By: Zenia Pearl V. Nicolas
In a world where attention spans have become currency and choices feel infinite, brand loyalty is no longer a default—it’s a decision. Every day, consumers scroll, tap, and abandon without looking back. We live in a time when even a loyal buyer can be lost in a blink.
At RESA Philippines 2025, Marc-Antoine Hager, Head of APAC at CleverTap, reminded us that real loyalty isn’t earned through points or perks alone—but through emotional resonance, relevance and respect for a customer’s time and journey.
As we battle distractions, fatigue and digital noise, CleverTap offers brands something deeper: the tools to rebuild trust, reawaken loyalty and rekindle the kind of customer relationship that feels personal—even in a hyper-automated world.
Loyalty Isn’t Given—It’s Earned
- Globally, shoppers now explore across channels, and loyalty must be intentionally cultivated—not assumed.
- Semrush mentioned that selling to current customers has a 60-70% success rate, versus just 5-20% with new prospects.
- Increasing retention by just 5% can boost profits by 29-95%, depending on the industry.
Cart Abandonment: The $18 B Problem
- A staggering 70–75% of online shopping carts get abandoned—that’s $18 billion in annual U.S. lost sales.
- Top abandonment triggers? Extra fees (39–48%), account creation demands (~24%), and checkout friction.
- But there’s a silver lining: recovering abandoned carts via email or retargeting ads yield an ROI of 1,300%, with abandoned carts emails achieving a 45% open rate and 21% click-throughs.
AI-Driven Engagement: CleverTap’s 3-Pillar Strategy
Pillar 1: Clicks → Carts
Seize intent instantly across platforms—push notifications, in-app prompts, email. Capture the moment before distractions pull customers away.
Pillar 2: Carts → Conversions
With cart abandonment at —70%, tools like IntelliNode guide customers along high-conversion paths using urgency and seamless experience.
Pillar 3: Buyers → Loyalists
True loyalty is built outside discount walls—through emotional connections, predictive segmentation, and automated re-engagement campaigns.
Why Personalization Works
- McKinsey reports companies that excel at personalization generate 40% more revenue, delivering over a trillion dollars in value across U.S. industries
- Instapage noted personalized experiences boost sales by 19%; 91% of shoppers prefer that brands remember them
- VWO found loyal customers are 70% more likely to repurchase—and existing buyers spend 67% more than new ones.
Proven Results: CleverTap Clients in Action
- Carousell: 71% lift in Week 3 retention and 73% higher CTR via personalized messaging.
- Lenskart: 68% engagement growth and 75% boost in campaign efficiency through data-driven segmentation
Actionable Roadmap: Activate Your Retention Engine
- Audit the checkout—reduce hidden fees, simplify sign-up, ensure mobile optimization.
- Leverage real-time triggers—push, SMS, email follow-ups for carts and interaction drop-offs.
- Activate AI segmentation–identify high-potential leads and tailor touchpoints.
- Execute multi-channel programs—combine email, push, ads for reactivation.
- Build emotional loyalty—recognition, exclusive access, native content beyond discounts.
Marc-Antoine Hager’s Wake-Up Call to the Retail World
Marc reminded us that loyalty isn’t transactional anymore. It’s deeply emotional. It’s not about how loud your campaign is—it’s about how deeply your message lands in someone’s life.
“Loyalty is no longer about points. It’s about relevance, timing and connection,” he said. And in that moment, the room shifted.
Because the truth hit home: we’re not selling products anymore—we’re selling experiences. And people don’t return for what you sell.. They return for how you made them feel.
Marc-Antoine spoke not just as a leader, but as a listener—to the pain points of businesses that keep losing customers to silence, and to the expectations of a digital-first generation that values meaning over marketing. He urged us to stop building strategies that assume loyalty—and instead start building journeys that earn it.
He challenged us to turn AI into Affective Intelligence—tech that doesn’t just optimize, but empathizes. And he showed us that the greatest comeback in retail isn’t just a recovered cart—it’s a customer who stays.
In a world where 70% of shopping carts are abandoned and most brands still blast the same message to everyone, CleverTap offers something revolutionary: a way to turn insights into intention.
Because every comeback starts with one brave brand saying:
“I see you. I remember you. And I built this for you.”
And maybe that’s what his keynote truly was—not just a roadmap, but a reminder.. That in a hyper-digital world, the most powerful strategy is still human understanding.
Let this be our wake-up call. Let us move from chasing attention to earning affection. Let us design with care, speak with timing and lead with empathy.
Because in the end, technology may bring us close—but it’s the connection that brings them back.
