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If the building of great businesses requires great people, what then is required to be a ‘fit’ or great leader of these businesses?

What are the common features of these leaders of many great businesses globally? Is it vision, direction, influence, dignity, composure, passion, empathy, resilience, toughness, kindness or a blend of the above bought to the fore in the situation?

Is it as simple as ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’ or is it born or bred within people?

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Supermarket loyalty programs slammed, but expert says transparent loyalty schemes can work

Brian Walker recently spoke with Patrick Stafford, writer from smartcompany.com.au around this topic. Brian Walker says he is in favour of retail reward programs but they must be transparent and fair to the consumer.

"I'm in favour of loyalty programs as an element of service and policy, and I am in favour of programs which are transparent, genuinely reward customers for repeat business and provide consumers with an incentive. It should not be about profiteering, it should be about profit on a repeat visitation."

"There is no doubt in my mind that loyalty comes about by having the right offer at the right time, and having the right service people. All of these elements will produce customer loyalty, not a program in and of itself."

Walker says businesses must not make a habit of attracting customers based on a loyalty program. Instead, a loyalty program should be a natural consequence of good customer service and a well-run business.

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