What comes out clearly from this fascinating book on the evolution of the Tesco Clubard is that Clubard is not a stand-alone loyalty programme. It is fundamentally integral to the way Tesco does business, driven by the company's marketing philosophy of "Every Little Helps" where Tesco seeks to create a long-term benefit to the customer (or more likely, the customer perception of a long-term benefit). In return for this benefit, Tesco receives an incredibly valuable insight into customer behaviour. This insight allows Tesco to take full advantage of that behaviour.
The data collected through Clubard underpins Tesco's power. However, it is their ability to analyse the data that has enabled Tesco's rise to market dominance. The book describes in some detail how the analysis has evolved over the lifetime of Clubcard, from basically nothing through to the no-limits of today.
The book is frustratingly positive about the Clubcard programme, glossing over some of the problems and weaknesses it has faced, making it appear that what Tesco does is the only way forward. Allowing the inclusion of more reality, and describing in more detail some of the failures that there must have been, would have given the reader a greater sense of the journey taken by the programme creators, to get idea of what must have been the numerous struggles in getting the programme right.
Overall, an excellent read. It's making me think every time I hand over one of the numerous loyalty cards that I carry. What does what I'm buying say about me? How much has having the card influenced my decision to make the purchase? Have I been caught by the retailer's marketing? Many questions.