Data-backed customisation can help telcos keep customers loyal

WHEN it comes to keeping telco subscribers loyal, offering them lifestyle perks has become all too common. Not that they are unwelcomed; I enjoy getting a free movie ticket now and then, as much as the next mobile phone subscriber.

But StarHub's new rewards plan, unveiled on Monday, has raised the ante by tailoring perks and services to how much their customers spend on their StarHub services - another step in the "gamification" of consumer services.

With this toss of the gauntlet into a crowded fray, a targeted fight for higher-value customers is emerging as a fresh tactic in the telco price war.