From Data Unification to Personalisation: Strategies to Drive Loyalty and Retention
Last week, industry leaders and experts in customer loyalty and retention gathered in London for the Customer Loyalty & Retention Conference, where top brands like Co-op, Specsavers, Pizza Hut, and Diageo shared insights on overcoming obstacles and creating meaningful, seamless customer experiences. Throughout the day, recurring themes emerged: the importance of a solid data foundation, the power of intentional data collection to build trust, and the need to balance innovation with getting the basics right.
If you couldn’t make it, here’s a recap of the three major takeaways—from breaking down data silos to delivering effective personalisation and fostering deeper customer connections. These insights highlight how brands can evolve their customer loyalty strategies to meet the growing expectations of today’s consumers, paving the way for stronger, more enduring relationships.
1. Unified Data Remains a Key Hurdle
As consumers continue to expect seamless experiences across every interaction, brands face the ongoing challenge of unifying fragmented data. Stuart Clare from The AA highlighted this sentiment perfectly: “Customers don’t care about the channel they’re on; they just want a continuous experience.” This need for consistency is especially prominent among younger generations.
Plinc’s latest consumer loyalty research: “One More Time: Creating Loyal, Repeat Customers” shared at the event, revealed that Gen Z not only expects an omnichannel experience but actively engages across multiple touchpoints—social media, in-store, and even direct mail. This was backed by a recent CMO Council’s “Critical Channels of Choice” report, which found 87% of Millennials and Gen Z consumers prefer having a choice of channels, underscoring the importance of omnichannel accessibility.
However, achieving this requires more than consumer preference—it hinges on a company’s ability to unify data across both digital and offline channels, a significant obstacle for many. Marketers often struggle to secure the investment and buy-in necessary to overhaul outdated systems and align processes.
Instead of taking on a complete data overhaul, many senior CRM leaders have found success by tackling data unification one use case at a time. Through strategic integrations, they can gradually demonstrate the value of a unified approach, building the case for further investment and avoiding the pitfalls of a costly, all-at-once transformation.
2. Purposeful Data Collection to Build Trust
While unifying data is essential, brands must also ensure that each piece of data collected serves a clear, actionable purpose for effective personalisation. At the conference, many nodded as speakers shared stories of past data collection efforts that led nowhere—valuable insights gathered only to sit unused. Aileen Raynos from Nestlé Purina put it best, saying, “Each data point should serve a clear purpose and deliver immediate value to the customer.”
Plinc’s recent consumer loyalty research reinforced this perspective, revealing that 54% of respondents expect brands to recognise and understand their specific needs—an expectation that resonates across generations and peaks with Gen Z at 66%. Notably, Gen Z consumers want brands to go a step further: 61% of them stated they’re more likely to make repeat purchases when brands actively anticipate their future needs, offering personalised recommendations at just the right moment. This preference for proactive personalisation was echoed by Millennials, though Boomers expressed less emphasis on it, indicating a generational shift in personalisation preferences.
These insights underscore the growing importance of intentional data practices that establish a genuine value exchange, especially as younger consumers prioritise brands that demonstrate understanding and foresight. For brands, this is a clear call to not only collect data purposefully but to leverage it to refine customer experiences in ways that foster trust and loyalty.
3. Balancing Innovation with Getting the Basics Right
While demonstrating a value exchange builds a foundation of trust, balancing innovation with strong fundamentals was a recurring theme at the conference. Stephen McCarthy from Which? emphasised, “Fixing the basics is essential for creating a solid user experience.” Many attendees agreed, highlighting the challenge of steering CEOs and senior colleagues away from flashy new features and towards reinforcing core functionalities.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a prime example of this tension: while many teams felt the pressure to “do something with AI,” there was no single solution that worked for everyone. Some companies are leveraging AI to boost employee productivity by automating time-consuming tasks, while others use it to enhance personalisation across the customer journey or even to predict future spending.
CEOs may be enthusiastic about the promise of predictive AI, but without a solid data foundation, even the most advanced AI applications can struggle to deliver meaningful results—“garbage in, garbage out,” as the saying goes.
Plinc’s “State of Customer Data” report highlighted this gap, revealing that only 30% of marketing leaders strongly agreed their business has a 360-degree view of individual customers, incorporating on-site and in-store transactions, digital behaviours, and channel interactions. Without this comprehensive view, companies risk falling short on their promises of personalisation and predictive insights. Just because a brand can deliver personalisation well in one channel doesn’t mean the job is done; the real value lies in creating a cohesive experience across all customer touchpoints.
Conclusion: Building a Foundation for Lasting Loyalty
The key takeaway from the Customer Loyalty & Retention Conference was clear: brands aiming to drive loyalty and retention must prioritise building a strong back-end as much as delivering a polished front-end experience. A solid data foundation is essential for achieving the seamless, personalised interactions customers now expect, making them feel genuinely seen and recognised—whether on your website, in-store, speaking with customer service, or receiving a delivery.
Plinc’s research underscores that brands investing in data unification, purposeful collection, and a robust operational foundation are better positioned to deliver consistent, rewarding interactions that foster loyalty.
As the consumer behaviour continues to evolve, brands that address data silos, build trust through intentional data practices, and get the basics right can drive the innovation needed to create impactful customer experiences—paving the way for lasting customer relationships and long-term success.
