Oracle CRM and Loyalty event in Auckland - Carlson's 10 Loyalty Programme "Must Haves"

Karl Schuster (president of Carlson Marketing Asia Pacific) presented on loyalty as a business strategy at Oracle's CRM and Loyalty Event event in Auckland.

Oracle's CRM Solution Consulting lead Andrew Davidson first profiled Oracle's offerings in this space. Interestingly, Oracle's customer facing solutions are based on a four core components around a Siebel core. Sales and Service form the expected base and are pretty much table stakes for a customer application. The addition of Marketing tools lift the value of the offering from tactical to strategic. The inclusion of Loyalty as the fourth pillar recognises the importance of sustained customer relationships.

Karl Schuster followed Andrew and addressed a list of best practices that our global clients have implemented or are implementing in 2010. Not all suit all industries and not all necessarily belong together in the same program. However they're a useful starting point.

They are :

1. Multi-channel Quick Enroll : create as few barriers to joining as possible. Ask as few questions as possible when a prospect signs up to the programme. Ask for more data later on in the time of redemption.

2. Preference Center: Where the member manages their communication choices, such as their desired channel, timing, frequency.

3. Member Get Member : Allow the top loyalists in your program to become ambassadors and leverage their own networks to drive acquisition.

4. Multi-channel code submission: is a feature that enables a member to submit an on-pack rewards code via SMS, mobile website, email, web cam or any other channel.

5. Program Dashboards. get all the program data together in one view to be able to assess the performance of your investment (well supported in the Oracle solutions).

6. Instant Rewards: usually for smaller redemption value that drive engagement as an adjunct to the accrual of points. This is also an efficiency play that doesn't have to deal with physical goods.

7. Loyalty program toolbar and widget: Distribution of content and functionality via web browser toolbar or desktop applications.

8. Mobile Program website : The mobile internet is growing faster than than the PC based internet ever did. Customers are trained now to expect ubiquity of access.

9. Loyalty program fan page and feed: Specific fan-based messaging for Facebook, Twitter and others.

10. Dynamic e-Offers: Deployment and overall management of personalized, highly relevant, location based incentives