'Extreme Couponing' should give retailers, brands and tech providers nightmares

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

I'm normally loathe to go anywhere near reality television — and has there ever been a more dishonest or inaccurate label for a genre than that one? — but I…

Buying customer loyalty: Does it ever work?

by Dale Furtwengler — President, Furtwengler & Associates, P.C.

Can we really buy customer loyalty? If not, what are we really buying?To answer these questions we need to define loyalty. Loyal customers:

Experiment on customers to get more from your self-service pilot

In our house, spring means two things: Chicago Cubs baseball and the school Science Fair. As I was helping my son sort out whether or not a cheese sandwich…

Organization engagement: Five key steps to aligning around the customer

Retailers might think they're customer-centric, but many customers experience the opposite.

NCR unveils first hybrid laser and imaging bi-optic scanner

March 16, 2011

NCR Corp., a global technology company offering assisted- and self-service solutions, recently announced that it is launching the world’s first hybrid laser…

A sweet rewards program

by Doug Fleener — President and Managing Partner, Dynamic Experiences Group, LLC

I'm not a big fan of traditional loyalty programs although I do belong to multiple grocery and drugstore programs. And that's exactly why I'm not a fan. If…

Walgreens uses mobile app as customer loyalty strategy

March 6, 2011

According to MobileCommerceDaily.com, a large number of Walgreens customers are using its mobile application to refill prescriptions. The company is reporting…

Microsoft introduces Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail R2 at EuroShop 2011

February 27, 2011

Microsoft Corp. launched Microsoft Dynamics AX for Retail R2 in Germany at the global retail industry trade fair, EuroShop 2011.

The communication station: are you making your connections?

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

Savvy loyalty marketers know that deeper engagement and personalized communication are the biggest loyalty drivers for high-value customers, not mass e-mail…

Five barriers to building retail customer loyalty

Loyalty programs should be about companies demonstrating their loyalty to customers, not the other way around.

Kmart offering discount flu shots, with loyalty card points

February 17, 2011

With flu season at its peak and the possibility of cases occurring as late as May this year, Kmart announced it is offering $15 flu shots, while supplies last…

The Enduring Allure of the Secret Handshake

by Doug Stephens — President, Retail Prophet Consulting

The world is an increasingly inclusive place and as a society, we've grown to expect equal and open access to just about everything. Facebook has become the…

A missed opportunity to add loyalty value?

by Sharon Goldman — Senior Director, COLLOQUY

At COLLOQUY, we regularly discuss the benefits of using loyalty program data to improve customer relationships and targeted customer communication. But can a…

Don’t Discount the Effects of Snow

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

Much of the country is buried under snow banks. America's retailers, meanwhile, are trying to dig out from a pile of inventory.

Is this the death of loyalty rewards as we know them?

When customers choose which company to do business with, rewards just don't matter like they used to.

Increasing retail ROI through collaborative communication

Collaborating around the customer ensures that everyone's needs are met, especially that customer.

NRF: Convergent technologies on the retail horizon

Shoppers want a seamless cross-channel experience; retailers who miss on convergence could fall behind.

Retaligent intros Charisma 1:1 clienteling and loyalty solution

January 9, 2011

Retail software company Retaligent Solutions Inc. recently announced its new retail-specific Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution, Charisma 1:1.

The top 10 Retail Customer Experience stories of 2010

by James Bickers — Editor, Networld Alliance

Practical information and tactics resonated loud and clear with readers this year.

Service with a Capital You

by Lisa Biank Fasig — Director, JZMcBride and Associates

It always bugged me that almost every specialty store displays its small-sized clothes on the top rack, where small people cannot easily reach them, while the…