Customer loyalty and reward programs in retail in the digitalage

Abstract

Having a loyal customer base is a critical success factor for any firm or business. So, what can retailers do to bond their traditional customers, and keep them satisfied? What makes and keeps customers loyal? Are more intensive customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives like reward or affinity programs an efficient and suitable response, or will the economic change in the industry and the technical innovations force and allow for new and different approaches? This chapter identifies the drivers of customer loyalty and engagement, and considers how CRM systems in combination with a reward program can foster such loyalty. It also lists current trends in reward program design as well as digital solutions to loyalty erosion.