1. Hi Carly, what can you tell us about your background?

I grew up in South Sydney in a beautiful leafy suburb called Bonnet Bay. I attended school in the local area and once I turned 18, I worked at Clubs and Nightclubs. Working weekends and nights in hospitality was ideal as I was studying to become a teacher at the University of Wollongong fulltime during the week. I worked at Club Central for many years and they provided me with great opportunities to grow my career – this is where I started to develop a passion for the Club industry. After I graduated, I was working as both a temp teacher and at Club Central, until a position as the Membership Coordinator of the Club became available and I decided to take the plunge! It was a fantastic experience and the team supported me as I grew personally and professionally – I will always have a soft spot for Club Central.

2. Why is a loyalty strategy so important for a Club?

The ability to know your customer is the best advantage you can have, and a Loyalty Program does just this. By understanding who your biggest supports are and creating a structured, legal and fair way to reward your customers, a Loyalty Program can really improve your entire business.

3. What is the most common struggle Clubs face regarding loyalty?

I often see Loyalty Programs that have been implemented and then forgotten about. Without ongoing management of the program, it’s detrimental to your business. I think the purpose of Loyalty Programs is not only to reward the right people but to use the data to make informed business decisions to create the best customer experience. If the data is not being utilised that Club is not getting the most out of their program.

4. What approach do you take when first consulting with a new Club?

No two Clubs are the same so I go in with an open mind and try to learn as much as I can through discussions and data. I am extremely data driven and like to complete an audit of all aspects of the business prior to proposing a strategy. I find that small to medium sized Clubs love to be involved, which is great for me as I love to work collaboratively.

5. Can you summarise a favourite Club success story of yours?

My favourite success would have to be my first Club, Corrimal RSL. I developed a Loyalty Program for Corrimal as well as implemented promotions and membership growth strategies with the Team at the Club.

Our greatest successes included:
– increase of turnover from 2016 to 2018 by 40%
– increase in membership for 2016 to 2018 by 233%

6. How has collaborating with Axis IQ enhanced your experience with Clubs and what you offer?

Axis IQ and I have worked together on a variety of Club projects, from the design of branding and collateral for Loyalty Programs such as logos, brochures, flyers, posters and decals to completing Loyalty and Marketing audits. They have produced collateral for my business such as my logo, business cards, presentation folders, prize wheels, my website and so much more! I cannot recommend Axis IQ enough. The team takes care of everything to do with the marketing side of things so I can focus on what is important in my business.