a solid program implementation should take a minimum of 3 months. Remember, successful loyalty programs require buy-in throughout your organization and would need to be scheduled, planned, and executed with many, if not all, internal divisions.
4. Who are the people that you would deal with each day? Understand who makes up the sales team, implementation team, and the project management team. Make sure your team and their team meets to understand how you will work together on an on-going basis.
5. How innovative and advanced are they? Make sure your provider is not only suitable for now, but poised to catapult your loyalty program into the future. Listen to their ideas. Do they not only keep up with the trends, but also recommend actions that are forward thinking? How flexible is their technology? Involve your IT department in decision-making as marketing is quickly evolving to cross-functional disciplines.
6. How will they build brand value? Make sure your provider understands that a loyalty customer must always know that they are unmistakably dealing with your brand. The program must be sensitive to every nuance of your brand down to every configuration of logo usage. So, ask how they have maintained brand integrity for their other partners.

Remember, engaging with a loyalty service provider is a long-term relationship, one that must be based on reliability, creativity and trust. The right partnership means your brand wins, and your customers are truly satisfied.