I recently shared a story in the Toronto Globe & Mail about how Canadian parents would rather talk with their children about sex, drugs or alcohol than money.
Sometimes when I talk with stakeholders responsible for loyalty program operations, I get the feeling that the question draining their complexion is not far from that mark. “Who [...]

When people are asked about their greatest fears, you might be surprised by the results.
In recent polls, I have seen public speaking rank ahead of getting cancer and being stricken by terrorist attacks!
Apparently in Canada, the list would be different still. A recent article in the Toronto Globe & Mail reported that in a recent [...]

I am often asked where to go to learn more about Loyalty Marketing. Until Mark Johnson and his crew launched Loyalty 360, it was difficult to provide a useful answer.  There are occasional tracks presented at the annual DMA event and Colloquy continues to deliver its Loyalty Marketing Workshop in conjunction with the DMA, but [...]

I love to connect the dots. And, for all that is wrong with business air travel, there is also something right about it. In an always connected world, it is great to have a respite from everything digital.
My personal hope is that the offer of internet access during commercial air travel fails miserabley. As humans, [...]

Citibank launched its ThankYou! Network in 2004 and in doing so,  staked out ground as the first top-tier bank to embark on a rewards program that went beyond credit card and included multiple retail bank products like checking accounts and consumer loans.
Credit to the first bank to launch a Relationship Banking program in North America [...]

The beauty of business travel has to be the opportunity to see life through a different lens. At least I am claiming this as a benefit as there has to be an offset to long airport security lines, expensive food, and uncomfortable airline seats that compose the rest of the experience!
When we remain sequestered [...]

Two forces are at work in the financial services industry today that place banker marketers at an interesting crossroads.
The first phenomena is a new wave of regulatory pressure on banks and credit card issuers specifically targeted at credit cards. This has occured as a reaction to the tough economy endured in the US leading Congress [...]

I’ve always admired great writers and Rick Ferguson, the Editorial Director of COLLOQUY, is on my list of the best.
I had the opportunity to co-author an article for COLLOUQY with Rick on the changing nature of card rewards programs in this challenging economic environment. If you would like to have a quick read, it is [...]

One of the blogs I enjoy reading is written by Chris Brogan. He’s got some interesting takes on social media and a huge following.
Today he stepped in the Loyalty Marketing sandbox with his post The Myth of Brand Loyalty. I won’t recount the story here and encourage you to read it as well as [...]

Have you ever had a retail experience that starts with a bang and ends with a thud?
That’s what happened to me recently at Wachovia Bank, and I share it as it illustrates a core practice of Customer Satisfaction surveys that needs re-engineering.
I had occasion to open an account at Wachovia and the experience was the [...]