All you need to know this week about loyalty & CX: GLO Interview: Nuran Erdag Haberdar, Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles Program • Avios • Air France / KLM • Lufthansa • Emirates • SAS • Qatar Airways • Etihad • Alaska Airlines • Southwest Airlines • AirAsia • Qantas • Zurich Airport • Marriott Bonvoy • Hyatt • Hilton • IHG • Nectar • Payback • American Express • Mastercard • J. Crew • GM • nuvei • givex • Honeywell • Loyalty Podcast • Instacart • Amazon, etc.
GLOFeatured:
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0:00 – Introduction • 0:39 – on key trends post-COVID • 3:17 – on approach to non-airline partnerships • 6:45 – on Miles & Smiles integration into Turkish Airlines app • 7:41 – on opportunities in the next 18 to 24 months • 9:41 – on Emerging Markets • 10:50 – Magic Wand • 12:03 – Advice to younger self |
Airlines & Alliances & Airports News:
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Air France-KLM and Etihad Airways announce frequent flyer partnership Flying Blue and Etihad Guest members flying on Air France, KLM or Etihad Airways can now earn and redeem Miles in the loyalty program of their choice As part of the expanded partnership announced in September 2023, Air France-KLM and Etihad Airways customers now have access to more than 60 new routes beyond Abu Dhabi, Paris and Amsterdam. |
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SAS unveils EUROBONUS CONSCIOUS TRAVELER In January 2024, SAS will launch EuroBonus Conscious Traveler, a new reward program enabling EuroBonus members to make conscious choices when traveling with SAS – and get rewarded for it. |
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Earn up to 200 British Airways Executive Club Tier Points on spend within the Offer period. Offer valid until 21/05/2024. You can only enrol once. |
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Royal Air Maroc launches subscription model and a campaign allowing to double or triple Status Miles Subscription allows to double or triple your Status Miles on your eligible flights when paying for 90-days subscription. |
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Lufthansa Group extending green fares flights offering In February, the Lufthansa Group successfully introduced Green Fares for routes within Europe and to North Africa, and more and more customers are booking the offer. Since the launch, 500,000+ passengers have opted for a Green Fares flight. |
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Alaska Airlines opens the world to travel with more direct bookings with our partners Alaska Airline guests can now purchase thousands of flights to more than 500 destinations across 20 oneworld and additional partner airlines directly at alaskaair.com |
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AirAsia celebrates with a birthday discount Celebrating 22 years of connecting people, AirAsia offers fares with 22% discounts* on all flights for bookings made by midnight on 3 December 2023. |
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Emirates and Condor activate reciprocal interline partnership Interline activated today for travel immediately. Seamless connectivity for customers to 70 points operated by both airlines. The partnership will also offer Emirates Skywards members a chance to earn and redeem miles across Condor’s network. |
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Qantas Frequent Flyer kick off new partnership with Accent Group Members can now earn two Qantas Points per dollar spent by scanning their digital Frequent Flyer card at more than 670 footwear and apparel stores around Australia, including The Athlete’s Foot, Platypus, Skechers, Stylerunner and Hype DC. |
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This is the initial step on a journey to revolutionise the passenger experience with the help of cutting-edge technology. |
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Emirates honours the 52nd UAE National Day
UAE National Day is celebrated on 2 December to mark the union of the seven emirates, and Emirates customers in all classes departing Dubai will be given an Emirati-inspired sweet treat in a mini giftbox, while the aircraft interior is lit up in the colours of the UAE flag. |
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VistaJet, named as the ‘Best of the Best’ in the aviation category for 2023 by Robb Report Hong Kong VistaJet also won the title of ‘Best AOC Charter Operator’ from the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) for the fifth year running*. |
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Graphyte signs first carbon removal purchase agreement with American Airlines 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide removal will be delivered using new Carbon Casting technology. |
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3rd Aviation Alternative Fuels Conference (CAAF/3) key takeaways Conference approved the establishment of a global framework aimed at promoting Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production on a worldwide scale. The objective is to reduce the carbon intensity of aviation fuel by 5% compared to current fossil fuel usage in the industry by the year 2030. |
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Southwest airlines announces executive leadership changes Justin Jones will elevate to Executive Vice President Operations, reporting to Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson. Jones will lead the Teams coordinating modernization and oversight of the daily operation of the airline |
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Singapore Flyer introduces 165 Sky Dining Situated at one of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks, 165 Sky Dining emulates Singapore Flyer’s promotion of local culture and products by featuring a curated selection of celebrated “Made with Passion” brands. |
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Emirates signs agreements with Safran worth US$1.2 billion combined Contracts include best-in-class seats for Emirates’ new A350, 777X-9 and B777-300 fleet, cabin equipment, wheels and carbon brakes, landing gear component repairs, retrofit and MRO support. Agreement boosts airline’s ongoing investment in the French and European aviation manufacturing ecosystem. |
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Qatar Airways Introduces New Organic Food Choices for Passengers in Celebration of EXPO 2023 Doha The award-winning airline partners with local farms and Evergreens Organics to curate EXPO 2023 Doha a la carte menu special. |
Hotels & Hospitality News:
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World of Hyatt membership to include increased options and enhanced rewards from January 1, 2024 World of Hyatt Redefines Loyalty by Adding More Rewards, More Milestones, More Choice and More Opportunities to Gift Benefits to Loved Ones The fastest-growing loyalty program in the hospitality industry enhances the travel journey with the industry’s first 150-night Milestone Reward and the reimagined Guest of Honor award. |
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Best Western Hotels expand Premier Collection in Vietnam WH Hotels, a global hospitality network comprising WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotels, has announced the signing of The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Qyat Nhon on Vietnam’s central coast. |
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Hilton Expands in Türkiye with More Than 1600 Rooms Planned Under Five of its Brands Hilton announces Turkish pipeline hotels under its Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton brands |
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Sevenrooms launches new features to reward loyal guests and personalise communication These three new features, all integrated into the SevenRooms platform, give operators new ways to connect and communicate with their guests – helping them evolve to meet the needs of guests who know what they want, how they want it, when they want it. |
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Club Med CEO Asia Pacific wins award Officer Rachael Harding has been named one of “Asia’s Most Inspiring Executives 2023” at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability (ACES) Award. |
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MarketHub Asia conference: Where Next? Travel agencies state that up to 90% of consumers seek personalised solutions, catering to a rising demand for individualised and seamlessly tailored experiences. |
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IHG partners with celebrity tastemakers Corey Damen Jenkins and Maren Morris to bring the magic of the winter season to its guests. |
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Hilton Debuts LXR Hotels & Resorts in South East Asia with Umana Bali The 72‑villa sanctuary combines wellbeing, culture and community to provide captivating experiences that enrich the soul. |
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W Hotels Debuts W Edinburgh, Marking the Iconic Brand’s Expansion in the United Kingdom W Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of over 30 extraordinary hotel brands, today announces the reveal of W Edinburgh with unrivalled happenings, bold, unexpected design, and signature Whatever/Whenever™ service. Highlights include a striking rooftop deck offering never-seen-before 360° views, as well as the W Hotels brand’s signature Sound Suite recording studio, a first for the UK … |
Cruises:
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Icon of the Seas joins Royal Caribbean International fleet Construction took more than two years, and includies the AquaDome, the single largest glass and steel structure across seven pools and six record-breaking waterslides.
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Aqua Expeditions to start offering river cruises in 2024 Specialised river cruising is back and better than ever before, having seen a huge 118% increase in popularity since 2019, with expedition-style cruises increasing by 131%, according to 2022 Virtuoso/YouGov Brand and Travel Trends Research data. |
Retail & F&B:
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J.Crew Group Partners with Synchrony and Mastercard® for New Credit Card Program Synchrony to become the exclusive issuer of J.Crew and J.Crew Factory credit cards; co-branded credit card program to provide rewards and benefits for purchases made outside of J.Crew Group, wherever Mastercard is accepted. |
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Avolta’s Red By Dufry loyalty program has joined forces with IAG Loyalty Avolta’s Red By Dufry loyalty program and IAG Loyalty have teamed up to make it more rewarding for British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus members to shop at the airport. Members will earn Avios in Avolta’s World Duty Free stores throughout Spanish airports and at London Heathrow airport. |
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A majority of IKEA U.S. co-workers will receive a bonus while customers enjoy new lower prices—all ahead of the holidays. |
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Nectar360 chooses Valuedynamx to turbocharge its eShops affiliate proposition Nectar targets to offer more rewards for customers, while streamlining processes for brands |
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Hepsiburada Premium Reaches 2 Million Subscribers Hepsiburada’s subscription service offers outstanding value to customers while driving retention and efficiency for the company. |
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Sephora’s tiered loyalty program will be availiable on LazMall and allow earn points and rewards for in-store purchases. |
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Kroger Reports Third Quarter 2023 Results and Updates Guidance Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen commented: “As consumer spending tightens, we are focused on providing customers with exceptional value. By maintaining our long-term commitment to lower prices, personalized promotions and rewards, we are growing households and increasing loyalty, positioning Kroger for sustainable future growth.” |
Transport, Fuel Retail:
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EV producer Lucid launches referral program with vehicle discounts and factory tours Lucid Referral Program: Lucid owners earn rewards. New buyers get discounts. |
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GM is eyeing new co-brand partners as credit card is dropped by Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs is actively seeking a new company to take over its GM credit cards as part of its larger strategy to exit consumer lending. Existing MyGM Rewards cardholders can continue using their cards for spending and earning rewards while the company evaluates potential new partners. |
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Automotive loyalty rates stall despite volume increases according to S&P Global Mobility During this period, the automotive industry maintained a brand loyalty rate of 50.6%, the same as the corresponding period in 2022, despite a notable 7% increase in return-to-market volume among consumers. This steady loyalty rate is considered a positive indication for the industry, which had been grappling with significant drops in loyalty due to inventory shortages linked to the pandemic. Tesla Brand Loyalty Reaches September Record 71.4% |
Payments, Finance, Insurance, Wealth Mngm & Social Media:
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HBX partners up with Mastercard’s tourism hub The TravelTech Lab by HBX Group and Mastercard’s Tourism Innovation Hub (the Hub) are joining forces to drive innovation in the travel and tourism sector through a collaborative program spanning the next three years. |
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In her new role, Sharon will be responsible for all aspects of card acceptance, including payment processing, client management, merchant partnerships and the development of new payment technology to drive merchant acceptance for American Express cards in the region, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and India. |
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Givex Corp. Announces New Digital Wallet Integrations Apple Pay and Google Pay are the newest payment methods integrated with Givex eCommerce. |
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The new service will offer businesses a variety of use cases, including Wallet-as-a-Service, where Nuvei will manage the entire end-to-end process and distribution for customers, supporting specific use cases such as loyalty programs. |
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PayTabs unveils its expansion into card issuance As part of PayTabs Orchestration final touches to build fintech domination in the region, this proprietary solution will enable banks, enterprises, and corporates to issue cobranded Visa, MasterCard, and debit cards like RuPay along with other local cards. |
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AMEX federal investigation looking into SME product linked to AMEX rewards US Federal investigation relates to 2021 Amex employee claim that salespeople were pressured to sell a product that gave SME owners personal credit card rewards points in exchange for paying employee expenses with business income. |
Loyalty Solutions & Technologies:
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The dynamic customer engagement suite of SAS Customer Intelligence 360 provides users with a holistic, purpose-driven solution encompassing every part of the customer journey to deliver analytics-based insights and reporting. |
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Pangiam, security and tech company, starts trial at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Pangiam, a leading security technology and vision AI company, is proud to announce the successful completion of an exploratory assessment of Project DARTMOUTH’s threat detection capability, conducted at the Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) in the Netherlands. |
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Comarch at the Customer Loyalty & Retention Conference The London event gathered many industry enthusiasts and veterans, some of whom shared their knowledge and ideas during the presentation part of the conference. |
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Fetch Named to Fast Company’s Third Annual List of the Next Big Things in Tech Fetch, the consumer-rewards app and leading consumer-engagement platform, announced that it has been named to Fast Company’s third-annual Next Big Things in Tech list. |
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Solution empowers businesses with cutting-edge technology to streamline operations, elevating worker productivity and provide frictionless shopping options. |
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Akool’s Generative AI Platform Sets New Standard for Brand Engagement With over 10 Fortune 500 customers, Akool empowers iconic brands including Amazon, Coca-Cola, and General Mills to deliver one-of-a-kind immersive experiences—just in time for the holidays. |
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Instacart Adds Peacock As First-Ever Streaming Partner This strategic move is part of a growing trend among subscription services to form partnerships across various industries, aiming to broaden their audience base. |
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Glance Guided CX™ Now Available on Genesys AppFoundry Human collaboration solutions enable Genesys Cloud CX® customers to deliver more personal, tailored support. |
Reports / Research / Insights / Podcasts/ Awards:
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The Loyalty Podcast: Joyalty with Adam Posner In this podcast Iain Pringle will explore how “Joyalty”, or surprising customers with moments of magic, can improve customer engagement. With special guests Adam Posner and Simon Tavernier. |
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Consumers Loyal to Brands That Offer Events in Exchange for Rewards Points New research from The Harris Poll on behalf of TFL surveyed 2,001 American full-time employees ages 18+ to understand why the demand for live events is so high and how brands can capitalize on it. |
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Klarna’s annual trend report reveals ‘Fandom Fashion’ as a key shopping theme for 2023 Under the 2023 overarching theme, ‘Life Maximized’, Klarna also identified ‘Interior Expressionism’ and ‘Host With the Most’ as key trends for US consumers this year. |
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Independent Study: Glance Guided CX™ yielded 394% ROI The study showed that a composite organization representative of interviewed customers that implemented Glance Guided CX experienced considerable results over a three-year period |
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Mastercard on gamification in loyalty programs Research conducted by CataBoom, an SaaS-based gamification and rewards platform in the US partnered with Mastercard, reveals that integrating a game into a loyalty program can boost a brand’s website traffic by up to 50% and its subscriber base by 25%. |
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By working together to connect the data, companies can maximise the convenience experience for consumers, which is a big win for the industry. |
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These awards celebrate and recognize companies that have shown exceptional commitment to delivering consistently high-quality products and services, and have earned overwhelmingly positive user feedback. |
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PYMNTS Subscription Commerce Report The report finds that BNPL may boost subscription loyalty and help merchants to avoid discounts. |
Source: GLO
