April 8,2009 19:04
可以買到品牌忠誠度嗎？
Can Brand Loyalty Be Bought?
可以買到品牌忠誠度嗎？
這篇文章如果五顆星，我大概只會打一顆。不過，既然我已經翻了，就貼出來。
原文網址 http://www.brandchannel.com/start1.asp?fa_id=475#author
by Barry Silverstein
April 27, 2009 issue
The classic brand loyalty program offers a combination of rewards and recognition. The bottom-line objective of the program, however, is retention—to ensure that a customer continues to purchase a product or service and remains loyal to that particular brand. First airlines, and then hotels, used loyalty programs to offer incentives to frequent travelers, but today brand loyalty programs are just as common in financial services and retail.
典型的品牌忠誠度計畫常是獎勵與表彰的結合。然而，最底線的目標就是保留住客戶，確保顧客持續購買產品或服務，並且維繫對某個特定品牌的忠誠。首先是航空公司，後來是旅館，都使用顧客忠誠計畫提供給經常旅行者誘因，而今日的品牌忠誠計畫在金融服務跟零售業裡非常普遍。
One of the fastest-growing brand loyalty markets is financial services. Credit card companies in particular have adopted the rewards model with increasing frequency. In some cases a credit card will be linked with a specific airline; in other cases, the credit card rewards its “members” with miles that can be used on any airline. Some credit cards also offer merchandise, cash back or other incentives that build up with credit card use. Some even promise customers they can get preferred seating at events or restaurants.
品牌忠誠計畫市場，其中之一成長最快的就是金 融服務業。尤其是信用卡公司愈加頻繁地採用酬賓模式。在有些例子裡，一張信用卡與某特定航空公司作結合，在其他例子裡，信用卡用「可適用於任何航空公司的 哩程數」獎勵其會員。有些信用卡提供商品、現金回饋或是其他誘因來促使消費者使用信用卡。有些甚至承諾客戶他們可以在某些活動或餐廳得到想要的座位。Brand loyalty is big business. More than 1.8 billion memberships exist in US loyalty programs, averaging 14 memberships per household, according to 2009 research conducted by COLLOQUY, a leading provider of loyalty marketing, publishing education and research. COLLOQUY estimates about 44 percent of these memberships are “active.” Among the general US population, 57 percent of respondents claim to belong to a loyalty marketing program. This compares to 86 percent of Canadian consumers who participate in loyalty programs, according to another research study conducted by COLLOQUY in late 2007.
品牌忠誠度可以是一個大事業。根據2009年一個由品牌忠誠研究的領導公司COLLOQUY所做的調查，在美國有超過18億名的會員，平均千人中就有14人是擁有某種會員資格。COLLOQUY估計約有44%的會員是有效的。根據此公司在2007年晚期所做的另一個調查，在美國的總人口，57%的受訪者宣稱他們屬於某一個品牌忠誠計畫。相較下，約有86%的加拿大有參與於品牌忠誠計畫。
But do these programs work? Kelly Hlavinka, partner of COLLOQUY, tells Brandchannel: “From the results of our clients’ programs, loyalty programs are indeed effective at increasing visit frequency, increasing the amount spent annually and retaining customers. The current economic environment may heighten the importance of a company’s loyalty program. For the consumer, participating in a loyalty program can help them stretch their limited budget a little bit further. For the company, retaining your best customers that have enrolled in your loyalty program is more important than ever.”
但是這些計畫有效嗎？COLLOQUY公司總裁Kelly Hlavinka告訴Brandchannel： 「從我們顧客活動的結果，品牌忠誠計畫在增加來客率、以及增加顧客年度總花費以及維繫顧客上，是有效的。現今的經濟環境可能更強調顧客品牌忠誠計畫的重要 性。對於消費者而言，參與一項品牌忠誠計畫，可以幫他們將有限的預算，發揮更大一點的作用。對於公司而言，留住已加入你的品牌忠誠計畫的最好顧客群，是比 以前更重要。」
For hotels, loyalty programs seem to be paying off. Jill Noblett, senior vice president of loyalty and direct marketing for Wyndham Hotel Group, discussed the chain’s loyalty program at a “Loyalty Leaders” session at the Direct Marketing Association Conference in October 2008. She says the chain works “to deliver the message that points earned are an enabler. You can take that vacation or visit one of our fabulous resorts with your expenses covered by redeeming points. What guests earn during their stays also provides them benefits—like a Home Depot gift certificate to use to fix up the kitchen—long after they return home.” Noblett says, “we’ve seen a correlation between redemption and repeat stays.”
對於旅館業者，品牌忠誠計畫看來很值得。溫德姆國際酒店集團(Wyndham Hotel Group)顧客忠誠以及直效行銷的資深副總裁Jill Noblett在2008年十月直效行銷會展中的一個「顧客忠誠度領導者」會議中，談到該連鎖店的顧客忠誠計畫。她說該連鎖店致力於「傳遞一個訊息，所贏的點數是很有用的。這些點數可以兌換成部分消費額，讓你可以休假或是參訪我們很棒的度假聖地。在顧客停留在我們酒店時，所賺得的點數，可以提供顧客持久到他們回到家的諸多利益，譬如Home Depot禮盒，讓你可以自行修理廚房。」Noblett說：「我們已經看見兌換點數跟重複來店是相關的。」
For retailers, buying brand loyalty may be more of a challenge. The research conducted by COLLOQUY “suggests that typical two-tier pricing and discount-based rewards—the model that dominates high-frequency retail environments—simply don’t engage consumers,” the company says. “The retail discount reward is now a commodity.”
對於零售業，買一個品牌忠誠度可能是一個挑戰。COLLOQUY市調研究「建議無法單靠典型的兩層定價與折扣獎勵模式吸引客戶，目前此模式主導零售業環境。」這家市調公司說：「零售折扣獎勵制度現在是一個很有用的商品。」
Aubyn Thomas, senior vice president of marketing services for credit and loyalty for Macy’s, also spoke at the aforementioned Loyalty Leaders session. “Because consumers are very selective in what they buy, we’re relying far more heavily on our Star Rewards program today than ever before,” she says. The economic environment makes it especially challenging for retailers to reward customers appropriately. As a result, Thomas says, “…we’re turning to less-costly experiential ways of reinforcing customer relationships. So instead of thinking only about discounts and coupons… we’re now thinking about experiences. For example, an experiential reward might be first-class travel to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person.”
梅西(Macy)百貨公司資深行銷服務副總Aubyn Thomas也在「顧客忠誠度領導者」會議提及：「因為消費者對於要買什麼會精挑細選，我們比以往更倚賴我們的星空酬賓計畫(Star Rewards program)」。現今的經濟環境讓零售業者對於適當地獎勵顧客更具有挑戰性。所以Thomas說：「…我們轉向花費比較少一點的體驗方式，來加強顧客關係。所以除了想到折扣或是折價券之外…我們現在想到「讓顧客體驗」。譬如，一個實驗性質的獎勵方式可能是提供頭等艙來親自看梅西百貨的感恩節遊行。」
While brand loyalty programs are designed to reward customers with tangible benefits, there is also a “softer” side to customer engagement. “The key to sustaining positive results from loyalty programs is a blend of economic and emotional rewards,” says COLLOQUY’s Hlavinka. “Smart companies strive to move beyond simple economic incentives to incorporate meaningful recognition benefits.”
雖然品牌忠誠度計畫設計用有形的利益獎勵顧客，但仍有「軟性」的一面，讓消費者參與。COLLOQUY公司的Hlavinka說「維繫品牌計畫的正面產出的關鍵在於混合經濟性跟情感性的獎賞。聰明的公司會努力從單純的經濟誘因，再加入有意義的讓消費者認知品牌的利益點。」
Wyndham Hotels’ “ByRequest” program is an example of this recognition. “It’s high touch and provides guests with a personalized experience on property,” Noblett says. “ByRequest members can complete an online profile and tell us, ‘I want a certain type of pillow,’ ‘I want a snack and beverage in my room when I arrive,’ ‘I want a certain number of hangers in my closet.’ A manager on property welcomes ByRequest members and ensures that their preferences are met. How nice for a business traveler… to be able to check into a Wyndham and get that kind of special treatment.”
Wyndham旅館集團的「ByRequest計畫」是一種讓消費者認知品牌例子。「它的高感性與在旅店內提供顧客個人化經驗。」Noblett提到「ByRequest會員可以完成線上個人資料後，告訴我們：我喜歡某種類型的枕頭、我想要當我到達時，房內有零食與飲料、我想要衣櫃裡有特定數量的衣架。一個旅館的經理會歡迎ByRequest會員並且確保他們的偏好有被滿足。當商務旅客入住Wyndham旅館並且得到某種特殊待遇，這將是很棒的事。」
Still, a significant percentage of consumers do not participate in loyalty programs. As reasons for their lack of participation, they cite such economic factors as the need to spend too much and not wanting to pay a program fee, according to COLLOQUY’s research.
然而，仍有為數不少的比例，顧客沒有加入忠誠計畫。至於他們不想參與的原因，他們提及某些經濟因素，像是不想要花太多錢以及不想付會員費。以上是根據COLLOQUY公司的調查。
There are other non-financial demotivators that brand marketers need to understand. Consumers cited “boring rewards” and the feeling that “all loyalty programs look alike” as reasons for not belonging to a loyalty program. Additionally, there was a high percentage of what COLLOQUY refers to as “category churners—people who had previously played the game and dropped out.” According to the company, “While dropping out of a program is a common consumer experience, the number of consumers churning from the entire category of loyalty programs should raise alarms for loyalty marketers. Clearly, we’re not doing enough to keep customers engaged.”
品牌經理需要瞭解其他非財務的動機弱化方式。消費者提及「有些無聊的獎勵」並且覺得所有的品牌忠誠計畫看起來很像，這些也是不參與忠誠計畫的理由。此外，COLLOQUY指出有蠻高比例的人是已經先前參與過但是退出。根據這家公司，「退出某個計畫是一個常見的顧客經驗，但是顧客完全退出忠誠計畫的人數應警惕行銷人員。很明顯地，我們作的不夠多來使吸引顧客。」
All audience segments offered as a primary reason for non-participation the “lack of compelling rewards.” Almost half of non-belongers said loyalty programs look too similar. A third issue is the amount of churn: it appears that, regardless of audience segment, people join and then drop out of loyalty programs in relatively high numbers.
不參與品牌計畫的所有顧客群認為不參加的原因是因為「缺乏吸引人的獎賞」。大約有一半不參加品牌計畫的人表示這些忠誠計畫看起來很像。第三個問題就是參與過，後來又退出忠誠計畫的人數相當高。
Those disappearing high numbers represent lost brand engagement opportunities—a high price for brands to pay in such challenging economic times.
這些消失的高顧客數代表失去參與品牌的機會，在經濟不好的時候，這對品牌來說是一個很高的代價。
