In the past week, business has taken me to Vancouver, BC and San Jose, Costa Rica with a pit stop in South Florida for a day or so at home. None of that was a big deal until my colleague Mike Atkin noted at dinner that we’ve been hitting these spots in conjunction with some [...]

After spending the last few weeks thinking through reasonable responses to my new favorite question for 2010 “Do you think Social Media is here to stay?“, I’ve recently been re-directed to my “old” favorite question that I have been answering for 12 years “Do loyalty programs work?“
Without disappearing completely down that gopher-hole, I’ll just say [...]

Over the recent holidays, my friend Bill Hanifin pointed out a post written by the person arguably at the forefront of the whole social media movement, Chris Brogan. In the post, Brogan said, “People are slowing down to turn their thoughts to family and to their own development, and to what worked and what didn’t [...]

Almost 10 years ago, I wrote an opinion piece for COLLOQUY questioning whether Frequent Flyer miles were still the most valuable currency in the Loyalty Marketing landscape.  The premise was that the weakening value of the FF mile might open the door for a better offer to capture the loyalty imagination of consumers. The next [...]

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 [...]

In the beginning, there was Air Miles. Actually, according to history, it was three men in a room that started Air Miles.
According to Air Miles corporate history, Keith Mills wasn’t one of those three guys, but somehow later it was Sir Keith Mills that sowed the seeds of the Air Miles brand and business model [...]

Fred Reichheld may have asked the Ultimate Question, but few seem to have “just one answer” to the question.
Napoleon Hill was quoted as saying that  ”Lack of loyalty is one of the major causes of failure in every walk of life.”
I tend to agree.
In business and in life, if you show sincere concern for another [...]

Data security, taxes & privacy concerns: Grown up Challenges for a Maturing Industry
A few thoughts on challenges for an industry entering adulthood.
Loyalty Marketing has its own two-edged sword to contend with. The collection of customer data is essential to delivering offers and promotions that influence purchase decisions, but the spotlight on responsible management and protection [...]

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 [...]

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I got used to my home town being the butt of nightly jokes on national television. “On a clear day in Cleveland…you can see absolutely Nothing!” was a popular refrain from Johnny Carson. The “Mistake on the Lake”, the flaming Cuyahoga River, a mayor who skipped a Presidential visit to [...]