22 Customer Retention Innovations

It usually takes more resources to entice new customers than it does to retain loyal ones, so these inventive customer retention programs aim to please repeat clients in novel ways. One of the most outstanding examples is IBEROSTAR's 'Superfan' program, which recognizes guests who have stayed at the chain upwards of 10 times, or even customers who have proven extreme devotion to the brand with a tattoo.

While there are many rewards programs that require consumers to devote space on a personal mobile device for an app that will aggregate points, one highly creative example for customer retention comes from Subway, which only uses the restaurant's Wi-Fi network and push notifications to entice new and returning customers with deals.

Rather than simply rewarding repeat customers as part of a routine transaction, brands like JCPenney, Groupon and TD Bank opted to create public shows of appreciation for existing consumers with marketing stunts. As well as it being heartwarming to see a brand care for its consumers in this way, commercials like these are powerful tools to entice new customers who hope to be recognized for their loyalty in the same way in the future.