Ho ho ho!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If I\u2019m completely honest\u2014gifts have changed, but people haven\u2019t. They have always wanted the feeling that someone sees them, understands them, and remembers them. I used to have one big sack of gifts on my sleigh; today, I have smart systems where everything is stored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today we have more options than ever before, but also more noise. That\u2019s why good gifting is no longer about the size of the gift, but about attention and the right moment. People no longer want \u201csomething,\u201d but something for themselves. And that means knowing who you\u2019re giving to, when, and why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even magic needs a little help from technology these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagine if I were still writing down by hand who had been good. Today, gifting has to be smart and simple. That\u2019s why gift cards are very close to my heart, and especially e-gift cards\u2014they never miss the size or color and never end up at the bottom of a drawer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The perfect gift is one that is actually used, brings joy more than once, and creates an experience. That\u2019s why I no longer look only at the gift itself, but at the relationship the gift begins. And this is where loyalty comes into focus\u2014because a true gift lives on even after the holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Honestly? I was a \u201cloyalty manager\u201d long before it became a job title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You behave well \u2192 you get a gift. Today, smart systems do this by being able to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pure magic\u2014just digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Loyalty doesn\u2019t happen by itself. It doesn\u2019t come from a single campaign or one discount. Loyalty is built through consistent, meaningful, and friendly interactions. Every time someone comes back, they are telling us: \u201cI feel good here.\u201d And those are relationships worth nurturing\u2014with the help of technology as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because a gift without context quickly becomes just an object. A gift at the right moment becomes a message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you delight someone during a visit, upon their return, or at a special moment, you\u2019re not just giving a gift\u2014you\u2019re building a relationship. And that\u2019s exactly what systems that understand the entire customer journey make possible today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have to admit that I now have more time myself\u2014more time for Mrs. Claus, and with the elves we play more football and chess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Automation isn\u2019t cold\u2014forgetting people is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Technology isn\u2019t meant to replace people, but to help them be more human. If a system automatically sends a gift card, a holiday greeting, or simply a \u201cthank you for being with us,\u201d then technology becomes warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And it saves time\u2014and time is the greatest gift of all. Of course, it still takes some effort to stand out and avoid monotony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a system takes care of routine tasks, people have more time for attention, conversation, and warmth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that is true Christmas magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I see truly big differences between places and destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A smart destination isn\u2019t the one with the most screens. A smart destination is one that knows how to connect. It connects providers, visitors, data, and experiences into one meaningful whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everything is organized there: there\u2019s no bad mood, no unmanageable crowds, guests know where to turn for information, they get it, and they can book tours and experiences in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When everything connects\u2014gifting, visits, loyalty, communication\u2014a place becomes more than just a location. It becomes an experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With everyone who understands that technology is not an end in itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I work with partners such as SOS \u2013 Smart Octopus Solutions, who think long-term and holistically: they connect gift cards, build loyalty, automate communication, and turn places into smart, connected ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such partners make my work easier\u2014and make gifting more meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would tell them: \u201cDon\u2019t think only about what you will give. Think about the relationship you want to build. Don\u2019t give just products. Give choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A gift is the beginning of a story, not its end. And a good story always continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, if you\u2019ll excuse me\u2014the elves are already preparing the next campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s time for a little more holiday automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ho ho ho!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This interview was originally published in the Digital Disruptor newsletter #28.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Santa Claus is the greatest expert in gifting\u2014there is no doubt about that. This is currently the most demanding time of year for him, yet he still took the time to sit down for an interview with us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,125,50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gift-cards","category-interviews","category-loyalty-programs"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17077"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17077\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What do you consider the perfect gift today? We\u2019ve heard that you\u2019ve also switched to digital gifting.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You often mention loyalty. How do you view loyalty today?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You often talk about the right moment. Why is it so important?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Technology, data, automation\u2026 don\u2019t they sound too cold for the holidays?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You travel everywhere and see many different places and destinations. Have you heard of the term \u201csmart destinations\u201d? How would you explain it in your own words?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
![\"Holiday](\"https:\/\/sos-sw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/dd-7e488c374fe95946b80deb0db5dcaf61.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nDo you work with partners in what you do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you had to give companies one holiday piece of advice?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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