South Africa, Nov. 21 -- This isn't a futuristic vision. It's happening right now, and it's changing everything we thought we knew about customer retention.

South Africa's loyalty market is projected to hit R511.2m by 2029, growing at a rate of 14.7% annually. But here's what keeps CMOs up at night: customer retention in the banking sector dropped from 78% in 2022 to 76% in 2023, despite massive investments in traditional loyalty programs.

Something's not connecting.

While marketers focused on points, tiers, and cashback percentages, business owners were dealing with actual problems: market access challenges, cash flow gaps, growth constraints. What retains customers isn't transactional perks - it's partnerships that genuinely understa...