Bill Hanifin

BrainTrust Query: Living at Wegmans

July 14, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Wegmans manages to instill strident customer loyalty without loyalty programs. What do you think of Wegmans' efforts to create customer loyalty through an enterprise approach that values its customers and employees, but downplays an explicit rewards offer?      [more...]

I find it interesting that 61% of poll question votes wanted grocers to be "somewhat or much more aggressive" collecting rewards program data and leveraging it with CPGs while, at the same time, most of the comments seemed to advocate that grocers can succeed with good customer service and high employee satisfaction. It would be interesting to read a second batch of comments to explain this apparent inconsistency.

The "L" is called into question in the debate and Mr. George should understand that while true customer loyalty can't be expected compared to love of country and family, the provider industry has debated alternate terms and keeps coming back to "Loyalty." We know we are talking about data-driven marketing programs, but that term just seems a little dry for ad copy.

Mr. Detroyer, all I can say is "to know Wegmans is to love Wegmans" and you obviously are familiar with their effective marketing approach.