TECHNOLOGY
Pilot Co. launched a revamped program and app in April 2021 for its myRewards Plus program for drivers.
Engineering Loyalty Program Success Keeping it simple, presenting personalized offers and utilizing the newest technology can help create brand superfans By Tammy Mastroberte
THE EVOLUTION OF
loyalty programs in the convenience store space has been phenomenal, moving from physical punch cards where customers could buy 10 cups of coffee and get the 11th free to interactive digital apps featuring coupons, points redemption, fuel savings, and more.
money into creating and revamping their loyalty programs because they want to increase the frequency of customer visits, as well as the amount of money being spent each visit. But they also benefit from the data collected through these programs, noted Vikas Mehta, head of sales and operations at Velocity Logic, a rewards platform provider based in Binghamton, N.Y.
Often, the first step in converting a customer into a loyalty member in today’s retail world is getting that initial app download or sign-up. However, after that is when the real work begins, which includes not only getting them to keep the app on their phone, but also use it with more frequency — ideally spending more money than before they became a member.
“Loyalty programs allow them to engage with their customers, and it opens the door for communication and for understanding what the customer wants,” he noted. “Over the long term, they can learn where they need to go as a company, and what they need to do for their customers. Without this data, it’s more hoping they will come in and buy based on what you offer.”
The biggest change in loyalty during the past five years has been the ability to personalize experiences and offers. Once a customer joins a program, c-store “Getting the app in a customer’s phone is operators can begin to collect data, such as how many a very big thing, but the user only keeps a times a week a person visits, if they are a gas-only mobile app if he sees value,” said Saurabh Swarup, general manager at Liquid Barcodes customer, what they purchase when they visit, what products are purchased together in a single visit, etc. Inc., a marketing technology company in Fairfax, Va. “To make customers see value in your mobile app, it’s about building lasting “If a customer identifies themselves every visit through impressions. Every interaction you have with a loyalty program, you can personalize their experience the consumer has to be meaningful.” and offers. If I come in five times a week and four times, I get coffee, then coffee is a driver for me and a store can personalize offers around that, as well as what other Retailers put a lot of time, attention and
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