Loyalty is a powerful business driver. When it comes down to loyalty marketing, there are many directions to consider. But wrong loyalty turns result in costly trips.

Loyalty Chiefs is an independent relationship marketing agency that guides organisations on a solid course towards loyalty success.  

The business prosperity of customer loyalty has led loyalty marketing to develop into a mature industry with multiple niches. Most niches are dominated by large specialized vendors. Therefore, brands wanting to build loyalty have much to choose on multiple levels, with success and failure going hand in hand.

Today, just having a loyalty marketing program is not enough. The ‘job’ called customer loyalty has no ‘golden solution’ that prevails anywhere and anytime.

Okay, what does it take to get the ‘job’ done?

Well, ask a carpenter and he’ll say it depends on the job. But if you’d ask his hammer and it would always say: hammering! A hammer is a wonderful tool, but it will hopelessly fail on a job where ‘sawing’ is required. Further, the right tools must also be used right in order to work.

The example of the carpenter, also applies to building loyalty using the loyalty marketing toolbox. Through the years I have worked with most of these tools frequently. This experience is vital, because wrong decisions have costly consequences. For this, and the fact the market is dominated by ‘hammering’ vendors, there is a growing need for independent guidance: what type instrument fits my business, which vendor matches best and how to deploy the solution best?

I have founded LoyaltyChiefs to be a relationship marketing agency that offers added value to its clients as an independent loyalty marketing consultant.

As a client you can rely on us for strategic direction, tactical concepts, creative inspiration, decisive research, hands-on training and above all meaningful results. The independent position of LoyaltyChiefs is clear. We know all key aspects on execution, but consciously leave the practical development and maintenance of advised initiatives to the client organization and/or specialised suppliers.

Loyalty is a magnificant phenomenon with intriguing origin, fascinating rulebook and undeniable strong business impact.

My passion for loyalty sprouted during my studies, when I immersed myself in scientific papers on psychology, sociology and consumer buying behavior. After all, loyalty is a magnificent phenomenon. It is a remarkable trait we humans possess along with some special species, in particular the otter.

It might come as a surprise to some of you, but did you know humanity owes its evolutionary existance and position to the ability to feel and behave loyal?

Evolution has given us humans an inescapable longing for meaningful relationships. For example, without friendship our lives would feel empty.

Friendship is about knowing and trusting each other. Friends listen, support, explore, laugh, clash and forgive. Friendship is not formed overnight, but a bond that evolves in time. True friendship is forged by a ongoing balanced accumulation and exchange of mutual investments and experiences of different types of emotions and different levels of intentsity.

People can’t do without friends. Brands can’t do without loyal customers.

In many ways the playbook of friendship also applies to organisational relationships with customers, members, donors and employees. Again, there is a natural tendency for loyalty, but it’s not unconditional. Loyalty is a two way street. Promised delivery creates the conditions and recognition makes the difference.

Customer loyalty is a crucial determinant for sustainable business prosperity.

Longitidunal research has shown that loyalty leaders will increasingly grow faster than their industry competitors.

In order to master loyalty, one needs to understand loyalty. On this it is essential to recognising the two dimensions: attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty. From a commercial business perspective, behavioural loyalty is paramount. However, the loyal behaviour destination is most often found through the path of loyal attitude.

There is complex interconnected psychology behind these two dimensions of loyalty. For explanatory reasons, I drafted the metaphorical ‘Loyal Tree’ model.

The loyal tree is all about the loyal fruits. What these desirable loyal fruits are, is pretty clear by now. The loyal tree produces the most and best loyal fruit. It also does not break if there is a storm. As long as the tree has healthy loyal roots, it will only grow bigger, stronger and more beautiful over time. Those who want to keep harvesting loyal fruit successfully would be wise to consiously nurture its loyal roots as well. This is a job you can confidently rely on Loyalty Chiefs for to do.