Customer loyalty

An expert has claimed that customer loyalty schemes and intimate knowledge of shoppers' preferences can lend supermarkets a key advantage in entering specialist markets and seizing a sizeable share of the market.

Money Marketing reports that Deloitte head of retail banking Neil Tomlinson told delegates at last week's BSA conference in Birmingham that large chains held information ranging from an individual's chosen cigarette brand to their regular alcohol intake.

"If you think about supermarket loyalty cards, the distribution, the convenience of where the sto

Customer lifetime value may be among the virtues Coca-cola is seeking to project in the latest retro campaign move.

The drinks maker has been engaged in a series of multi channel marketing initiatives based on its long history to mark 125 years of producing the product, including montages of old broadcast media messages and old-fashioned billboard ads.

It has produced limited edition versions of its original glass bottle, known as the Hutchinson, with these set to be sold through Selfridges stores in London, Birmingham and Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The item p

Passengers are now being offered the chance to receive rewards each time they travel with bmibaby, which has launched a customer loyalty program in conjunction with social network Gowalla.

An app from the location-based service can be downloaded on a smartphone, with people then using a check-in location at the airline's 34 destinations to be entered into a prize draw - the monthly winners will be given a pair of flight tickets.

Managing director of bmibaby Julian Carr noted that the company is keen to make use of social media, adding: "We believe this is a fun way i

A team building and team development training specialist firm has explained how it has managed to gear itself up for success in a tough business environment.

Bluehat UK recently confirmed its first annual profits in two years and moved offices from Slough to London.

Managing director Tim Shepley said the quality of what the company can offer has been key to this improvement.

He stated: "Our success basically comes down to our heightened levels of customer service and product offering during the recession."

And giving customer value is a good way of

Virgin America has enhanced its capacity for customer interaction by including a range of social media facilities at its new Terminal 2 at San Francisco International Airport.

The US arm of Richard Branson's airline has set up a leaderboard where the five travellers logging in most often to Foursquare and Facebook at the terminal will find their name in lights, ClickZ reports.

Other offerings include the chance to gain the status of captain for those who log on at enough Virgin America locations.

Images of those who have come online at the terminals appear on the