While the rising cost of college reduces student’s budgets, a new online coupon company, BarkBack, helps University of California Santa Barbara students to still affordably enjoy the local restaurants, shops and businesses.

BarkBack, run by two UCSB alumni and assisted by members of the SB Media Group, provides more than just your average coupon experience however. In exchange for some brief feedback, students are provided with discounts to some of their favorite places, or even ones that they have never ventured to, in Isla Vista, Goleta and Santa Barbara.

After quickly setting up an account, Barkback.com, compatible with smart phones and tablets, presents a list of the businesses that provide discounts through the website. From there students can receive a discount either for their first visit or for answering a survey about a familiar venue. For first time visits, BarkBack provides discounts of 50 to 100 percent off. After using the first visit coupon, patrons are prompted to fill out a short survey on their experience, and then receive a discount upon their next visit.

Gaudet says, “Many corporate executives operate their business under the popular (and misguided) notion that ‘the purpose of business is to increase shareholders value’ - therefore the focus is on shareholders - instead of ‘the purpose of business is to increase customer value’ - the latter results in great profit. In fact, your profit is in direct proportion to customer value.”

Gaudet argues that a focus on customer relationships, like those being damaged by the airlines stripping away customer benefits, baggage charges and inflexible policies can make or break any business, large or small. As a part of his Predictable Profits Methodology, he provides business owners with framework for successfully creating a customer focused marketing philosophy.

Leading airline Virgin Atlantic is currently underway with a renewed online digital strategy, including a revamped website, after unique insight and understanding from their bespoke research programme from eDigitalResearch suggested that they could see immediate benefits and Return on Investment (ROI).

Recent feedback into customer thinking from across various customer journey’s, including online check-ins and non-bookers, has shown that an overhaul to the website would help boost the airline’s online performance. After beginning to phase in major changes to their website’s design, functionality and usability, Virgin Atlantic is already seeing improved satisfaction rates through their tailored eDigitalResearch insight programme, including a recently implemented ‘Rate this Page’ feedback forms on newly designed web pages.

Fresh off new partnerships with FOX and Oxygen, the second screen platform ACTV8.me is rolling out a loyalty program aimed at rewarding TV viewers. Powered by Tango Card, a virtual currency that can be redeemed for gift cards, ACTV8 says it will provide “real rewards” to encourage TV viewers to watch shows and engage with the app during the broadcast — and the commercial breaks. Rewards span Amazon, Fandango, The Gap, Target, Nike, Starbucks and more.

ACTV8′s push into rewards follows the rise of Viggle, a loyalty app that rewards viewers for checking into shows and participating on their second screens. Viggle has reported high engagement levels, and likewise ACTV8 says its average app user is interacting “10 times per episode and accepting over 2 offers per show episode.” ACTV8 says it has tested marketing campaigns with Walgreens, General Motors and Kraft.

The independent and objective New York City-based Luxury Institute, in cooperation with award-winning mobile marketing agency Plastic Mobile, surveyed affluent U.S. consumers about the growing connection between luxury and the emerging mobile market. The results of their research have just been released in the study, "Mobile Apps And Commerce for Luxury Brands."

"Luxury brands must acknowledge the impact of technology advancements in the mobile space and find a humanistic way to connect and engage with their consumers through mobile," says Milton Pedraza, CEO of Luxury Institute.

Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue and Gilt Groupe are the most frequently downloaded apps by wealthy consumers who have luxury brand applications on their mobile device. Most affluent smartphone owners who are downloading luxury apps are using them to find information on products, services or brands (56%).

Incheon International Airport has been named as the World's Best Airport at the SkyTrax World Airport Awards, held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Vienna.

Voted for by air travellers, this is the second time that Incheon International Airport has won the World's Best Airport award, the last time in 2009.

"Looking across the entire survey, Incheon International Airport achieved top-5 finishes in eight out of ten eligible categories, which is a remarkable vote of confidence by airline travellers in standards being delivered at Incheon International Airport," said Edward Plaisted, Chairman of SkyTrax.

Domination of the highest global airport rankings by airports across Asia is notable, with 6 of the top 10 positions going to Asian airports.

"Aside from the inherent benefit that many of these airports have in the most modern infrastructure and terminal facilities, the real differentiator that comes across in customer feedback is that the service culture across these Asian airports is very often at a much higher quality level, and most importantly delivers in a consistent manner," added Plaisted.