While most brands already have an abundance of critical customer data on hand, most are not viewing or using it as a strategic asset to help create and maintain longer-lasting relationships with high-value customers, according to joint research from Loyalty 360 and marketing services firm Acxiom.

The study, entitled 'Making Every Interaction Count: How Customer Intelligence Drives Customer Loyalty', concluded that the explosion of new digital tools and technologies has fundamentally shifted power from brands to consumers, who have access to ever-growing volumes of information about products, prices, customer satisfaction, and availability. As a result, while it has been a big benefit for consumers, most brand-related metrics - including customer loyalty metrics - risk falling into decline and disuse. ckazan This article is copyright 2012 TheWiseMarketer.com).

"Brands and their loyalty initiatives are under assault," said Tim Suther, Acxiom's chief marketing officer. "Only 25% of people report being loyal to a brand. Knowing who these loyal customers are and how to best engage them is a business imperative to succeed in the age of the empowered consumer."