I’m Not Loyal to Your Loyalty Program

But I’m sort of stuck with the system.

“You have 50 cents in fuel points.” “Just spend another twenty dollars and you’ll have enough points to get ten percent off your next meal.” “Would you like to sign up for our rewards program?” “Do you have our rewards card? Save five dollars if you show us your card.” “Sign up today for our credit card and you’ll get twenty-five dollars off today’s purchase.” “Fill out our online survey and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a fabulous prize.” You know the drill by now. Everywhere you go, merchants are vying for your business, today, tomorrow and beyond. The goal being, if they can buy your loyalty today (with cash, discounts or merchandise), you will reward them by being a faithful and steady customer in the future. In the long run, merchants hope for a win/win scenario with this endless barrage of begging for your loyalty. It’s hard to blame them, really. Competition is fierce in every market. Brick and mortar stores face growing encroachment on their territory by online retailers and the sheer number of similar businesses in their area. Long gone are the days where any business could rest on its laurels by being the only game in town and rightfully expecting the lion’s share of local business. Nearly all of those competitors have their own loyalty program in place. To opt out of the loyalty game is to risk losing the significant portion of the buying public that actually “likes” those gimmicks. Well, I, for one, have grown hopelessly tired of the constant badgering by sales people and service people alike. Oh, I will admit that I will succumb to flashing my loyalty card when needed because, without it, I become one of outliers who lose out on the “special pricing” only available to the inner circle — those who possess the coveted “loyalty card.” Yes, I admit I’ve been sucked into the vortex of consumerism in the twenty-first century. I definitely see it for what it is. I don’t especially like it but, like the rest of the world, I feel powerless to fight back against a constant stream of “likes,” “approvals,” “positive ratings,” and “high fives” that dictate the worth and value of every business or service needed to function fully in society.

My wallet is stuffed with loyalty cards from a wide range of businesses. Or, at least it would be if I hadn’t reached a point of relying strictly on my phone number as the identifying factor in my professed ”loyalty” to any establishment. Now I pretty much ditch the loyalty card after registering for the program. Yes, most loyalty programs require a phone number as part of the registration process. How else will their telemarketers be able to harass you into going back for their “special sale” or lure you away from other competitors the next time you venture outside your door in search of somewhere to spend your money. Wisely, on my part, I have found a work-around on this part. My cable company offers a bundle which includes my cable, internet access and a land line phone. So, while I do not have a land line any longer (strictly use cell phone and internet to communicate with anyone) I do have a land line number. Since there is no actual phone attached to that line, sales calls generated by loyalty program registrations never find their way to my ear. I use the number to identify myself as a member of their program but protect myself from the next futile attempt to sell me something. What is the future for customer loyalty? I don’t know but I suspect it will not be improving any time soon. For my part, I will continue to mutter under my breath about slow check-out lines while customers fumble for their loyalty cards and sales people waste valuable time trying to coerce hapless consumers into signing up for the special service they should have the right to expect anyway. And, yes, I will continue to save ten cents on gas or cash in my points for a half-price meal. I’m not a descendent of J. Paul Getty. I need to save a buck whenever I can.