Is Loyalty Recognised?

It's pretty much conventional wisdom nowadays that loyalty is no longer as evident as it was in the past.

Within organisations, staff are seen as more expendable. Equally, so goes the conventional wisdom, staff display less loyalty to the organisation that pays their wage and are happy to quit to go to a better offer.

Similarly, within organisations, customers are less loyal - they are seen as merely shopping around on price, willing to abandon them (ie the organisation) at the drop of a hat.

When it comes to customer loyalty, it's interesting to consider the fact that CRM systems presumably make it easier for organisations to stay in touch with their customers with a view to creating more than a transactional relationship.

Sadly, this is so often not the case. A case in point?

I've just received my latest Qantas Frequent Flyer Card. I've been a Platinum member (the highest level based on travel miles) for a number of years.

I noticed on the card that it has printed in the left bottom corner 'Member Since'. According to the card, I became a member in February 1993.

Now I guess that makes me a fairly long-standing 'loyal' customer of Qantas, having just received a card that confirms my 20th Anniversary as a Frequent Flyer member.

Did their CRM system kick into gear and maybe send a (templated) email saying 'congratulations' or 'thank you'?

Nope, not a whimper.

So how loyal does that now make me?

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