Esso needs to recognise loyalty

While applauding Bernie Holloway of Esso’s promotion to marketing director, I wonder if he had been inadvertently inhaling too much petrol when he spoke to you (MW March 28).

In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary and the defection of ex-Tiger token customers to his rivals, he buries his head in the sand and affirms that loyalty doesn’t fulfil expectations.

Every day low pricing has a tradition of` consumer apathy and risks provoking a price war.

Loyalty can still be a powerful influence on profits as long as retailers identify what their loyalty scheme is intended to do: get existing customers responsible for 50 per cent of turnover. But to do this you must build a database; Tiger token’s weakness was that Esso never knew who its customers were. Pricewatch falls into the same trap.

Linda Crocker

Business manager – database marketing

NCH Promotional Services

Corby