ABSTRACT
Customer loyalty programmes are seen as a marketing instrument with a bright future, especially because of the positive effects which the integration of the loyalty programme into general marketing activities can have. A more important aspect that has to be carefully planned is ensuring that the loyalty programme's potential as a provider of information and data is fully exploited by the sponsoring company's other departments. Concerning the integration of the customer loyalty programme into the company's organizational structure, it is difficult to recommend one solution for every company, as they are all structured differently. What independence does signify is that the loyalty programme management should have the authority to make decisions on how to run the loyalty programme, how to organize it, or which benefits to offer, without having to confer with outside parties. Regardless of what form is chosen, the loyalty programme should be able to make independent decisions, and thus be entirely member- and value-driven.
