Bridging Theory and Practice in CRM – Guest Lecture by Dr. Max Backhaus from OBI

Through the seminar "Customer Relationship Management and Direct Marketing," taught by Dr. Claudio Felten and supported by Research Assistant Nadine Eckel, Master’s students are gaining a comprehensive understanding of how businesses build and manage long-term customer relationships. The course explores strategies for enhancing customer experiences, maintaining engagement throughout the customer lifecycle, and effectively leveraging direct marketing techniques.

A recent guest lecture by Dr. Max Backhaus provided students with practical insights into these concepts. He highlighted how digitalization is transforming customer relationship management in the DIY retail sector, emphasizing the importance of customer-centric digital solutions like data intelligence, virtual reality, and robotics.

Drawing from his experience at OBI, Dr. Backhaus explained the challenges faced by the DIY retail sector, including rising competition and rapidly changing customer behavior. He also highlighted drivers of CRM potential specific to his industry, such as the long customer journeys typical in home improvement projects and the need to engage customers effectively at critical moments.

In his guest lecture, Dr. Backhaus shared how OBI addresses these challenges through a product-driven CRM strategy that employs predictive algorithms and machine learning to analyze customer behavior. He explained how the heyOBI app enables personalized communication and frequent engagement across touchpoints. Additionally, he highlighted how external factors like weather are used to identify use cases and activate customers at the right moment, all with the goal of maximizing customer lifetime value.

The lecture provided students with a real-world perspective on how innovative digital tools can be used to overcome industry challenges and drive effective customer relationship management.

Insights into the Airline Industry and Customer Loyalty: Guest Lecture by Rob Britton 

Students recently had the opportunity to attend an engaging guest lecture by Rob Britton, a seasoned expert with extensive experience in and around the airline industry. Throughout his career, Britton has become well-versed in explaining the complexities of this challenging business.

In his lecture, Britton provided an insightful overview of the airline industry from a U.S. perspective, highlighting the challenges of operating in a commodity business where differentiation is key to standing out in a highly competitive market. He explored the origins of airline loyalty programs, focusing on American Airlines’ groundbreaking introduction of the Advantage program in 1981. This innovation not only revolutionized customer loyalty in the industry but also became a key strategy for traditional network carriers to stand out amidst growing competition.

Britton explained how low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air have reshaped the global aviation landscape with their lower costs and streamlined models. He highlighted how loyalty programs like AAdvantage have helped network carriers like American Airlines and Lufthansa maintain customer engagement, differentiate their services, and foster long-term relationships in a shifting marketplace.

The guest lecture provided students with valuable insights into the strategic importance of customer loyalty, both in the airline industry and beyond. By exploring how loyalty programs are used to engage and retain customers, students gained a deeper understanding of key business strategies that can be applied across various industries.