Customer Loyalty: Strategy and Application

Retaining customers and increasing their satisfaction for organizational growth

This program is also offered in Spanish. View the program page in Spanish.


In a highly competitive marketplace, finding new customers isn’t the only way to grow a business. As customer acquisition costs rise in every industry, it pays to make the most of the customers you already have. An existing and loyal customer base is more inclined to be interested in new products, increase spending on your brand and recommend your brand to others.

This online program will introduce you to methods and models that will help you better understand customer value, grow this value and individually target customers – all with the goal of optimizing customer loyalty.


Incentives available for groups and teams of four or more attending open enrollment programs. Learn more


Online Programs
Customer Loyalty: A Strategic Approach

Apply a strategic framework to the design of a customer loyalty program

Who Should Attend

  • Loyalty managers
  • Marketing consultants
  • General managers
  • Sales/business development leaders
  • Customer experience managers
  • Strategy consultants
  • Growth hackers

Key Benefits

  • Learn to identify those customers to target for the greatest value through customer differentiation and customer targeting
  • Develop a strategic framework for growing customer loyalty by analyzing the business case
  • Apply what you’ve learned by designing a customer loyalty program through the Capstone Project: Create A Consumer Loyalty Program

Program Content

Module 1: From Customer Differentiation to Customer Value

Learn to identify which customers to target for the greatest value by analyzing a business from a customer-centric viewpoint, examining steps to developing a customer strategy and determining the lifetime value of your customers both individually and collectively.

  • Explore customer heterogeneity, segmentation and differentiation
  • Learn how to calculate customer equity

Module 2: Enabling Customer Relationship Management with Customer Data

Develop a strategic framework for growing customer loyalty by examining strategies to identify, track and predict customer relationships and secure customer value across the customer lifecycle.

  • Examine the customer life cycle and customer journey
  • Explore strategies and methods to grow customer value

Module 3: Loyalty Drivers, Personalization and Triggered Marketing

Become familiar with different approaches to conceptualizing and measuring customer loyalty and learn what drives customer loyalty.

  • Apply the methods of personalization and triggered marketing
  • Develop a customer loyalty strategy with the whole enterprise in mind

Module 4: Loyalty Economics and the Loyalty Business Case

Understand the customer value proposition and analyze the economics of customer loyalty to develop a business case for a customer loyalty program.

  • Learn the structure and elements of a business case for a loyalty program
  • Calculate the economics of loyalty

Module 5: Designing a Loyalty Program

Get a broad overview of the history of loyalty programs and the specifics of their various components, features, and benefits. Apply these elements to the design of a customer loyalty program in the Capstone project.

  • Differentiate between “projects” and “programs”
  • Design a customer loyalty program

Module 6: Special Topics and Future of Customer Loyalty Programs

Learn how to extend customer loyalty programs beyond your company by leveraging partnerships and alliances, how companies from packaged goods to startups have successfully launched and maintained loyalty programs and what the future looks like for loyalty in the digital age.

  • Examine trends that impact buying behavior
  • Learn from failed loyalty programs

Faculty

Thomas O'Toole - Academic Director; Associate Dean of Executive Education; Clinical Professor of Marketing

FAQ

What is the program about?

Customer Loyalty: Strategy and Application program is designed to introduce strategies and frameworks that can be used to maximize customer loyalty at any organization. Those charged with improving customer retention and growing customer value, expanding or transforming existing loyalty marketing, or exploring new ways to utilize customer data will gain valuable insights from what top brands offer (and avoid) in traditional and digital customer loyalty programs.


What is the learning experience?

Your learning experience will consist of frameworks delivered via video lectures, live webinars, real world examples and case studies, application of frameworks through weekly activities, customized assignments and quizzes, discussion boards, and faculty engagement. The program culminates with a capstone project, bringing together all of the key concepts from the program.


What is the program format?

The program consists of 6 modules delivered over 6 weeks online. Learners can expect to dedicate 4-6 hours per week to watch videos, complete assignments and participate in discussions. Modules are opened at the beginning of each week and have quizzes/assessments at the module’s conclusion. Learners may choose to engage with the program module all in one sitting or in smaller segments of time throughout the week. While the modules do not close, access to assignments is closed each week.


Could a learner choose to opt out of some topics?

No. This is an online program in which a topic module is introduced each week and the learner is expected to watch the video lectures, participate in the live webinars, complete the exercises/activities and take the mastery quiz at the end of each week to progress to the subsequent week’s topic.


Are any of the sessions delivered in real time (live)?

There will be live webinars, led by faculty and/or subject matter experts, delivered during the course of the program via a video conferencing platform. These sessions provide learners an opportunity to listen and ask questions, and while they are valuable in enhancing the overall experience, attendance is not mandatory. All live sessions are recorded for later viewing.


What methods will be used for grading and evaluations?

Kellogg program leaders will review assignments, discussions and exercises to determine participants’ understanding of the material.


How much time is allocated to complete assignments?

The due date for submitting assignments is typically within 7 days of the module opening, but can be as long as 14 days, depending on the scope of the assignment. However, learners may request deadline extensions to accommodate for business and personal conflicts that may arise during the program timeframe. Reach out to the program leader to discuss any challenges you may have in completing assignments.


Can participation in this program be counted as credit toward a degree, either at Kellogg, Northwestern University or another academic institution?

No. Executive Education offers only non-degree programs and each participant receives a certificate of completion at the end of the program. This certificate does not count as credit toward a degree. In addition, at this time, our online programs do not count as credit toward a Kellogg Executive Scholar Certificate.


Does the program offer community engagement for learners?

Yes, participants can create a profile, connect and collaborate with peers, and interact with academic/industry experts such as program leaders and teaching assistants. Office hours will be held during the program and all participants are welcome to join in with questions or to discuss assignments.


What are the requirements for accessing the program?

Participants will need the following to access the Customer Loyalty program:

  • Valid email address
  • Computing device connected to the internet (Mac/PC/laptop, tablet or smartphone)
  • The latest version of your preferred browser to access our learning platform (Chrome and Firefox are preferred for accessing Canvas)
  • Microsoft Office and PDF viewer to access content such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts
  • Additional software and resources may be required for certain programs – this will be communicated upon registration and/or at the beginning of the program
  • PLEASE NOTE: Google, Vimeo and YouTube may be utilized in the program delivery

Does the program offer a certificate?

Yes. Participants will receive a digital certificate of completion from Kellogg following a successful conclusion to the program. Since this program is graded as a pass or fail, participants must receive an 80% to pass and obtain the certificate. This digital certificate can be shared with colleagues and posted on LinkedIn. (PLEASE NOTE: We do not provide reports of assessments, or “transcripts,” since this is a non-degree program.)


Who is Emeritus and what is their relationship with Kellogg Executive Education?

Kellogg Executive Education is partnering with Emeritus Institute of Management, an online education provider, to develop and deliver this program. By working with Emeritus, we are able to provide broader access to Executive Education, beyond our on-campus offerings, in a collaborative and engaging format that is consistent with Kellogg’s standard of quality.


Additional questions?

Please contact us by calling 847-467-6018 or email us at execedonline@kellogg.northwestern.edu.


Upcoming Sessions

November 14, 2024 - January 2, 2025

Start: November 21 at 12:00 AM

End: January 2 at 12:00 AM


Accepting registrations through November 20

$2,750

March 13 - May 1, 2025

Start: March 13 at 12:00 AM

End: May 1 at 12:00 AM


Accepting registrations through March 19

$2,750

Kellogg School of Management

James L. Allen Center
2169 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208
Directions
847.467.6018