SessionM

SessionM, a Mastercard platform, boosts business customer loyalty with personalized marketing technology, data-driven insights, and comprehensive learning resources.

August 29, 2024

A photo of the author - Simon Rowles
Simon Rowles
Founder, CEO

Markets

New Zealand
Australia
Global

Categories

Retail
Loyalty Foundation

Research Report

SessionM, a platform under Mastercard, is engineered to boost customer loyalty for businesses through innovative marketing technology. Businesses can leverage its capabilities to attract and engage both new and existing customers by delivering personalised, real-time offers. This helps businesses build authentic, personal relationships with their customers.

The platform also offers robust campaign measurement tools based on data insights. These features make SessionM a valuable tool for businesses aiming to cultivate brand loyalty effectively.

Additionally, the platform provides various learning paths and resources to help users understand and utilise its features. It empowers brands to develop and implement impactful customer loyalty strategies, ensuring a seamless user experience.

Key Takeaways

  • SessionM enhances customer loyalty through personalised offers.
  • It provides robust tools for campaign measurement and data insights.
  • There are various learning paths and resources to help users maximise its features.

Overview of SessionM

SessionM is a customer engagement and loyalty platform that integrates data management and marketing automation. Below, we explore the platform’s history and development, as well as its acquisition by Mastercard.

History and Development

SessionM was founded to help businesses better engage with their customers through advanced loyalty programmes. The platform combines marketing automation with data management, allowing businesses to create personalised customer experiences.

One of the key features of SessionM is its use of real-time customer profiles. These profiles enable companies to interact with customers across multiple channels, including mobile devices and websites. The platform also supports omnichannel marketing, providing businesses with the tools they need to deliver consistent messaging.

The effectiveness of SessionM's technology has been recognised by various industry awards. It was awarded the Best Overall Loyalty Marketing Platform for 2022 by Martech Breakthrough, highlighting its impact in the marketing technology space.

Acquisition by Mastercard

In 2019, Mastercard acquired SessionM to enhance its own customer engagement and loyalty solutions. This acquisition allowed Mastercard to integrate SessionM’s capabilities with its broader range of services, providing clients with more advanced tools for customer relationship management.

Since the acquisition, Mastercard has continued to invest in SessionM’s technology, further developing its features and expanding its impact. In 2023, Mastercard received the Loyalty360 Best in Class award for Technology, evidencing the success and ongoing improvement of the platform.

The acquisition has allowed Mastercard to offer a comprehensive suite of services that help businesses manage and optimise customer loyalty and engagement more effectively. The combination of SessionM’s innovative features with Mastercard’s extensive resources has created a powerful platform for businesses seeking to enhance their customer relationships.

Services Offered by SessionM

SessionM provides a comprehensive suite of services aimed at fostering customer loyalty, enhancing engagement solutions, and effectively managing audience strategies.

Loyalty Programs

SessionM excels in creating advanced loyalty programs that help brands cultivate a strong bond with their customers. Through these programs, businesses can reward customers for their continued patronage. These rewards can be in the form of discounts, exclusive offers, or special promotions.

By leveraging sophisticated data analytics, SessionM tailors the loyalty programs to align with individual customer preferences. This personalisation ensures higher customer satisfaction and retention. The platform also integrates seamlessly with existing systems, making it easier for brands to implement without extensive technical overhead.

Customer Engagement Solutions

SessionM offers powerful customer engagement solutions. These solutions are designed to attract and retain both new and existing customers. By using targeted campaigns and personalised communication, brands can interact with their customers in meaningful ways.

The platform enables real-time engagement by sending timely and relevant offers to customers. This approach not only drives immediate sales but also fosters long-term loyalty. Additionally, SessionM’s engagement solutions help brands gather valuable insights into customer behaviour, allowing for more effective and efficient marketing strategies.

Audience Management

SessionM’s audience management capabilities allow brands to segment their customers effectively. This segmentation ensures that marketing efforts are directed towards the right audience, maximising impact and reducing wasted resources.

By understanding the varied preferences and behaviours of different customer groups, SessionM helps brands create more targeted and effective marketing campaigns. The platform’s powerful data analytics tools make it easier to track and analyse audience metrics, enabling more informed decision-making.

These audience management features are crucial for brands looking to refine their marketing strategies and improve customer satisfaction. They help in delivering the right messages to the right people at the right time, thereby enhancing overall marketing efficiency.

Technological Infrastructure

SessionM's technological infrastructure is centred around efficient data management and robust integration capabilities. This infrastructure allows businesses to make informed decisions and seamlessly connect various systems.

Data Management and Analytics

SessionM uses advanced data management and analytics to help businesses gain insights. They collect and store large volumes of data from multiple sources. This data can be related to customer interactions, transactions, and preferences.

Sophisticated analytics tools are used to analyse this data. Metrics and KPIs are tracked to measure performance. This helps businesses understand customer behaviour and improve strategies.

Dashboards present data in a user-friendly way. This allows category headings like sales, engagement, and loyalty to be monitored easily. Predictive analytics can forecast trends and patterns, enabling proactive decision-making.

Integration Capabilities

SessionM’s platform supports seamless integration with various systems. This includes CRM systems, marketing tools, and POS systems. Integration enhances data flow and ensures consistency across platforms.

APIs are used for these integrations. They allow data to be shared and updated in real-time. This ensures that all systems are working with the latest information.

Category headings such as marketing, sales, and customer service can be integrated effectively. This facilitates a unified view of the customer. Businesses can deliver more personalised experiences through better data connectivity. Integrating technical points of view from various sources enables a comprehensive approach to customer management.

SessionM’s robust technological infrastructure supports business growth. Efficient data management and reliable integration pave the way for informed decision-making and improved customer engagement.

User Experience and Interaction

Improving user experience involves understanding user preferences and ensuring content is accessible across various devices. This helps create a seamless and personalised interaction for users.

Personalisation Techniques

SessionM enhances user experiences by offering personalised content based on user preferences. By analysing user behaviour, they can tailor recommendations, promotions, and notifications that match individual interests. This approach not only increases user satisfaction but also drives engagement.

Additionally, SessionM makes use of data collected from user interactions to continually refine and improve its personalisation algorithms. This ensures that the content remains relevant and appealing to users, fostering a deeper connection with the brand.

Cross-Platform Accessibility

To ensure a seamless user experience, SessionM focuses on cross-platform accessibility. Users interact with content on a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. By optimising their platform for different screen sizes and operating systems, SessionM ensures users have a consistent and enjoyable experience regardless of the device used.

Furthermore, special attention is given to mobile devices, recognising that a significant portion of users access content through their phones. This means ensuring quick load times, intuitive navigation, and responsive design, which are critical for keeping users engaged and satisfied.

Privacy and Data Security

In modern web applications, safeguarding user data is paramount. This section covers how privacy is managed through cookie policies and the measures taken to protect data.

Cookie Policy

Cookies are small text files stored on a user’s browser, designed to enhance the web browsing experience. There are different types of cookies such as essential cookies, which are necessary for website functionality, and third-party cookies, which are often used for advertising purposes.

Cookies can store user preferences, login information, and other session data. Pixel tags and web beacons also track user behaviour on websites. These elements work together to create a smoother, personalised experience. However, they can also pose privacy risks if not managed correctly.

Proper cookie policies inform users about the usage of these tracking tools. Websites should ask for consent to use non-essential cookies. This transparency helps build trust and ensures compliance with regulations like the GDPR.

Data Protection Measures

Data protection measures encompass various strategies to safeguard information from unauthorised access. Techniques include encryption, which scrambles data to make it unreadable without a key, and firewalls that block unauthorised access to network resources.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring two forms of verification. Secure session management is also crucial, involving methods like session timeouts to reduce the risk of session hijacking.

Regular risk assessments help identify vulnerabilities in systems. Additionally, having clear protocols for handling data breaches ensures that any issues are addressed swiftly to minimise damage. All these measures are essential to protect both user information and the integrity of digital systems.

Strategies for Client Engagement

Effective client engagement can be achieved by developing loyalty programs and using tailored advertising solutions. These strategies will enhance customer satisfaction and promote brand loyalty.

Creating Effective Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs are key to keeping customers engaged and coming back. They reward customers for their continued support, offering benefits that encourage repeat business.

Providing points for purchases is a popular approach. Customers can accumulate points which they can then redeem for discounts, merchandise, or special services. This not only incentivises repeat purchases but also makes customers feel valued.

Tiered loyalty programs, where customers achieve higher status levels based on their spending, offer additional motivation. For instance, higher tiers might provide quicker service, exclusive offers, or early access to products.

It's essential to communicate the benefits effectively. Clear, consistent messaging ensures customers understand how to earn and use their rewards. Regular updates on their points balance and available rewards can keep them interested and active in the program.

Tailored Advertising Solutions

Personalised advertising enhances client engagement by making customers feel understood. Tailored ads based on customer behaviour and preferences can significantly increase response rates and brand loyalty.

Utilising data-driven insights helps in crafting personalised messages. For instance, if a customer frequently buys skincare products, they should receive adverts and offers related to new arrivals or promotions in that category.

Segmenting customers by demographics, behaviour, or past purchases allows businesses to target their advertising more precisely. This segmentation ensures that advertisements are relevant and engaging, which can lead to higher conversion rates.

Interactive advertising methods, such as engaging videos or interactive social media campaigns, can also capture attention more effectively than static ads. These methods provide a more engaging user experience and can drive higher levels of customer interaction.

Case Studies and Success Stories

SessionM has a proven track record of transforming how companies handle customer engagement and loyalty programmes. The following sections highlight its B2B client partnerships and impact on consumer experiences.

B2B Client Partnerships

SessionM has successfully collaborated with various businesses to enhance their customer engagement strategies. One notable example involves a leading restaurant service provider. They integrated SessionM’s platform to streamline customer interactions and loyalty programmes. This partnership led to increased customer retention and higher engagement rates.

Many retailers have also benefited from SessionM's expertise. For instance, retail chains used their solutions to personalise marketing efforts based on customer data. These partnerships improved in-store experiences and boosted sales.

SessionM’s case studies show that its platform can effectively improve operational efficiency. By implementing data-driven strategies, companies have seen significant improvements in customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Consumer Impact Analysis

SessionM places a significant focus on understanding consumer behaviour. The company’s solutions have helped brands collect and analyse data to better understand what drives customer loyalty. This data-driven approach has enabled brands to create more personalised and relevant marketing campaigns.

One major success story involves a consumer electronics company that used SessionM to gather actionable insights from customer data. This led to more tailored promotions, increasing customer loyalty and purchase frequency.

In another instance, a retail company leveraged SessionM’s platform to understand customer preferences better. This resulted in enhanced shopping experiences and higher customer satisfaction levels. SessionM’s ability to provide deep insights into consumer behaviour has proven invaluable for many companies.

Contact Information

SessionM provides various ways for customers and businesses to reach out for support or inquiries. This section covers important contact details to address specific needs effectively.

Customer Support

For any issues or questions regarding SessionM’s platform, users can visit the SessionM Help Center. The Help Center offers detailed information on loyalty features, key concepts, and developer resources.

Customers seeking real-time assistance can utilise the Contact Us section available on the Help Center website. This ensures any technical problems or user concerns are resolved promptly. Additionally, release notes and other important updates are regularly posted, keeping users informed about the latest changes and improvements to the platform.

Business Inquiries

Businesses interested in partnering with SessionM or learning more about its services can contact the team through the Mastercard Data & Services website. SessionM specialises in creating advanced loyalty and engagement programs, making it a valuable partner for companies aiming to enhance their customer relationships.

Prospective clients should reach out to discuss bespoke solutions and explore how SessionM can support their business goals. The flexibility and scalability of the loyalty platform can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different industries, ensuring a successful collaboration. Accessing the resources section and contacting the team will provide further details on available services and partnership opportunities.

Additional Resources

The resources available for SessionM users are extensive, covering technical documentation for developers as well as marketing materials to aid in promoting the platform. This section provides an overview of these resources, each with its focus area.

Developer Documentation

Developers working with SessionM have access to a wealth of documentation. They offer comprehensive guides for API integration, detailing all the steps required to connect with SessionM's services. The documentation includes code examples, authentication methods, and troubleshooting tips.

Developers can find tutorials that simplify complex tasks, enabling a smoother setup process. Additionally, there are FAQs and community forums where developers can ask questions and share insights. Being well-documented ensures developers can efficiently utilise SessionM’s capabilities.

Marketing Material

SessionM provides marketing materials designed to help companies effectively promote their use of the platform. These include case studies showcasing successful implementations, which can be shared with stakeholders to illustrate the benefits of SessionM.

Marketing teams can access brochures, infographics, and video tutorials that clearly explain how SessionM enhances customer engagement. These materials are useful for crafting pitches and presentations. They also offer detailed insights into customisation options to better align the messaging with the company’s branding strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

SessionM is a customer engagement platform that plays a crucial role in loyalty programs and has been integrated into Mastercard's suite of services. Various companies use SessionM to enhance customer loyalty, and it offers diverse career opportunities.

How can one log in to the SessionM platform?

To log in to the SessionM platform, users need to visit the login page and enter their credentials. The platform usually requires a username and password. Sometimes two-factor authentication may be necessary for additional security.

What role does SessionM play in Mastercard's suite of services?

SessionM is an important part of Mastercard's services, particularly in customer engagement and loyalty programs. The platform helps businesses create more personalised and rewarding experiences for their customers through data-driven insights.

Which companies are leveraging SessionM for improving customer loyalty?

Many companies use SessionM to boost customer loyalty. These include well-known brands that aim to offer a more personalised experience. The platform's flexibility makes it suitable for a variety of industries, from retail to finance.

What career opportunities are currently available at SessionM?

SessionM offers various career opportunities in different areas such as engineering, data science, and customer support. Interested individuals can visit the careers section on the company's website to view current openings and apply.

Can you provide a brief overview of SessionM's acquisition history?

SessionM was acquired by Mastercard in 2019. This acquisition aimed to enhance Mastercard's abilities in real-time customer engagement and loyalty through SessionM's advanced technology and data insights.

Who holds the position of Chief Executive Officer at SessionM?

The Chief Executive Officer of SessionM is Lars Albright. He has extensive experience in the tech industry and has been instrumental in steering the company towards growth and innovation.