Get Personal with Loyalty

Erin Raese and Alex Tavera discuss insights from Shoptalk 2025.

For our conversations about gamification, we had a meeting with Aaron Lobliner, Chief Client Officer at CataBoom. This conversation revealed the top metrics brands track with gamification, along with tips on aligning games to your brand, crafting games for all ages, and seamlessly integrating them into campaigns. Learn the golden rule of gamification success to win!

This episode dives deep into the loyalty game with Glenn Gillis, Co-founder and CEO of Sea Monster Entertainment. This episode builds on our gamification discussions, as we discover the methods of creating authentic experiences by gamifying your program. We also speak on the importance of utilizing loyalty data for gamification.

This episode dives deep into the loyalty game with Barry Kirk, Principal Consultant/CX Practice Leader at Chapman & Co. Prepare to walk away with a whole new mindset on how to approach gamification, know where to look for inspiration, understand how B2B brands can leverage it, hear where most companies miss the mark and find out some simple ways to get started—the right way.

In this episode we speak with Alex Tavera, Head of Strategy Marketing at Annex Cloud, who shares insights on designing programs that foster enhanced customer engagement and drive measurable business outcomes. Tune in to learn how loyalty programs can become a cornerstone of your growth strategy.

In the premiere of season three, we speak with Phil Shelper, CEO of Loyalty & Reward Co. With over 13 years of industry expertise, Phil sheds light on shifting loyalty programs from marketing tools to business growth engines and the key business outcomes that loyalty can deliver. We explore how to strategically design programs that drive customer retention, increase revenue, and elevate your b...

In this episode, we dive into omnichannel customer engagement with Kelsey Jones, Global Head of Product Marketing at Emarsys. Tune in to learn how your brand can connect with your customers on an individual level, creating personalized communications that resonate to inspire action and engagement.

In this episode, we are joined by Amanda Cromhout, the CEO of Truth and the author of the acclaimed book 'Blind Loyalty: 101 Loyalty Concepts Radically Simplified'. Together, we delve into the strategic decisions that executives are making today to leverage powerful loyalty programs as catalysts for business growth. Tune in to hear an exclusive interview about the creation of Amanda's book "Blind...

In this episode we meet with Ellen Green, who has 20 years of experience building strong relationships between consumers & brands that generate revenue growth, minimize discounts and drive engagement. Ellen collaborates with brands across the globe to evolve their loyalty strategies and create industry-leading experiences customers love.

In this episode, we meet with Michael Sitarzewski, VP of Innovation & Technology at Tandem Theory, to discuss the ways brands can bring personalized experiences to their consumers. We discover the power of direct mail, and the importance of having loyalty data when advertising to your target audience. Tune in to learn more about personalization and staying ahead in loyalty! Also, visit www.tan...

In this episode, we speak with Dave Mansfield, Executive Vice President of Analytics at Tandem Theory. We explore the hidden power of data and how brands can utilize zero and first-party data to identify and reward valuable customers. Tune in to learn more about using data to enhance customer loyalty.

In this episode of Get Personal With Loyalty, we speak with Tracy Gattis, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Annex Cloud. We jump into one of her most recent guides: It’s Personal—How Loyalty Helps Close Your Customer Experience Gap, and discuss topics such as experience led growth & customer experience goals . Tune in to learn how Loyalty can change your customers' experience.

In this episode, we explore the loyalty landscape of the automotive industry with Kristin Cardona and Amy Ochoa from Ansira, a global marketing technology and services firm. We delve into the power of loyalty programs to drive customer retention and increase lifetime value.

In this episode, we reflect over the Grocery Shop 2023 Event, and explore the future of grocery shopping with Steve Gunnell, Account Executive at Emarsys, an SAP company, and Danielle Faricelli, Sales Executive at Annex Cloud. Tune in to learn how to recognize and incentivize valuable shopper actions, uncover individual and household preferences, and use personalization to create a more engaging a...

In this episode, we speak with Charles (Chuck) Ehredt, is the co-founder and CEO of Currency Alliance, based in Barcelona, Spain. With several hundred clients spread around the world, Currency Alliance operates a pure B2B technology platform that is like a payment network processing loyalty transactions between partners. Tune in to learn some eye-opening insights on how customers can earn, redeem,...

This episode’s guest is Sukumar Muthya, EVP of Loyalty at Ansira. Over the past 9+ years with Ansira, Sukumar has been dedicated to loyalty program design, program management and technology selection.  Listen as we take a deep dive into integrated loyalty and how it goes beyond loyalty programs. Gain important insights from Sukumar’s extensive knowledge of customer touchpoints and how they ca...

David provides highly precise and accountable loyalty consulting services to customer-centric omnichannel firms. His combination of strategic vision and technology expertise in the B2B space, as well as experience on the client side, give him a unique perspective on how to B2B enterprises in any industry benefit from an effective loyalty program. In this episode we discuss the ways loyalty drives...

Never heard of the term ‘joyalty’? Then tune in to our latest podcast episode to hear Adam Posner, CEO of The Point of Loyalty, define it. Don’t miss Adam’s insider tips gained from joining and studying more than 113 loyalty programs and conducting his "For Love or Money" research for over a decade. Learn about the three Bs of loyalty, the six key currencies loyalty members care about, the six que...

CRM and customer loyalty expert, Stephen Stone, has worked for mega brands—including Bank of America, Toys "R" Us, Bath and Body Works, and Lane Bryant. Join us for this episode to gain his unique insights on how to align personalization efforts with business objectives, why you should always be testing, why a roadmap is essential for growth and improvement, and the importance of company-wide supp...

Accomplished media expert and Director of Agency Partnerships at Annex Cloud, Ray Chelstowski, shares invaluable strategies for transitioning from ad dependency to powerful membership models, breathing new life into customer connections. Discover how top TV networks captivate audiences through gamification. You’ll also learn why loyalty checks all the boxes when it comes to collecting zero-party d...

Join our host Erin Raese and Scott Shurson, Product and Solutions Director at Annex Cloud, as they delve into the evolution of customer loyalty from the early days of paper-based systems to the cutting-edge solutions at Annex Cloud. Learn how SaaS platforms enable marketers to more easily engage with their audience, the value and limitations of AI, why a custom loyalty solution may not be necessar...

In this podcast episode, Steve Sickel, Managing Partner at The Mallett Group, shares insights on how to manage loyalty programs for multinational companies with both local and international customer bases, and how to balance global benefits with localized extras to meet and exceed your customers’ expectations. We’ll also cover the cost considerations that go into designing a successful program. Ge...

Andreanne Rondeau, Founder of stratLX, brings more than 20 years in the loyalty space to this insightful conversation. In this episode, you’ll learn how to more effectively implement personalization, gain practical tips for collecting the right customer data, and get inspired by some real-life examples from brands like Sephora and Neiman Marcus. Andreanne brings more than 20 years of experience in...

Olga Lopategui, the founder of Restaurant Loyalty Specialists, is a true expert in the restaurant industry with more than 15 years of experience. In this episode, Olga shares practical tips and insights on building customer habits and cultivating emotional loyalty. She dives into the nuances of emotional versus transactional loyalty, helping you to understand what truly motivates your customers to...

Join the Annex Cloud team as we unpack some real-life examples of how brands are leveraging loyalty to stand out and drive growth. In this episode, Annex Cloud’s SVP of Customer Success, Maciek Gorzkowski and SVP of Product Management Matt Reeves delve into how loyalty is an enabler for deepening your customer relationships, how to create urgency and personalization. They also share tips on progra...