Welcome to a special episode of Rewarding Conversations, marking the start of Loylogic’s exciting 20th anniversary celebrations in 2025! In this episode, we're joined by two industry leaders who embody the spirit of Loylogic: Dominic Hofer, Founder & Chairman, who pioneered the first global loyalty marketplace in 2005, and CEO Gabi Kool, who is driving the company forward into a future defined by dynamic, AI-driven, global-scale incentive solutions.

Rather than merely reminiscing about past achievements, Dominic and Gabi focus firmly on the future. They dive deep into restoring the 'Lost Art of Giving', exploring how to bring emotional depth and strategic value back into loyalty programs, channel motivation and employee incentives.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Loylogic’s differentiated approach and how our job is to reward a brand’s best customers by creating rewarding, memorable experiences rather than following the less-effective commoditized loyalty approach.

• The balance between personalization and scale that ensures memorable experiences in an era of automation.

• The trust and collaboration with merchants and brands, including building sustainable partnerships.

• Why Loylogic continues to embrace technology as it innovates and disrupts the loyalty world through the marketplace of the future.

• Insights into the transformative potential of dynamic, AI-enhanced reward marketplaces.

Recognition is more than a thank you. It is the foundation of a thriving workplace, driving motivation, engagement, and performance.

In this episode of Rewarding Conversations, we explore how Ultimate, Loylogic’s Points as a Service (PaaS) platform, is combining science-backed recognition with seamless technology to help businesses make appreciation effortless, structured and truly meaningful.

Gabi Kool, Chief Executive of Loylogic, and celebrated thought leader and renowned workplace culture expert Tamra Chandler reveal how an exclusive 100 Moments That Matter framework provides a science-backed way to transform how organizations recognize and reward their people. They discuss why traditional recognition programs often fall short, especially for multi-national organizations, demonstrate how companies can move beyond transactional rewards, and share what it takes to build a culture where appreciation becomes a habit.

If you are an HR leader, a business executive, or someone passionate about workplace culture, this conversation will give you fresh perspectives and practical strategies for redefining employee motivation.

Listen now to discover how recognition can drive engagement, retention, and high performance without the usual complexities of managing multiple reward platforms and vendors.

In the latest episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we welcome Len Llaguno, founder of KYROS Insights, the world’s only actuarial firm exclusively focused on loyalty programs, to discuss how actuarial techniques are transforming loyalty program design and delivering commercial success.

Len combines actuarial science, machine learning and deep loyalty expertise to tackle the financial complexities behind some of the biggest loyalty programs on the planet. Len and Loylogic have worked together for many years to elevate loyalty success, including transforming how organizations like African Bank optimize their award-winning Audacious Rewards programs.

Based around the philosophy of “Show me the incentive, and I’ll show you the outcome” this episode offers actionable insights into how actuarial science, data-driven strategies, and thoughtful redemption design allied to effective redemption marketplaces can transform loyalty programs into sustainable, profit-driving assets.

Talking points include:

• Member Equity as a Growth Driver: Using actuarial analytics to gain the insights needed to understand the behaviors behind loyalty, 
• Designing effective loyalty programs: Leveraging data to identify actions that increase CLV and EFP, driving both loyalty and financial growth.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Harnessing predictive models to de-risk liability, optimize redemption activities, grow loyalty program success and amplify ROI.
• The Redemption Marketplace Advantage: Why offering a broad choice of rewards options – which members actually want – is critical for engagement and long-term profitability, because burn drives earn.
• Balancing engagement and financial integrity: how redemption marketplaces power loyalty success. 
• Liability Management: Properly accounting for redemption costs ensures programs avoid short-term decisions that actually harm customer experience and long-term loyalty.
• Future-Proofing Loyalty Programs: The evolving role of actuarial science in ensuring financial integrity and sustained member loyalty.

Ready to redefine loyalty using financial science? Listen now. A full transcript of the podcast is also available below.

Welcome to the latest episode of the Loylogic Podcast, From Frequent Flyer Programs to Fan Engagement Programs: How Loyalty Can Be the Savior of Sport. 

The past few months have seen us enjoy a wonderful summer of sport, with the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, the Euro football championships, and an incredible Tour de France to name just some. But what happens once those big events are over? How can sport remain at the forefront of people’s attention? How can sports continue to drive participation and engagement with the help of loyalty?

In this episode, we focus on how fan engagement programs (FEPs) can offer a lifeline for clubs, leagues and sports federations amid changing media consumption trends and financial challenges. We discuss how loyalty can better engage fans, including those who attend games every week and the masses of hidden fans, and unpick how sports organizations can replicate the success and engagement expertise of frequent flyer programs (FFPs), to leverage fan loyalty to drive financial growth and emotional connection.

Joining us to share their views are Philip Shelper, CEO of loyalty consultancy and Loylogic partner Loyalty & Reward Co, and Loylogic’s CEO, Gabi Kool, who both have experience of the international sports arena. Philip has worked on a number of loyalty programs for international sports federations and an English Premiership football club. Gabi, away from his time at Loylogic, is president of the International Korfball Federation, which is an IOC Recognized Federation, where he’s a passionate advocate for the development of Korfball, which he hopes to see make it to a future Olympic Games.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we discuss the story of PREMIO, Nescafé Dolce Gusto’s world-leading multi-market international loyalty program.

Along with Yves-Louis Pigueller, Nescafé Dolce Gusto’s Global Data and Digital Ecosystems Lead, Joël Muller, digital marketing advisor for Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Dani Schmidt, Loylogic’s Head of Growth, we hear how this world-class loyalty program, designed to build engagement and boost consumption of  products, has developed from initial idea to the global success it is today.

Topics discussed include:

- The challenges PREMIO was designed to overcome
- How PREMIO enables the brand to directly connect with consumers through personalized communication
- How the program delivers an appealing value proposition in a consistent yet locally relevant way across multiple geographies
- The data and measurement behind the program
- The reward shops driving engagement 
- Future plans for PREMIO and much, much more.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we welcome Vicky Elliot, an independent consultant specializing in travel and hospitality loyalty, to talk about the trends, challenges and strategies for success that all hotel loyalty program leaders need to know.

In this episode, we discuss:

The evolution of loyalty programs in the hotel industry:

- How loyalty programs have evolved
- The catalysts behind developments
- How hotels are measuring success from their loyalty programs

The challenges and barriers to success:

- Challenges hotels face today in recognising and rewarding members of their loyalty programs?
- The discussion around sustainability across hotel and the wider travel sector
- Solutions that exist to overcome the challenges and roadblocks

The future of loyalty in the hospitality industry:

- The new trends that Vicky sees being tried and tested in the hospitality loyalty space
- How loyalty programs can leverage data analytics and customer insights to offer more personalized experiences and rewards
- How program leaders should go about selecting which one to partner with
- Advice to a hotel company either wanting to launch a loyalty program or review their existing loyalty proposition

A must listen for anybody involved with travel and hospitality loyalty, enjoy listening.

The latest episode of the Loylogic Group Podcast brings together two experts to delve into the evolving landscape of airline and hotel loyalty programs.

Mustafa Ozalcin, Director of Global Partnerships at Loylogic, joins Martin Smaerup, Head of Sales at Pointspay, are both seasoned globetrotters and have worked on some of the most successful travel loyalty programs out there.

In this episode, we utilize this extensive knowledge to take a closer look at the ever-evolving landscape of airline and hotel loyalty schemes, especially in the wake of the seismic shifts brought about by Covid-19, and explore how loyalty programs can take advantage of the latest developments to better meet the needs of today’s members.

Topics explored include:

- Shifting generational loyalty and the notable shift in loyalty habits among millennials and Gen Z that indicate a demand for more flexible and relevant rewards programs.

- The impact of COVID-19 and how this has permanently altered travel behavior, with a renewed focus on the relevance of loyalty programs in everyday life, not just during travel. This shift underscores the importance of integrating loyalty rewards into daily activities to maintain engagement and relevance.
- Enhanced member experience that means loyalty programs need to offer more than just transactional benefits, leading to a new focus on creating memorable experiences and seamless interactions that resonate with the individual member's lifestyle and preferences.
- Technological integration and data utilization that enables the leveraging of technology and data analytics to offer real-time, personalized engagement opportunities.
- Expanding redemption opportunities that go beyond traditional travel benefits to include everyday purchases and experiences can significantly enhance the perceived value of loyalty points and increase member engagement.
- How, by making loyalty points more integral to members' daily lives, programs can drive additional revenue streams and more effectively manage points liability.

This episode is a must-listen for loyalty program owners, airline leadership and marketing leads seeking to navigate the complexities of modern travel loyalty programs.

In contrast to other loyalty programs, which simply reward customers for transacting with one brand, Audacious Rewards creates incentives for positive financial behavior, such as customers improving their credit score. The custom-built program has been created to work for all African Bank customers and allows members to earn and redeem loyalty points with an exciting network of partners – covering day-to-day purchases like groceries and mobile data/airtime, as well as exclusive aspirational rewards.

This initiative ties in with African Bank’s vision to build a bank for the people, by the people, serving the people, as defined by its audacious Excelerate25 strategy. Key to that vision is the ability to deliver sustainable, accessible, and inclusive financial services to all South Africans. To do that, African Bank embraced technology that enables partnering with organizations who can enhance its rewards offerings to customers that ultimately drive smart / healthy customer behaviors.

To create their new loyalty program, African Bank teamed up with Loylogic, the global leader in loyalty and engagement solutions and an established loyalty marketing powerhouse. Through its partners, African Bank will also be able to accurately measure the impact of Audacious Rewards on the business, bringing loyalty metrics to the boardroom.

In this podcast, Dr Nceba Hene, Head of Loyalty and Rewards at African Bank, and Gabi Kool, CEO of Loylogic, discuss how African Bank’s Audacious Rewards program is incentivizing positive financial behavior for all customers. Together, we delve into:

• How the program is enabling members to earn and redeem loyalty points with an exciting network of partners – covering day-to-day purchases, as well as exclusive aspirational rewards, all without having to deal with unnecessary red tape or jump through hoops.
• The mechanics of the program, including how cost and attribution are being calculated.
• The customer messaging and the rewards that are behind the rapid growth of this program.

Join us as we explore airBaltic's pioneering entry into Web3 with NFTs in their airBaltic Club loyalty program.

Building loyal, engaged communities with digital assets is a fascinating interplay between technology and human connection. At its core, it involves leveraging the unique capabilities of digital assets — like NFTs or tokens — to create shared experiences, values and goals. These assets act as more than just items of value; they're often entry points into a group or markers of membership that carry social, and sometimes financial, significance.

What’s particularly interesting is how these digital assets can create a sense of belonging and identity among their holders, effectively binding the community with a shared sense of ownership, participation and loyalty.

AirBaltic has been an early adopter of Web3 technologies, becoming the first airline to accept Bitcoin as payment for its flight tickets in 2014. In April 2021, airBaltic became the first airline to launch an NFT series: City Collection. This collection features unique Latvian cities, voted by Latvian people. The idea behind the collection is to show off places to visit in Latvia, create unique collector's pieces and provide future technical rewards/experiences once someone visits these cities.

The airline’s latest NFT Project, Planies, launched in 2022 (click here to read more about Planies). Planies are a collection of 10,000 unique cartoon aircraft collectibles stored on the Ethereum blockchain. Each Planie is generated from a combination of 180 different traits and holders of Planies are eligible to receive a variety of travel-related benefits, including loyalty points, vouchers and other privileges.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Clements, Lead Consultant and Web3 expert at Loylogic, and a very special guest – Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic – to explore airBaltic's pioneering entry into Web3 with their Planies NFT initiative in their airBaltic Club loyalty program. We also make sense of the strategic use of NFTs in enhancing customer loyalty and engagement, providing insights for brands and program directors interested in digital asset integration.

We discuss:

1. The Planies NFT project

2. The program’s impact on customer behavior and loyalty

3. How Web3 is driving frequent flyer program asset value

4. The technical challenges airBaltic overcame

5. How the airline managed the regulatory landscape and compliance

6. Future plans for the program

7. Key highlights for program managers to take away

What’s fueling the future of large scale fuel rewards programs?

For this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, Olivier Martinet, CEO of Posidonia Consulting and ex vice president of marketing at BP, joins us to discuss fuel loyalty programs and what’s driving any rethinking of customer retention, revenue generation and incentivized engagement strategies.

In this discussion, Olivier emphasizes the importance of tailoring fuel rewards propositions to fit each company's strategy and customer engagement capabilities. Key talking points include:

- Instead of searching for a universal best-in-class program, he suggests evaluating programs based on four lenses: ease to participate, relevance, personalization, and profitability. 

- The level of focus on these lenses varies based on the company size and scope, with global organizations showing a greater inclination towards balancing customer advantage and brand consistency. 

- How the increasing digitalization and shift towards electric vehicles in the fuel industry are driving organizations to rethink their loyalty strategies, recognizing that a loyalty scheme is not just a marketing tool but also a privileged data provider for long-term strategic adaptation. 

- Why, as the industry moves towards becoming energy providers, the evolving landscape of mobility hubs and electric vehicles will impact loyalty offers, requiring companies to adjust to longer customer dwell times and the integration of home charging behavior. 

- Why major fuel companies are indeed repositioning themselves as energy providers, and collaborations with other energy companies and investments in alternative energy sources are already taking place, signifying a shift towards a future of potential joint ventures and partnerships.

- Why loyalty program owners should keep earn simple but creative with the burn side, with the differentiator coming in terms of personalization, and how customer data is handled.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we welcome Ozan Yagci, co-founder of one of Loylogic’s partners, Apex Loyalty, to delve into the world of retailer B2B loyalty and the best practice that is driving successful B2B programs.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

- the foundations that underpin the best B2B and B2B2C loyalty programs,

- share examples and in-depth case studies of loyalty programs that utilize these pillars,

- the innovations and technology trends driving next generation B2B loyalty platforms, which are also helping partners to engage at a B2C level,

- the development of e-B2B loyalty platforms, which are proving especially useful for FMCG brands in bringing together loyalty and ecommerce,

- and why a human-to-human approach that focuses on personalized experiences, ease of use and simplicity, underpinned by technology, is fostering long-term business relationships.

A must listen for anybody involved with loyalty, especially B2B, retail and FMCG/CPG programs, listen using the link below, or read the transcript below.

In the world of ever-evolving technologies and digital ecosystems, Web3 has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact and engage online. At the heart of this transformation lies the concept of community building, which has been amplified and invigorated by the integration of digital assets. These digital assets have given rise to new possibilities, particularly in the realm of loyalty programs, where brands and organizations can enhance customer engagement, foster long-term relationships, and create thriving communities like never before.

The utilization of digital assets within loyalty programs not only provides tangible value to customers but also facilitates active community participation. Through the use of NFTs, brands can offer digital assets ( e.g. a limited-edition digital artwork) that can create new game mechanics built around transferring or collecting. A customers’ assets serve as a record of achievement (e.g. attainment of an asset confers your ability), value (e.g. financial or cultural) or privileges (e.g. project governance or special access) in digital format. The public blockchain ensures the transparency and authenticity of these digital assets, instilling confidence and trust among community members.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, Rob Clements, Lead Consultant at Loylogic, combines his detailed knowledge and passion for Web3 technology with his expertise in loyalty and engagement to explore the opportunities and risks that Web3 brings to brands – whether they already have a loyalty program or are venturing into the space for the first time.

In this podcast we’ll:

• Hear more about Rob's journey so far utilizing Web3.
• Discuss why Web3 is important for loyalty programs, generating interest and building communities, while challenging ownership concepts and giving control to individuals.
• Explore real-world examples of Web3 in loyalty programs, like art-focused NFTs and digital asset utility and hear Rob’s views on how brands are exploring Web3 principles.
• Get Rob’s views on whether Web3 is easier for new loyalty programs to embrace than existing ones – and how legacy infrastructure is impacting the adoption of Web3.
• Talk about the risks presented by Web3 and how brands need to navigate asset value challenges effectively, while understanding reputational risks and consequences
• Share key takeaways for loyalty program owners who are keen to experiment with Web3,  in loyalty programs.

Web3 offers a unique opportunity for loyalty programs to leverage new technology, build communities, and engage customers in new ways. This podcast helps demystify the topic and enable programs to seize the Web3 opportunity. Listen now for more, or read the transcript below.

For the fourth episode of Loylogic’s podcast, we’re joined by David Slavick, Co-Founder and Partner of Ascendant Loyalty, to discuss innovation in iGaming and Casino loyalty.

David is one of the world’s pre-eminent leaders in the iGaming and casino loyalty space and, with the discussion taking place shortly before the G2E event in Vegas, we focus on one of the hot topics at the event: how gaming companies can drive growth through loyalty.

Too often, gaming companies rely on what worked 10 years ago as the formula for recognizing and rewarding valuable players of their casino, or igaming enterprise. In short, complimentary meals, hotel stays and free tickets to shows, no longer do enough to truly demonstrate how important the player is to the business.

This episode provides insight into how best to achieve true emotional connections with players, in order to achieve a loyal bond that accomplishes retention, preference and advocacy – making it a must listen for anybody involved with player loyalty.

We’ll learn:

• What the hottest topics are in iGaming and Casino play
• The undeniable impact of Gen Z
• The common problems David is helping his clients solve
• The importance of feedback and measurement in building emotional attachment
• Why standing still with gaming loyalty is not an option
• The importance of personalization in rewards

To discuss any of the insights covered in this episode, contact Loylogic via www.loylogic.com or speak to David - david.slavick@ascendantloyalty.com / +1 724.316.7628 / www.ascendantloyalty.com 

In this latest episode of the Loylogic podcast, Evert De Boer, CEO and co-founder of Fidivio and Managing Partner at On Point Loyalty, joins Gabi Kool, CEO of Loylogic, to discuss how the full potential of airline loyalty can be realized.

In this entertaining and insightful conversation, Evert and Gabi discuss how loyalty programs, once the best kept secret of the airline industry, have stepped into center stage of global airline economics. They delve into past stories about the development of airline loyalty, talk about present perceptions and how loyalty programs have become lucrative assets…and detail how the untapped potential of these programs can be realized.

Finally, Evert and Gabi look to the future and what they think the future holds for frequent flyers and airline loyalty.

Questions answered in this not-to-be-missed episode include:

Chapter 1: Two decades of airline loyalty development

- How was airline loyalty perceived two decades ago and how has this developed over the years? 

Chapter 2: Lucrative assets, but still more potential?

- Thinking about where airline loyalty is at today, it’s clear that loyalty programs are some of the most lucrative assets on airlines’ balance sheets and their sheer scalability, controllability and profitability make them stand-out in an operating environment that is perpetually challenging. Does this mean that programs are no longer flying under the radar like they once were?

- Program valuation is clearly extremely important when it comes to collateralizing airline loyalty programs and enabling attractive financing structures – how can programs ensure they have an accurate valuation?

- How can programs be used as part of capital allocation strategies, along the lines of a recent example such as the Apollo transaction related to Air France-KLM and Flying Blue?

- Where does profit and loss come into play? How can programs deliver higher operating margins?

- Are there any lessons that we can learn from high-achievers within airline loyalty?

Chapter 3: What next for frequent flyer programs and airline loyalty? 

- Looking to the future, what’s next for airline loyalty? Are we on the cusp of a new era in airline loyalty as organizations look to unlock the full potential? Are we going to see more adoptions of popular airline loyalty currencies by other airlines, like the recent examples of Finnair and Qatar adopting AVIOS?

- What opportunities are there for airlines to develop structures that will deliver ongoing growth?

-  How do you see rewards developing over time?

- What headwinds will programs face and how can program managers overcome them?

Bank loyalty programs are crucial business tools that can drive customer engagement and revenue, and also enhance customer lifetime value. Yet, there remains masses of untapped potential for banks to exploit, especially around the use of data and personalization.

For this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, we are joined by Paul Wallis, Director of Growth at Epsilon, to explore the benefits that loyalty and rewards programs – when done well – can deliver for banks and how program leaders can overcome the challenges of delivering effective whole bank loyalty programs.

Key topics discussed include:

1. Bank loyalty programs today

- Why bank loyalty is still in its infancy, the need for much greater personalization in loyalty and rewards, especially given the huge volume of data banks possess.
- Global trends in banking and why this is driving the ever-greater need for effective loyalty programs.
- What the best bank loyalty programs have in common.

2. Attracting and retaining customers with loyalty programs

- How banks – or any financial institution for that matter – can ensure they’re developing the right loyalty program strategy for their business to meet customer demand for innovative loyalty schemes.
- Overcoming the main operational challenges brands face while executing their loyalty programs.
- The big talking point…data…and why effective use of the information that banks hold on their customers is the best way forward for any loyalty platform to power engagement.
- How does this effective use of data play into the cost center vs revenue generation debate?

3. Bank loyalty programs in UAE & Saudi Arabia

- How global trends in bank loyalty are playing out across UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- The region-specific factors loyalty program managers need to consider while implementing loyalty programs in the region.
- The regulations, issues and requirements loyalty program managers need to consider when implementing loyalty programs in this region.

In today's challenging economic environment, loyalty programs have become a crucial tool for businesses to engage customers, drive revenue and enhance customer lifetime value (CLV). However, loyalty program owners often face a significant challenge in managing program costs, particularly the cost of rewards which is typically their largest expense and heavily scrutinized.

In this episode of the Loylogic Podcast, Rob Clements, Lead Consultant at Loylogic, joins us to discuss how loyalty program owners can use rewards as an opportunity, not a risk. Key topics discussed include:

1.      Managing risk and profitability

The guiding principles that should we be using to establish a budget for rewards and how to strike a balance between incentivizing customers and maintaining a solid bottom line.

As loyalty programs evolve and costs fluctuate, we look at how program owners can stay one step ahead and effectively anticipate these changes and safeguard against unexpected financial challenges.

2.      Rewards, redemption and resource management

Redemption rates of loyalty points or miles can have a significant impact on a program's finances. How can program owners forecast these rates accurately and control them strategically? Can you share some insights on maintaining the equilibrium between customer satisfaction and business viability?"

The liability associated with loyalty points and miles and how program owners can effectively manage this while ensuring that the program remains appealing to the customers.

How various types of rewards might offer different levels of cost-effectiveness and strategies for allocating resources optimally across diverse reward types.

3.      Metrics and program management

The key metrics or KPIs that program owners should focus on to effectively evaluate the financial performance of their loyalty program.

How these metrics should be interpreted to make informed decisions about the program's future direction.