AI, Loyalty, and the Customer Experience - Stacey Sikorski is an industry vet who saw a massive shift in operation during COVID-19. With the influx of AI coming out of COVID, Sikorski believes customer loyalty has become paramount as businesses and customers adapt to the new landscape.
Catering to Top Tier Guests - Stacey Sikorski believes that top-tier guests should not only be identified but also receive access to deals and opportunities exclusive to them. To her, that is a way for those customers to feel how important they are to the business.
Intentional Use of Technology - COVID forced companies to embrace technology in a way they hadn’t previously, which may have caused an overreach. However, Stacey Sikorski believes that customers are beginning to center their purchasing by vetting their potential tech partners' functionality within the company tech stack.
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Stacey Sikorski, a seasoned veteran in the industry and current Director of Mid-Market Sales at Incentivio, recently made a compelling appearance on Data Delicacies, powered by Incentivio. During her insightful discussion with host Arun Kumar, Sikorski shared her experiences and perspectives on the evolving landscape of customer loyalty, the importance of catering to top-tier guests, and the intentional use of technology in the post-COVID era.
AI, Loyalty, and the Customer Experience
Reflecting on the seismic shifts during COVID, Sikorski noted how labor and inventory were the primary concerns for businesses. However, as we emerge from the pandemic, she emphasized the critical role of customer loyalty. Sikorski believes that as the digital world evolves, businesses must learn to cater to individuals and provide personalized experiences to retain loyal customers.
“The most important part of the industry at that time was labor and inventory. People had tons of inventory problems, tons of labor problems,” said Sikorski. “Now we're coming out of that... loyalty is the number one most competitive thing right now.”
Catering to Top Tier Guests
Sikorski also underscored the unique opportunity and necessity of identifying and rewarding top-tier guests. She advocates for making these customers feel special and valued by offering exclusive deals and opportunities. To Sikorski, by treating top-tier customers differently, businesses can foster a sense of belonging and appreciation, enhancing customer loyalty.
“Surprise and delight and make them feel like they're valued and an individual to you,” she explained.
Intentional Use of Technology
The conversation also delved into the intentional use of technology post-COVID and how the pandemic forced companies to rapidly embrace technology, often leading to an overreach. She, instead, stressed the importance of a more measured and deliberate approach for a cleaner and more effective sales process where potential tech partners are thoroughly vetted, ensuring they align well with the company's needs and goals.
“We now have to get our bearings in order and we need to take our time and be intentional with the decisions we're making,” Sikorski said.
Stacey Sikorski’s appearance on Data Delicacies provided invaluable insights into navigating the post-pandemic business environment. Her emphasis on customer loyalty, rewarding top-tier guests, and the careful integration of technology offers a strategic roadmap for businesses looking to thrive in this new era.
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ABOUT STACEY SIKORSKI
Stacey Sikorski is an established revenue leader and team builder focused on driving success and positive impact within the restaurant industry. Passionate about dynamic relationship management, fostering long-term connections, and solving problems to strengthen restaurant brands through innovative tech solutions, she brings proven expertise in B2B sales, partnerships, leadership, customer relations, and marketing. With specialized experience in restaurant tech, including GTM strategy and building early-stage SaaS revenue team infrastructure, Stacey is dedicated to supporting individual growth within a team environment. Energetic and enthusiastic, she contributes to a positive and collaborative workplace.
ABOUT DATA DELICACIES—
Data Delicacies is a weekly podcast that dives deep into the world of technology and data as it pertains to restaurants. Host Arun Kumar interviews some of the best and brightest in the industry about all things hospitality tech, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
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