I take you to be my most valuable customer, to have and to hold, from this day forward…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) October 24, 2011 -- The loyalty industry wouldn’t exist without personalized electronic communication; it forms a fundamental part of a CRM strategy. Influencing a member’s behaviour, so that they engage with the program and ‘purchase’ again and again, satisfies the ‘lifetime value’ goals of the company and ultimately drives the success of the rewards programme. “In order to achieve this, communication to the member must be relevant, valuable and well-timed,” explains Haydn James, Head of eMarketing at Striata.

Customer Relationship Management can easily be compared with any other form of ‘relationship management’ - once you have acquired a customer, as with a partner, you need to make sure that you keep delivering value, or risk the relationship turning sour.

Customer profiling – the cornerstone of successful customer retention in the loyalty sector

A successful CRM strategy requires constantly being tuned in to each customer’s needs. This will not only build, but also maintain a solid relationship with them - which is particularly true in the loyalty industry. James explains that this can be done by profiling members accordingly. “Through effective profiling you can communicate consistently and with relevant and value added content - ultimately marketing the right products to the right segment of your base. Profiling a customer is therefore the cornerstone of a successful retention campaign in the Loyalty sector.”

Many of the top brands have found that by embracing the power of digital communication, they are able to enhance loyalty and lifetime value by sending highly personalised, targeted messages to their loyalty members.

Effective, personalized lifecycle communications for eBucks

Striata distributes multi-channel electronic communications for some of South Africa’s largest loyalty / member programs including South Africa’s leading multi-partner rewards programme eBucks.

Industry leadership and innovation are part of the eBucks mission and vision. The Striata/eBucks partnership has given rise to a fully automated, integrated communication solution, member growth and a first-rate customer experience.

“Core to the eBucks Member Experience strategy is regular direct communication with our members as they engage with the programme. Our CRM communication plan provides members with relevant, timely information, helping drive desired member behavior from the onset, and throughout the members’ relationship with eBucks. It also helps our members to get the most of being on the eBucks programme. It is an ongoing operational and marketing communication process that continuously evolves to meet business and member expectations” says Ntombi Tisani, Member Experience Executive at eBucks.

Benefits of personalized electronic communications

Both loyalty organisations and their customers benefit from personalized communications. James explains that the loyalty member is always kept informed of special offers that match their needs, as well as the status of their points. Personalized, electronic communications also build trust and make members feel valued.

The loyalty organisation on the other hand, realises substantial cost reductions (paper to print) and because the communication is delivered electronically, time to delivery is also improved.

Providing customers with relevant information at the right time, minimises the chance of dormant or lost customers, increases program participation and brand loyalty, and also drives required behaviours such as consumption of products and services and partners products as is the case with eBucks.

Relevant, targeted communication

The Loyalty industry is leveraging the power of digital communications by reaching their member bases in a targeted and relevant way. “Direct personalised electronic communications binds an organisation to its customers throughout the customer ‘lifecycle’ in the most cost effective way,” concludes James.

crm     customer profiling     Customer Relationship Manageme     electronic communication     emarketing     lifecycle communications     loyalty program     Striata