#LEAwards 2021 spills: How Malaysia Airlines hit the bullseye in customer loyalty

Malaysia Airlines (MAB) has been making waves for its various initiatives aimed at beefing up the customer experience, doubling down on sustainability, and increasing brand love among consumers. Just last week, it inked a multi-year deal with Amadeus to improve the experience of its customers, including corporate and travel retailers.

Last month, its parent company, Malaysian Aviation Group, partnered Buy Now Pay Later platform, hoolah, to offer a seamless and convenient payment option for travellers. Through this collaboration, travellers in Malaysia and Singapore are able to book their getaway online with Malaysia Airlines and pay via a flexible three-month, interest-free payment option.

Over the years, its efforts to engage consumers have paid off and this saw the company clinching gold for Best Partnership in a Loyalty Programme at A+M's Loyalty & Engagement Awards 2021. MAB also walked away with silver for Best COVID-19 Response in a Loyalty Campaign and Best Partnership in a Loyalty Programme, as well as bronze for Best Loyalty Programme – Lifestyle. MAB was also a finalist for Best Card-Based Loyalty Programme and Best Loyalty Programme – Travel & Hospitality

Amiroel Shazrie Yussof (pictured), head of Enrich and loyalty, Malaysia Airlines shares how companies can stand out in the loyalty space.

This interview is done as part of MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s winners' and finalists’ interview series for Loyalty & Engagement Awards 2021. To find out more about the awards, click here.

How has your marketing shifted in 2021 as we come to terms with the pandemic?

Amiroel Shazrie: Enrich evolved into a travel and lifestyle programme with a simpler earning structure, shifting from Miles to Points. With this transition, we have focused more on non-air products such as launching Enrich Hotels, shopping platforms, along with other lifestyle solutions which were made permanently available to members, enabling them to still enjoy rewards and earn Points even when they are not flying or when travel is restricted.

One of the problems we faced with the onset of the pandemic was that members did not have many options to utilise their Enrich Points as travel restrictions were put in place. So we listened to our members and promptly responded by providing solutions – we gave them an avenue to redeem Points for essentials, groceries, F&B, electronical items and a wide range of useful necessities including their favourite brands with a host of lifestyle partners.

Apart from that, we offered extensions on membership Elite tier status, vouchers and Points expiry, giving members more flexibility and time to enjoy privileges and rewards from Points earned throughout the pandemic.

A proud moment for us was launching the new members’ portal with updated features. Ultimately members can look forward to fully digitalised and enhanced member experiences, such as the shift from paper vouchers to e-Vouchers. Transactions on the new portal are also seamless and members can now manage their accounts better.  

What was one shift in consumer behaviour in the loyalty and engagement space that surprised you?

Amiroel Shazrie: The one shift that surprised us was that members were willing to part with thousands of Enrich Points to redeem lifestyle products beyond flying such as shopping, staycation and fine dining. On top of that, members were also patient enough to convert their credit card points to Enrich Points and use them to book flights and hotel stays for future travels, despite the uncertainty of COVID-19 restrictions. These are positive signs that will spur travel recovery.

With so many options, how can brands build up loyalty with their consumers and stand out?

Amiroel Shazrie: Brands can build loyalty by providing more value to consumers. Listen to what customers are saying about your products and services, and constantly improve where necessary. In turn, this will gain trust within your market base and attract new customers. The focus on customer engagement and experience is equally important, it shows them that as a brand you care about their needs and have the ability to adapt to market changes. Brands must also be able to associate themselves with consumers in their everyday activities and drive emotional attachment to the value proposition that it brings.  

We diversified the Enrich programme with expansions on offerings, services and products as the need arose. What worked previously may not work forever, especially in uncertain times such as the pandemic. It was crucial for us to understand from the customer's perspective what their reality is, their wants, or what they may be going through and to offer support with some reprieve in order to alleviate the situation.

Communicating with empathy and compassion is also key, a little kindness goes a long way as customers never forget how you make them feel.

What can we expect from your brand in 2022?

Amiroel Shazrie: Enrich by Malaysia Airlines has been around for more than 20 years. It has branded itself as one of the renowned travel and loyalty programmes in the region. In 2022, members can expect more seamless experiences as we are embarking on a digital journey and will be rolling out new enhancements that are currently being developed in the pipeline.

Along with our new members’ portal, we are launching a new website with more personalised communications that will be relevant to members’ interests, preferences and desired journeys. There will be exciting deals and new brand partnerships as we continue with our expansion into the lifestyle segments that promise more rewarding and exclusive experiences for our members.

On top of that, we will be announcing enhanced programme features and rolling out new Enrich branded products to complement both travel and lifestyle sectors. It will be an exciting year, so stay tuned!