CRMC revealed what’s missing from customer loyalty programs

Loyalty programs are under pressure to do more than drive enrollment, redemptions and repeat transactions. Customers expect relevance and many of the mechanics that once helped brands stand apart now look familiar across categories. 

That tension was clear at CRMC 2026, where marketing leaders and industry partners gathered to discuss the future of connected customer journeys, personalization, loyalty program AI, retail value and human-centered relationships.

The most useful conversations focused on a shared challenge: how to create loyalty that customers feel. 

The takeaway for brands was clear. Future loyalty program performance will depend on how well brands recognize their best customers, activate the people closest to the customer and create experience and connections that give customers a reason to stay engaged. Here’s a closer look at five takeaways from CRMC 2026 and what forward-thinking brands can do to strengthen customer retention.

1. Loyalty programs are starting to feel too similar

Loyalty programs have more data, automation and customer touchpoints than ever. Yet many programs feel interchangeable.

Common mechanics still matter, including:

• Points
• Tiers 
• Member days 
• Birthday offers
• Digital coupons
• Personalized recommendations
• Early access 

These elements can drive engagement, but they rarely differentiate a brand on their own. Customers have seen these mechanics and competitors have copied them. In many categories, these features are simply expected.

That’s where loyalty commoditization begins. A program becomes easier to ignore when every brand asks customers to download another app, join another tier, chase another offer or manage another set of points. 

The customer’s question shifts from “What do I get?” to “Why should I care?” 

That shift matters. A customer can get in the database, open emails and redeem offers while still being willing to switch to a brand that makes them feel more valued. 

2. Top customers are too often taken for granted

One of the strongest themes from CRMC was the cost of neglecting a brand’s best customers. Many organizations focus heavily on acquisition while assuming their highest-value customer will stay loyal because they always have.

That assumption creates risk. 

As Sachin Shroff (who helped architect the recent loyalty revamp at Michaels) shared, the cost of losing a top customer can be more damaging than the loss of a lower-lifetime-value customer.

A high-value customer often represents more than a single transaction. They may contribute:

• Repeat visits
• Incremental spend
• Referrals
• Social influence
• Category loyalty
• Long-term revenue stability 

In that context, recognition becomes a retention investment. Surprise and delight, customer gifting, exclusive experiences, and personalized appreciation can help reinforce why a customer continues to choose the brand.

This is one reason in-person events, pop-ups, activations and thoughtful gifting are gaining momentum for retail, restaurant and consumer brands. Capgemini Research Institute’s 2026 What Matters to Today’s Consumer report found that consumers are increasingly favoring brands that combine digital convenience with in-person support. Plus, the survey reveals that 7 in 10 consumers actively seek small indulgences to provide emotional relief amid financial stress.

In a digital-first environment, tangible experiences cut through. They create memories, build community and turn recognition into something customers can feel. 

Related: How to design customer loyalty programs to create brand advocates

3.The frontline may be your most underused loyalty channel 

Another underappreciated theme from the conference was field enablement. Brands heavily invest in loyalty program design, technology implementation and campaign deployment. Then frontline teams are often expected to activate those programs with limited training or reinforcement.

That gap is costly. 

Following CRMC, I visited a quick service restaurant (QSR) that had highlighted its loyalty refresh on stage. In-store signage promoted the new program throughout the location. Yet across multiple employee interactions, no one asked whether I was a loyalty member or explained why I should join. 

The lesson is clear: If the frontline worker can’t explain the value of a loyalty program, the customer is unlikely to do that work for them. 

When frontline teams don’t know what to say, when to say it or why it matters, brands leave sign-ups, engagement and revenue on the table. 

Effective field enablement gives teams:

• Clear program messaging 
• Simple talking points 
• Ongoing reinforcement 
• Visible goals and progress
• Incentives tied to desired behaviors 
• Recognition for consistent execution 

This is where incentives and gamification deserve more strategic attention. Used well, they become behavior-change tools that help employees and partners prioritize customer engagement in the flow of daily work. 

Related: The hidden risk in your loyalty program? Ignoring frontline employees

4. Influencers need loyalty too

Influencers and creators remain powerful tools for brands, but the same relationship principles apply.

Once the right partners are vetted, brands still need to earn their mindshare. Creators who feel treated like replaceable media channels are less likely to bring extra energy to the partnership. Creators who feel recognized, enabled and valued are more likely to advocate authentically and overperform. 

Creator engagement should borrow from the best loyalty strategies.

• Clear value exchange
• Timely recognition
• Differentiated experiences
• Meaningful appreciation
• Strong communication
• Shared performance goals

Brands that treat creators as partners, rather than placements, have a stronger opportunity to build durable influence in crowded categories.

5. Technology needs a stronger loyalty strategy behind it 

AI and advanced loyalty technology continue to reshape customer engagement. Better data, smarter segmentation and more relevant personalization can create real advantage.

Still technology amplifies the strategy underneath it.

If the strategy is shallow, technology helps the brand deliver shallow experiences more efficiently.

That is where ITA Group’s perspective at CRMC stood apart from many technology-first conversations. Technology performs best when supported by strategy, communications, incentives, recognition and enablement.

While a loyalty platform delivers loyalty, the broader engagement strategy defines what loyalty should mean for the brand, the customer and the frontline team. 

What forward-thinking brands should do next

The next era of loyalty will belong to brands willing to move beyond program mechanics and manage loyalty as a relationship discipline.

That requires a more honest assessment of where loyalty is won or lost. Marketing and loyalty leaders should ask: 

• Are top customers receiving enough recognition to justify their continued commitment?
• Can frontline teams clearly explain and activate the programs value proposition?
• Are employees, franchisees and partners rewarded for behaviors that drive loyalty sign-ups, engagement and consistency?
• Are rewards and experiences creating emotional connection or simply subsidizing transactions?
• Is the brand easy to buy from, engage with and recommend?
• Are technology investment paired with the strategy and enablement needed to make them matter?

When brands underinvest in emotional connection, field activation and memorable engagement moments, they leave both brand equity and revenue up for competitors to grab.

The brands that will win and retain customer mindshare are already asking harder questions, investing in human-centered strategies and designing loyalty experiences that are easier, more meaningful and more memorable.

For brands looking to refresh their loyalty program but are unsure where to start, ITA Group’s loyalty program benchmarking tool can help identify opportunities and guide the process with actionable advice.