A VIP club is not a loyalty programme. It is a decision to understand the customer better

Loyalty is not built by a card, an app or a discount. It is built by the feeling that a company does not treat the customer as a number in a database, but as a person with a reason, a habit and an expectation. That is why true digitalisation does not begin with a system, but with the question of whether we even know what kind of relationship we want to build with the customer.

Digitalisation by itself does not solve the relationship with the customer. We can have the best system, application, CRM, database or communication programme, but it does not help much if the company first fails to make a mental shift: what do we actually want to achieve?

Do we only want to sell more?

Do we want to understand the customer better?

Do we want them to feel welcome with us?

Do we want to build a relationship that will make them return even when we are not the cheapest?

This is an important difference. Too many companies still understand digitalisation as the introduction of a new tool. But true digitalisation begins before technology. It begins with strategy, with employees and with understanding the customer. If employees do not understand how to treat the customer, if data is not connected, if we do not know what to do with it, then digitalisation remains only a technical project.

A discount can open the door, but it cannot build a relationship

The same applies to loyalty programmes. Perhaps it is time to stop believing in that word so often. “Loyalty” has become a buzzword. Too often it means a card, a discount, points or cashback.

I prefer the expression VIP club. Not because it sounds more prestigious, but because it better describes the real ambition: for the customer to feel recognised, understood and included.

To acquire first customers, a discount is of course the easiest path. The next step is points, cashback or similar rewards. That too is better than nothing. But if we want a long-term relationship, then a discount is not enough.

A discount can trigger a purchase. It rarely creates trust.

The Marks & Spencer example: when the relationship survives even a system failure

The example of Marks & Spencer is very telling here. In April 2025, they were the target of a serious cyberattack that heavily affected their online and some operational processes. The company estimated that the attack would have an impact of around £300 million on profit, while disruptions were expected to last for several months.

But the technical or financial part of the story is not the only interesting part. What is interesting is that during the crisis they encouraged customers to come to the stores, as online channels were not working as usual. Their guiding principle was clear: customers and colleagues first.

This shows something important. A digital system can fail. The relationship must not fail with it. If a company has built trust over the years, customers do not see it only as a provider, but as a brand they want to support.

Data has value only when it improves the customer experience

That is why data is not important so that a company can send one more e-mail. It is important so that it can send the right one.

Receipts and purchase history are dynamic data — they tell us what the customer bought, when, where and how often.

Static data tells us more about the customer’s context, for example who they are, where they come from, which channel they use or what basic preferences they have.

The most valuable data, however, is soft data — wishes, motives, lifestyle, expectations, feelings and the reasons why someone comes to us in the first place.

Only when a company connects all three levels of data can it begin to create an experience that is not intrusive, but useful.

The customer must understand why they are giving data. If they want a more personal offer, more relevant communication or better service, they must entrust something to the company. And the company must justify that trust.

Conclusion: the question is not whether we have digitalisation

In the end, the question is not whether we have a CRM, an application, a loyalty programme or enough data. Today, that is no longer a special advantage.

The real question is whether we know how to turn that data into something that has value for the customer.

If we use data only to send one more offer, then we have not made a major shift. We have merely moved the old way of selling into a digital channel.

A satisfied customer is not just a nice marketing goal. They are one of the strongest sources of growth. They bring repeat purchases, recommendations, greater trust and lower sensitivity to each individual discount.

That is why the question is not whether we have digitalisation. The question is whether we know what we want to do with it for the customer.

A discount can open the door. Data can help understand behaviour. Trust builds the relationship.