Fresh Start: A Fresh Perspective on Mobile Loyalty Abierto Networks Fresh Start Convenience Stores Loyalty Program Case Study

Transcription

1 Fresh Start: A Fresh Perspective on Mobile Loyalty Abierto Networks Fresh Start Convenience Stores Loyalty Program Case Study - A PUBLICATION OF ABIERTO NETWORKS -

2 Choosing the right promotions is just one piece of creating a clubstyle loyalty program Customer convenience and tight controls are both needed to make them attractive to the customer and profitable to the store. After trying two other vendors, Fresh Start Convenience Stores has found the right partner with Abierto Networks and its Mobile Customer Engagement platform. With 30 stores located in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska, its customers include general consumers, truckers, and motorcycle enthusiasts. Managers at the company didn t like keeping track of key tags and cards, and knew that customers felt the same way.

3 With Abierto s program, Fresh Start customers simply send a text message from their mobile phone to join, and then inform the cashier of their phone number with each purchase. We really like the platform and how it works, says Hoogshagen. It s easy for the consumer. The mobile-phone-based approach is also good for the company, providing tight cashier controls for Fresh Start. It s all too easy to cheat the system with punch cards, and with Abierto s platform we have locked that down, says Hoogshagen. Cashiers simply enter the customer s mobile phone number into the register; the system tracks loyalty purchases and distributes rewards automatically. There is virtually no cashier error because the Abierto system handles everything, said Hoogshagen

4 Since the program s inception in 2014: More than 11,000 customers have signed up for one of Fresh Start s nine loyalty programs. Their programs feature: fountain drinks, coffee, hot food items, energy drinks, espresso, salads, sandwiches, and car washes. It even has a Trucker Club to reward truck drivers with a free shower for every 60 gallons of diesel purchased.

5 Another benefit of the mobile-phone-based system is that Fresh Start can send coupons directly to customers phones to increase in-store and gas purchases. Fresh Start sends a weekly text offering a 20-cent per-gallon discount on gasoline purchased on a specific day. Customers must redeem it in-store. the goal is to get them to pick up some chips and a soda while they are inside, says Hoogshagen. As the only C-store vendor in the area offering a fuel discount, it helps Fresh Start stand out in the market.

6 From the retailers point of view the Mobile Coupon is not free money. says Abierto s President Rick Sales, Abierto s Transactional, POS-Redeemable Mobile Coupons collect information from every transaction. They know who their intended consumer is. They passively collect information about when, where and how they were redeemed. They even know when they are not redeemed. Using this information, retailers can present other Mobile offers to these new consumers, including inviting them to download an app and join their loyalty or frequency club. Rick Sales President of Abierto Networks

7 The program has grown fast 11,000 Coupons are sent out per week Redemption rates top 10% With Abierto s platform we were able to create a program that helps us increase our gas sales and in-store purchases, on what had been our slowest day of the week, said Hoogshagen.

8 Hoogshagen printed cards explaining the program for customers and developed scripts for cashiers to follow to urge customers to enroll. To ensure customer interest and cashier engagement with the loyalty programs, Hoogshagen has twice offered cash incentives to the store that saw the greatest growth in its customer loyalty base. Those and other stats are easy to track with Abierto s reporting system. He simply logs into a web-based portal to access enrollment data loyalty utilization by day, week, or month down to the individual store level. Whenever Fresh Start needs something outside the standard reporting functions, Hoogshagen sends the request to the support team at Abierto, which creates a custom report.

9 Fresh Start is a very interesting client because they are offering both coupons and club cards, but they also think outside of the box. Recently Fresh Start partnered with a local non-profit group to provide a coupon for.20 cents off fuel for those donating to the cause. Leveraging the Abierto Mobile Loyalty Engine, Fresh Start was easily able to provide this offer to the program and everything worked "flawlessly". This was a fun project. Dan Maftei Senior Software Engineer Abierto Networks

10 Popartic Dreamstime.com Customer response to the program has been positive, and Hoogshagen promotes programs further via Facebook, where he gathers feedback and posts additional free offers to fill up customers loyalty cards. Fresh Start has partnered with Coke and Pepsi on product-specific promotions, and plans to work closely with more vendors in the future. Our loyalty programs are a big deal for Fresh Start, and we are really happy with the Abierto program, says Hoogshagen. Abierto has been very responsive and great to work with, and is always right there to help us. Nathan Hoogshagen Merchandising Director Fresh Start Convenience Stores.

11 Could Your Company Benefit from a Mobile Loyalty Program? Speak with Us!