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Customers switch faster, compare more and expect brands to prove their value at every touchpoint. Salesforce’s Nav Sanghera sets out the six capabilities retailers need to close the loyalty gap and build relationships that last beyond the points balance
Retailers today face a widening loyalty gap – the distance between what brands know about customers and what they actually experience. Closing the gap means moving beyond points and promotions, from transactional to connected loyalty, a strategy that spans every touchpoint, powered by AI that acts in real time.
The Salesforce guide suggests the key questions you should ask of your business. Download it today to delve into much more detail.
1. Customers are rewriting the rules of loyalty
Loyalty is more conditional than ever. Customers compare, switch and move on faster, and the path to purchase now winds through social platforms, AI tools and messaging apps. Brands that feel disconnected across that journey lose ground quickly.
2. Loyalty is becoming the coordination layer across the business
77% of shoppers belong to at least one loyalty programme, yet 35% have never used one. Scale isn’t the measure of success anymore. The brands winning are those building loyalty into the entire customer relationship, not just a points balance.
3. Closing the loyalty gap requires three connected capabilities
For loyalty to hold across acquisition, engagement, service and retention, brands need to do three things well, and do them together:
- Recognise signals in real time, before the moment passes
- Understand customers across every channel, not just in reporting
- Act with offers and responses that feel relevant, not intrusive
4. Agentic loyalty in action
AI agents are moving loyalty from reactive to real-time, swapping discounts for smarter perks, catching lapsing customers early and triggering make-good offers the moment a service case closes. These aren’t future possibilities; they’re live on the Salesforce platform today.
5. Modern loyalty creates value across the full customer journey
79% of consumers expect active proof of value from brands they’re loyal to. And 74% will walk after just three bad experiences. Loyalty isn’t won in the programme, it’s won (or lost) in discovery, checkout, fulfilment and service.
6. Start where the loyalty gap is most visible
You don’t need to overhaul everything. Start where the gap is most visible, whether it’s a late offer, a broken return, a disconnected service interaction. Small wins build the case for bigger ones.
Why this guide is worth reading in full
The Salesforce Customer Loyalty Guide 2026 goes deeper, with original shopper research, real agentic AI examples, and a practical framework for building loyalty that spans marketing, commerce, and service.
If you’re serious about closing the loyalty gap, this is the place to start. Download the full guide now.
Nav Sanghera is senior vice-president industrial, consumer and energy at Salesforce UK and Ireland.
