Here's your loyalty-related news for this week:
- Klarna becomes the first buy now, pay later provider to offer a rewards program
- Uber Eats adds Priority Delivery option and unveils new Restaurant Loyalty Program
- The Loyalty Academy announces Certified Loyalty Marketing Professionals™ now exist in 20 countries around the world!
- Sam's Club launches free curbside pickup nationwide while continuing to offer its concierge service
- Forrester's US 2020 CX Index™ reveals customer experience quality improved significantly over the past year
- As physical stores re-open, omni-channel retailers set their sights on a new target demographic
- New study details how retailers have responded to COVID-19 and highlights vulnerabilities in supply chain
- Hotel designs will focus on social distancing and contact-free systems as we continue to move forward
- Arkansas's 'Get Shift Done' program enables service industry employees to earn extra cash
LOYALTY PROGRAM NEWS:
Klarna Launches Vibe: the First Buy Now, Pay Later Shopper Loyalty Program
Quotable: “Loyalty programs have been a draw for customers for decades, but as the first mover globally in the buy now, pay later space to offer such a program, Klarna is uniquely delivering curated rewards benefits to customers without the fees and high interest rates often attached to credit cards and their accompanying loyalty programs.”
Uber Eats' New Priority Delivery & Restaurant Rewards Program Give You More Options
Quotable: “Alongside the new delivery option, Uber Eats also unveiled the new Restaurant Loyalty Program, which allows you to become a "virtual regular" at your favorite restaurant. You can now earn points towards a reward at spots you order from often and monitor your progress every time you order from a participating restaurant. It's up to restaurants to build a respective loyalty programs on the platform, and there are already thousands of restaurants across the globe that are opting in, including joints in New York, Paris, and Sao Paulo. Your purchases on Uber Eats will also continue to count towards Uber Rewards, too.”
LOYALTY ACADEMY NEWS:
The Professional Certification Program at the Loyalty Academy Hits Major Global Milestone
Quotable: “The Loyalty Academy, the educational services arm of The Wise Marketer Group, today announced the Kingdom of Jordan as the 20th country in the world to be represented by a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional™ (CLMP). Mohammad Saleh Samaha, Loyalty & Analytics Department Head at the Nahdi Medical Company, became the 165th global loyalty professional to earn the credentials.”
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE NEWS:
Sam's Club just launched a new feature shoppers will love
Quotable: “Sam’s Club today announced the nationwide launch of curbside pickup. The service, which provides a contact-free, order online and delivery to car shopping experience, will be free for Plus-level members and is expected to be available in all clubs by the end of June. Curbside pickup is part of a list of Plus-membership benefits, which also includes early shopping hours, free shipping on most online items, 2% cash back on qualifying in-club and pickup purchases, and more.”
Forrester's US 2020 Customer Experience Index Reveals CX Quality Improved Dramatically Over The Past Year
Quotable: “According to Forrester's US 2020 Customer Experience Index (CX Index™) rankings, 27% of brands improved their CX Index scores over the past year, a significant jump compared to previous years marked by minimal gains. Factors contributing to the increase in scores this year include CX professionals prioritizing high-impact projects, securing executive buy-in, evangelizing CX projects across the organization, and designing experiences that emotionally resonate with customers.”
RETAIL NEWS:
Meet the Anxious Consumer - omni-channel retail's new target demographic as stores come out of COVID-19 shutdown
Quotable: “Globally, 52% of respondents say that they will change the way they shop over the coming year and it’s heath concerns that are driving this view. Some 70% say that hygiene and sanitation in shops is now a top priority in a more risk-aware world, hardly surprising given that 78% of US consumers and 57% of UK ones anticipate a second virus outbreak within the next six months.”
New study provides insights into how retailers have responded to COVID-19
Quotable: “The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the retail sector, a new study by WMG, University of Warwick, and Blue Yonder has examined how retailers have responded to the situation. The study identified the human vulnerabilities across the supply chain and the need for future investment in flexibility, visibility and automation to improve future resilience.”
HOSPITALITY NEWS:
This is the future of hotel design after coronavirus, according to hospitality architects
Quotable: “The global pandemic halted travel in the short term, but its effects are going to last into the foreseeable future — and possibly forever. Hotel designers and architects are reworking existing projects and starting new ones with a focus on social distancing and contact-free systems. That means we can expect to see fundamental changes to hotels' meeting spaces, lobbies, guest rooms, and food and beverage options.”
'Get Shift Done' program helps Arkansas hospitality workers earn extra cash
Quotable: “The program was first started in Dallas, according to Arkansas Food Bank CEO Rhonda Sanders. The food bank submits how many volunteer shifts they need filled and how many people they need to work them to the Get Shift Done website. Service industry employees in need of work are then able to sign up for shifts, fill whatever needs the food bank has that would typically be covered by volunteers and get paid the moment they clock out.”
Check out last week's newswire: Loyalty Newswire – June 8th, 2020
The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.