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Senior-level buy-in
Among Alliance Data’s clients, the ones that
might be considered “home runs” are those that
have the highest degree of senior-level buy-in.
Of course, with all that retailers must deal
with today, there are plenty of distractions.
“We try to help our clients stay focused,”
Miller says. That effort can come in the form of
joint marketing plans and “credit ambassadors”
who keep associates up to date on the credit
card program.
Behrens says that, generally twice a year, the
retailer’s best 250 to 500 customers are sent a
gift – a simple, no-strings-attached “thank
you.”
“Loyalty is something that we live every day,”
Behrens says. “Not that we won’t ever consider a
[traditional] loyalty program. But we’re not
trying to ring up points and make people feel
that they have to spend a certain amount.” At
Maurices, she says, “it’s much more
heart-and-mind and psyche driven.”
“For us it’s about ‘How do I become the store
they trust … that satisfies their social needs
more than anything else and [makes them feel]
like they are shopping with a friend?’”
Schroeder says. “You can’t put that on a punch
card, and you can’t put that in a point system.”
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