LOYALTY PROGRAMMES

Customer loyalty strategies and practitioners recognised at awards

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

SA loyalty industry is delivering world-class innovation and excellence that exceeds global standards, awards judge says.

The 2024 South African Loyalty Awards announced its winning loyalty brands and personalities at the recent Truth International Leaders in Loyalty Summit held in Cape Town.

As it did in 2023, FNB eBucks, the loyalty programme of First National Bank, dominated this year by winning a total of five awards in various categories. These included Best Overall Long-Term Loyalty Programme; Best Loyalty Programme: Financial Services; and Best Partnership Programme of the Year.

Fionna Ronnie (left) with Amanda Cromhout. Photo: SA Loyalty Awards

In addition, the judging committee honoured individuals and loyalty team leadership. Fionna Ronnie, Head of Customer and Loyalty at TFG Rewards, was recognised as the ‘Loyalty Personality of the Year’ for her ongoing approach, leadership and results in the industry.

TFG, also known as The Foschini Group, has a variety of prominent retail brands in its stable. These include American Swiss, Jet, Markham, Sterns, Volpes and Total Sports.

Rennie has been with TFG since June 2022 and was previously Head of Customer Innovation at the Shoprite retail group.

Best loyalty team in 2024 honoured

The judges also honoured the Discovery Vitality team with the ‘Best Loyalty Team of the Year’ award in recognition of its “outstanding achievement across multiple markets, in creating a programme which changes customer behaviour within its shared-value model”.

Discovery Vitality is a wellness behaviour-change platform, which guides and incentivises members towards better health.

“The 2024 South African Loyalty Awards has highlighted once again that the [local] loyalty industry is thriving in world-class innovation and excellence, driving loyalty performance which most definitely exceeds global standards,” comments Amanda Cromhout, Judging Chair and CEO of Truth loyalty consultancy.

“I have the honour of judging loyalty awards in the Asia Pacific Loyalty Awards and The International Loyalty Awards, which offer a solid benchmark for our review of the South African market versus the rest of the world. It is for this reason that I can confidently say that South Africa yields some of the world’s most respectable loyalty brands, with world-class results and customer experiences.”

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