We’ve built an entire industry on the illusion of loyalty.Every brand’s got a program.Points. Perks. Tiers. Badges.You spend, you earn, you repeat.
But let’s be honest, that’s not loyalty.
That’s choreography.
McKinsey found that 78% of consumers are enrolled in at least one loyalty program, yet only 18% feel emotionally connected to the brands they buy from.
And here’s the kicker: Accenture reports that 60% of loyalty members switch brands after just one bad experience.
So what’s really happening?
Customers aren’t staying because they love you.
They’re staying because it’s convenient.
Take Starbucks.
Over 75 million active rewards members, but they’re not showing up for gold stars — they’re showing up for routine, ritual, recognition.
Nike’s loyalty doesn’t live in its points system either.
It lives in that mirror moment, when someone ties their shoes and feels like an athlete, even if it’s just for a walk around the block.
Because incentives create transactions. Emotion creates attachment.
And when that attachment breaks, it breaks fast.
PwC found that one in three customers will leave a brand they love after a single bad experience, and 92% will completely abandon it after two or three.
Because programs don’t forgive. People do.
So maybe the real question isn’t how to make loyalty programs stickier.
Maybe it’s how to make brands warmer.
Stop rewarding customers for spending.
Start recognizing them for belonging.
Stop building dependency loops.
Start building identities people want to be part of.
Because loyalty isn’t about how many times someone buys from you, it’s about how many times they chose not to leave.
If you’re a business interested in optimising your customer revenue, book a call with us today to see how we can help you. Here
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How to keep your Customers for life – here – this one will help you really understand how to emotionally connect with your customer.
