In this week's Newswire you can enjoy a curated list of the latest customer loyalty, technology, payments, and other relevant marketing news. We include a spectrum of topics, all with the intention of keeping you informed and enabling you to star in your next big meeting.
The Loyalty Newswire makes it simple for busy professionals (e.g. YOU) to quickly digest important industry news and trending topics. Keep reading!
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Stay. Loyal. Always.
- Capillary Technologies acquires Brierley
- El Pollo Loco Unveils New Loco Rewards® Program
- Preferred Travel Group updates I Prefer Hotel Rewards
- Chick-fil-A updates rewards program
- Gateway relaunching its My Club Rewards program at casinos
- Epsilon Loyalty Lab is live in Austin, Texas next week – April 18. Will you be there?
- Loyalty™ Academy Nearing 700 Certified Loyalty Marketing Professionals™ Worldwide
- Fred Reichheld and Cassandra Worthy to present at eXp’s Shareholder Summit
- Quote of the week
Capillary Technologies acquires Brierley
Capillary Technologies, a global customer loyalty and customer engagement SaaS platform, announced the acquisition of Brierley+Partners, one of the legacy loyalty providers that has been active in the business for decades. Capillary has the backing of Warburg Pincus, Sequoia Capital, Avataar Ventures, and Filter Capital. It is their second acquisition in the United States which signifies its intentions to grow in the North American market. Speaking about the acquisition, Sameer Garde, CEO of Capillary Technologies, said, “Brierleys’ vision of empowering consumers through brand experiences that make relationships personal and meaningful, aligns well with Capillary’s vision of becoming the best loyalty company in the world. Brierley’s extensive industry expertise will be a valuable asset for us as we continue to increase our footprint in the US market.”
El Pollo Loco Unveils New Loco Rewards® Program
To underscore the updating of its loyalty program, El Pollo Loco has announced a national contest that will select 30 total new and existing loyalty members to receive one million rewards points and become instant “Pollo Millionaires.” The contest runs for 30 days, between National Burrito Day and Cinco de Mayo. Changes to the Loco Rewards® program include a new tiered points status system and loyalty members can now enjoy 12 new rewards at four different point thresholds that provide guests with free food. Points have a 365-day lifetime before expiration.
Preferred Travel Group updates I Prefer Hotel Rewards
Preferred Travel Group, the family-owned company that operates hotel brands Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Beyond Green, Historic Hotels of America, and Historic Hotels Worldwide, is re-introducing I Prefer Hotel Rewards, the world’s biggest loyalty program for independent hotels. The program update features a content-rich, standalone website and upgraded mobile app in addition to extended redemption opportunities and a new set of promotional offers.
Chick-fil-A updates rewards program
Reversing an earlier announcement that some point values required to redeem rewards would increase, Chick-fil-A has now announced that no changes will be made. Chick-fil-A said it took into account market conditions and costs to its business when making the original decision. In related news, the company said it is adding the ability to redeem entire meals and more menu items to the rewards store and that it won’t stop selling its side salad, a popular item that was scheduled to be eliminated.
Gateway relaunching its My Club Rewards program at casinos
Gateway Casinos and Entertainment (Gateway) announced the relaunch of its loyalty rewards program, My Club Rewards (MCR). Gateway operates 14 properties across Ontario. Gateway’s relaunched MCR program includes a new exclusive partnership with Baha Mar – a $4.8 billion integrated resort, casino, and waterpark in Nassau, Bahamas. Members can now access an “unmatched” level of experiences, including hotel stays, spa retreats, cruises, concerts, and more.
Epsilon Loyalty Lab is live in Austin, Texas next week – April 18. Will you be there?
The first ever Loyalty Lab is being co-hosted by The Wise Marketer and Epsilon, with supporting sponsors Adobe and The Loyalty Academy™. The theme of this one-day event is “Moving beyond transactional loyalty” and the day will feature lots of conversation, networking and group collaboration. Brand new content and forward thinking will be shared by Phil Rubin, Brad Macdonald, and Shannon Ottinger. Registration for the Epsilon Loyalty Lab is free. Don’t miss this unique opportunity. You can learn more and register here.
Loyalty™ Academy Nearing 700 Certified Loyalty Marketing Professionals™ Worldwide
The Loyalty Academy™, the education platform of the Wise Marketer Group, experienced robust growth in Q1 2023 and anticipates continued strong performance in its Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ (CLMP™) community throughout 2023. The official press release stated that Q1 growth was driven by the completion of successful public certification workshops in Dubai and Amsterdam. Growth in Q2 will continue as the result of 3 in-person workshops in Asia Pacific (AP) and North & West Africa (N&WA) regions, alongside uptake for its CLMP™ On-Demand course offerings.
Fred Reichheld and Cassandra Worthy to present at eXp’s Shareholder Summit
eXp World Holdings, the holding company for eXp Realty®, Virbela and SUCCESS® Enterprises, announced that Fred Reichheld and Cassandra Worthy – noted experts on customer loyalty and transformational change – will take the stage at the ninth annual eXp Shareholder Summit, taking place May 17-20, 2023 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
The CRMC will be held in Chicago June 7-9, 2023. Brands announced include Adidas, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Chico’s, GNC, Lifetime, London Drugs, Majid Al Futtam, Nascar, NBA, Pep Boys and Sonesta. More announcements will be coming soon. More information and registration info can be found here.
Quote of the Week
It is possible to develop truly loyal customers, however, it’s important to understand that loyalty is not something that can be bought or forced. True loyalty is earned over time through consistent, reliable behavior, and by creating a story that resonates with the customer’s values and beliefs. Customers who are truly loyal are not just satisfied with a brand’s products or services, but they also feel a deep emotional connection to the brand. They are willing to stick with the brand through thick and thin, and they are more likely to recommend the brand to others.
Seth Godin, via his experimental AI chat bot