Repeat customers cost less to serve and spend more per visit — which is the entire business case for a loyalty program. In this introductory session, Charlene opens a new three-month series focused on the most important component of any retail business: customers.
The core argument is that a points program isn't a giveaway, it's a controllable retention tool. You set the earning rate, you set the redemption value, and you decide which items, brands, categories, or suppliers qualify — so the program is tuned to your margins rather than a generic industry rate. A convenience store excluding tobacco and lottery from earning is one example of how precisely that control can be applied. The discount a customer eventually redeems isn't lost margin; it's what brought them back through the door, and they typically buy more than they came for.