Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014 - 50

RETAIL QUICK TIPS

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN BUILD
CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN AN OMNICHANNEL
UNIVERSE BY FOLLOWING FIVE EASY TIPS?
BROUGHT TO YOU BY RETAIL COUNCIL OF CANADA AND AIMIA
TODAY'S omnichannel shopping universe has added a layer of intricacy to the retail marketing landscape that

requires retailers to work harder at building unique value propositions. Providing meaningful offers and targeting
communications to the right customers, through their preferred channels, and at the right time, is critical. Thanks
to the intersection of smart data and loyalty programs, it is possible for retailers to create those 'personalized'
customer relationships, even in an omnichannel universe. Here are five tips to make this happen:

GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER

Merchandise, promotions, pricing
and other aspects of the customer
experience aren't worth much if they
are not based on a highly detailed
understanding of the shopper's needs
and wants. Gathering and analyzing
relevant data can help retailers create
the notion of a one-to-one relationship. Data which can be gathered
through a robust loyalty program can
help in making personalized customer connections and customizing
shopper information and promotions
via social media channels, subscription services, targeted coupons and
digital campaigns.
DEVELOP LOYALTY PERSONAS

For years, marketers have built customer "personas"-characters that
represent different customer segments-to drive life stage and lifestyle segmentation efforts. Insight
from loyalty program data can improve and add clarity to these efforts
for the retailer. Are your best customers single? Are they new moms?
Are they price sensitive? Basic
transactional data such as frequency,
basket size, and even SKU-level
detail can focus persona efforts far
more effectively than survey, social,
or other data sets not based on actual
shopping behavior.

FOCUS YOUR DATA EFFORTS

Through the use of a loyalty program, retailers also have
the ability to gather core transactional data, which provides useful boundaries for dynamic customer segmentation efforts that result in more precisely targeted and
relevant offers. These analytics can improve operational
decision making on everything from price, store format/
location to inventory, as well as deﬁne rewards and recognition that increase customer engagement.
CONNECT THE DATA DOTS ACROSS CHANNELS

Today, customers conduct product research online before
visiting your store; "like" your Facebook page before heading to your website; or visit your store to research a product.
By combining insights from transactional analysis with data
points from the entire purchase cycle, you can infuse customer relationships with a seamless, cross-channel experience.
When in-store, allow customers the opportunity to use their
mobile phones to enhance their experience through mobile
in store offers, allow customers to pay for their purchases via
mobile wallets. When your customers are not headed to the
physical store location, connect with them through your online channel by offering personalized offers or incentives-or
even free shipping to their closest retail location.
USE LOYALTY TO BUILD CHANNEL CONTINUITY

Consumers become frustrated when a retailer offers one
price online and another in-store or when they lack visibility into item availability at the local retail location. A robust
loyalty program can help provide a consistent experience
across all channels to create a seamless shopping experience
that allows shoppers to navigate with consistency, ﬂexibility
and autonomy through every interaction with your store.

For more information about the services that Aimia offers, visit www.aimia.com.
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Canadian Retailer - Spring 2014

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