Collect bonus points: Consumers are familiar with this from supermarkets, bakeries, and tour operators. The majority of German citizens use at least one loyalty program, whether via an app, customer card, or booklet. What is successful in the retail sector should also set a precedent in the packaging industry: PackEx GmbH is starting a new chapter in customer loyalty with its “Helden-Club” (heroes’ club) loyalty program. The aim is to offer loyal business customers exclusive benefits through a structured points system. The program is aimed at companies that regularly order packaging solutions from PackEx.
The principle of the “Heroes' Club”: customers automatically receive one point for every euro they spend. These points determine the hero status – from “Sidekick” to “Gold Hero.” The benefits increase with each level: from discounts and free services to exclusive special offers and personalized support. “With the Heroes’ Club, we want to send a signal of appreciation,” explains Julian Erhard, Managing Director of PackEx. “With the Heroes’ Club, we are creating a new dimension of customer loyalty – modern, digital, and tailored to the needs of our business customers,” says Philipp Braun, Head of Marketing at PackEx.
The company also wants to secure long-term partnerships with the loyalty program. This is also about added value: “In a highly competitive market such as the packaging industry, customer loyalty is a decisive competitive advantage.
Through a personal and high-quality program, we create added value that goes beyond price and product.” He speaks of a unique selling point of the program: “As far as I know, there is currently no comparable loyalty program at this level in the packaging industry.”
Competitive Advantages and Emotional Loyalty
Michael Fischer, Head of Sales and Marketing Knistr, advises companies in the specialist customer sector. “Loyalty programs have been used in the B2B sector for many years. In contrast to well-known B2C loyalty programs such as Payback with several million participants, there are often only a few thousand participants in typical B2B programs. The objectives are identical to those in B2C – greater customer loyalty and less churn in the long term, but also an increase in sales per customer in the short term, competitive advantages through valuable data, and a stronger emotional bond between customers and retailers or suppliers,” says Fischer, who is also co-author of a study on this topic by loyalty program provider Knistr. According to this study, only eleven percent of SMEs take part in loyalty program in the B2B sector. There is a lack of interesting approaches, particularly for micro-enterprises.
The benefits of reduced purchase prices are most frequently cited as a plus point by participants. Fischer explains that such programs can bring benefits for everyone involved: “Manufacturers who sell their products indirectly via retailers/wholesalers benefit enormously from this. Tradespeople and installers, for example, are often the most important multipliers when it comes to buying products.”
How suitable are such programs for the packaging industry? “A loyalty program can also offer clear advantages in the packaging industry. It depends on how the sales structure is organized. Are the products marketed directly to end customers or via retailers? Are there opportunities to communicate with customers?” says Fischer. The market situation and market positioning are important parameters.
In principle, a loyalty program can promote repeat purchases, especially for consumer goods such as cardboard packaging, films, or labels. In a market with high price sensitivity, an attractive loyalty program can help to create differentiation – through discounts, additional benefits, or exclusive services.”
With commoditized products, such as standard packaging, it is difficult to stand out through the product alone. A customer loyalty program can offer additional incentives to stay with a particular provider.
Investments that Pay off
The expert is convinced that loyalty programs will remain a trend. “Especially as the programs are now much more efficient and also cheaper to implement thanks to changes in technology, such as AI.” Whereas a lot of money used to be spent on new customers, customer loyalty is now the be-all and end-all. “The markets have changed. There is more competition, more price pressure. Customers are more informed and make comparisons. It has become incredibly difficult to retain customers.” Loyalty programs can be a reason to stick with a company in the long term. It is important that the programs offer added value “and are, in the end, also fun”.
Ultimately, however, the price has to be right. Initially, this is an investment that only pays for itself over time. “Building an emotional connection with the customer takes time. In the long term, however, companies cannot avoid such programs. And there are often other goals at first. Loyalty programs are used to build up a customer database. Customer knowledge is the foundation of a good customer relationship and radiates into many areas of the company – right through to product development.”
By Anna Ntemiris, Editor
