Let's Talk Loyalty

Airline Loyalty Programs - their Role, Positioning and Potential for Even Greater Profits

Mark Ross Smith · August 3, 2022

Entrepreneur · Leadershipin

Interview with Mark Ross Smith

Airline Loyalty Programs - their Role, Positioning and Potential for Even Greater Profits — Mark Ross Smith

Podcast: Let's Talk Loyalty

August 3, 2022

Today, "Let's Talk Loyalty" meets airline industry thought-leader Mark Ross-Smith, who shares his insights on global airline loyalty programmes – their role, positioning, and potential for greater profits with seemingly plenty more room for growth! It's a fascinating discussion…

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Key topicsDelivering Increased Revenue through Loyalty ProgramsA study by the Hotel Loyalty Report found that hotels with loyalty programs had an average occupancy rate of 75%, while those without programs had an average occupancy rate of 68%. This suggests that loyalty programs can help hotels fill more rooms and generate more revenue. How Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are Disrupting Airline and Hotel Loyalty ProgrammesAI and big data are transforming the way loyalty programs are managed and operated. For example, the use of AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants is allowing companies to automate routine tasks, such as account management and rewards redemption, freeing up resources for more strategic initiatives. Additionally, the use of big data is allowing companies to track and analyze customer behavior in real-time, allowing them to make more informed decisions about their loyalty programs. (Source: Forbes, "How AI and Big Data are Revolutionizing Loyalty Programs") Disruptive Trends in Loyalty: Innovating to Drive Customer EngagementThe airline loyalty status is held by the most valuable global travelers, who represent 30-40% of airline revenue. Mark Ross-Smith and his company, Loyalty Data Co, have demonstrated their expertise in this area by delivering thousands of high-value travelers to Canada in 2021/2022 through their platform, Status Match.com, in conjunction with Destination Canada and Air Canada. View all topics →

About Mark Ross Smith

Mark Ross Smith, podcast guest

Award Winning Loyalty Data Thought Leader

25+ Major travel brands worked with100,000s Travellers helped by Loyalty Status Co2022 Loyalty Royalty 30 Under 40800,000+ members Australian social network co-founded & sold

Mark Ross-Smith is a global leader in the airline loyalty industry, with a passion for delivering value to both travellers and airlines. As the CEO and Co-Founder of Loyalty Data Co, Mark is shaking up the industry with his cutting-edge loyalty platform, StatusMatch.com. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Mark has a proven track record of success, having led the Malaysia Airlines Enrich Loyalty Program to consecutive years of financial growth. He was also the CEO of a leading high-tech start-up, where he harnessed the power of big data to drive incremental revenue for Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone.

Mark is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, known for his unique approach to loyalty innovation. He's been featured in major media outlets such as CNN, BBC, The Economist, and Financial Times, and has published numerous papers and articles on airline loyalty on his website, www.traveldatadaily.com. In 2022, Mark was also awarded Loyalty Magazine's prestigious "Loyalty Royalty" 30 Under 40 Award.

Mark's entrepreneurial journey has been nothing short of impressive. He co-founded and sold the largest Australian-owned social network, which had over 800,000 members and major global brands as customers. He's now focused on airline and loyalty data and has published over 50 thought-leadership articles on airline loyalty and big data monetization.

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About this episode

Today, "Let's Talk Loyalty" meets airline industry thought-leader Mark Ross-Smith, who shares his insights on global airline loyalty programmes – their role, positioning, and potential for greater profits with seemingly plenty more room for growth!

It's a fascinating discussion about innovative ideas to drive customer loyalty, learning from both the gaming industry as well as strategies that have been adopted by some leading airlines with great success.

We hear some fascinating recent valuations of airline loyalty programs compared to the values and margins earned by the airlines who own them. Mark then shares some challenging ideas about the commercial positioning of each business in the post-pandemic world of aviation, and whether loyalty leaders should have a seat in the boardroom and why.

Show Notes:

1) Mark Ross-Smith

2) StatusMatch.com

3) traveldatadaily.com

4) Digital Driving Growth in KFC China

5) Measuring Loyalty – Tracking passengers who fly with competing airlines

Guest: Mark Ross Smith

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