BRIDGET LAMONT

Bridget Lamont has a long career in marketing in New Zealand – ranging from selling stamps to philatelists at NZ Post in the 90s to loyalty marketing at Sky City Casinos. This was followed by a decade at Progressive Enterprises where she held a variety of

What are the top three things that marketers can do to ensure they add value and keep their customers loyal?

1 Listen to your customers Understand what they want and need; understand the challenges they face and build your offer to deliver something compelling. 2 Listen to your customer-facing team More often than not they have a better understanding of your customers than any research will give you! 3 Be open to challenging the status quo Consumers are demanding that brands flex and change in line with their changing demands.

What does a day in the life of you look like?

Being so new in my latest role no two days are the same. But generally speaking – up to walk two dogs; followed by a commute to either Loyalty NZ'S Auckland or Wellington office; and then time spent with our team, our clients and our external partners – all focussed on shaping and delivering a truly rewarding and compelling loyalty experience to New Zealanders.

What has been the highlight of your career?

Three highlights (so far!) 1 Being involved in Countdown's response to the ongoing earthquakes in Canterbury in 2010/2011. It was a privilege to be part of a team that supported each other and the people of Canterbury through such challenging times. 2 Rather ironically, now that I am at Loyalty NZ – the relaunch of Countdown's Onecard (with AA Smartfuel) in 2016. 3 Winning the Keith Norris Direct Marketing Organisation of the Year award in 2016 for Countdown; and then joining the team at Loyalty NZ who won the same award a year later!

What does your problemsolving process look like?

I am a fairly analytical soul, so I like to gather as many facts as I can, and then seek to see the connections and patterns and build a solution from there. Facts and evidence-first for me!

What's one piece of advice to an up and coming marketer looking to take on more of a leadership role?

Find yourself a great mentor (or mentors!) and be open to learning from others. Never assume that as a leader you have to have all the answers.