Archive for the “Convenience Stores” Category

The convenience store chain’s National Pizza Day campaign grows orders by 10x

Making a splash with pizza is a tall order, even in the best of circumstances. But standing out on National Pizza Day? That’s a whole different level.

Family Express ran a hyper-personalized digital marketing campaign powered by Paytronix Loyalty to introduce guests to their pizza – and keep them coming back. The campaign helped the convenience store brand reach record numbers for daily pizza orders, achieved sustained lift, and earned deeper guest loyalty.

With 81-units, Family Express is well-known for providing great service to its guests, but also for its food offerings. The brand recently rolled out bean-to-cup coffee and high-end tea on top of its custom food offerings like bakery items made in-house.

But only 30 units offer Cravin’s to Order, which includes hot foods like pizza, boneless wings and breakfast items. And the pizza is far from off-the-shelf.

When National Pizza Day rolled around, they wanted to offer a deal that would not only introduce guests to their pizza, but would keep them coming back. The offer was simple: 2 XL pizzas for $12. But it’s the rest of the work that made this deal break through.

Using Paytronix Loyalty, the Family Express marketing team segmented its audiences to find those who they could hit with the right message at the right time. By looking just at those who visited one of the locations with Cravin’s to Order, or a nearby store, within the last 60 days, they avoided frustrating those who couldn’t partake in the deal.

To top it all off, they chose not to run any in-store signage. In other words, this was a test of how well the digital marketing program could drive on its own.

On National Pizza Day, they broadcast the offer as an app notification and orders began trickling in. But it was a 2pm email that triggered a flood of orders.

“It was the best kind of mayhem, and our people did an amazing job in the kitchens keeping up with the demand” said Thierry Lyles, Head of Digital Marketing for Family Express. 

A few hundred open orders flowed through within the first 90 minutes. When it was done, Family Express had nearly 10 times the number of typical daily orders – an all-time high. The benefit spilled over beyond pizza, with add-on purchases raising the average ticket price to $18.  Mobile ordering accounted for most of the traffic, with 70% of online orders coming in through that channel.

The story of Family Express’s National Pizza Day extends past its holiday debut. Today, the brand’s benefiting from a 10% sustained lift from the previous month’s digital sales. Pizza fans who may have visited at the word of a good deal, are sticking around for the value of the loyalty program.

With the summer vacation season in full gear, C-stores should take advantage of travelers who are passing through for work or pleasure. Just as brands segment and market to their regular customers, it’s also possible to reach out to different categories of travelers with tailored offers designed to get them into your stores and buying more.

Download the Paytronix report, Where All Roads Lead: Why Your C-Stores Should Target Travelers

In this report, Paytronix explains the data science behind segmenting travelers from other customers and then further subdividing the segment into frequent and occasional travelers. The report describes how marketers can leverage this data to:

• Identify trends within the traveler population
• Determine what products each segment is purchasing
• Develop marketing strategies to target each segment

Travelers represent a tremendous opportunity for brands to reinforce their unique value propositions. Whether they are truck drivers coming off the road after a long day, or vacationers in the midst of generating lifelong memories, the members of this segment deserve special attention. Targeting them can go a long way toward building loyalty and increasing revenue.

Paytronix-powered loyalty programs are among the best in the country at keeping customers happy, according to Newsweek‘s annual “America’s Best Loyalty Programs” rankings.

Newsweek’s independent survey of more than 4,000 loyalty program customers included those
for restaurants, retailers, and service providers. With over 20,000 evaluations collected, they based their final rankings on six criteria:

1. Ease & Enjoyment – how much do customers like being in the program?
2. Benefit – do customers think the rewards are worth it?
3. Overall satisfaction – did the program fulfill customer expectations?
4. Customer Support – how happy are customers with the way things are handled when
   something goes wrong?
5. Trust – are customers alright with the way the loyalty program uses personal data?
6. Recommendations – how likely are they to recommend the program to friends or family?

An impressive 13 Paytronix-powered brands made the Newsweek list:

Top Ranking Restaurants and C-Stores Using Paytronix:

Andy’s Frozen Custard

No membership fees, a free treat just for registering, bonus point offers – these are just a few of the ways Andy’s Frozen Custard has mastered keeping customers coming back, again and again.

Learn why rewarding your guests early on, providing point tracking, and other aspects of Andy’s model are crucial for a loyalty program to succeed here.

Peet’s Coffee

When Peet’s revamped its loyalty program to Peetnik Rewards, the company delivered on three important objectives: personalization, flexibility, and visibility. Customers can choose their reward, redeem it on their own time, and track their rewards – all from one mobile app platform so they can bring a piece of Peet’s wherever they go.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream

Equally sweet (and real) as the ice cream at Buster’s are the rewards. Customers earn a point for every dollar spent at any participating Bruster’s location. And since ice cream is a reason to celebrate, Bruster offers a referral award along with a Birthday treat. There’s plenty more to the surprises, delights, and bankable points at Bruster’s.

Curious whether a program like theirs is right for your brand? Learn more here.

QDOBA

It’s okay to double dip at Qdoba – well, not like that. QDOBA’s recent revamp features a two-tiered loyalty program (foodie and chef) that offers more rewards (and queso dip) than ever. After visiting 12 or more times per year, “foodie” guests are upgraded to chef status and gain access to a ton of bonus points, mystery offers, and seasonal challenges.

P.F. Chang’s

When you earn a reward at P.F. Chang’s, they make sure it counts. Customers earn 10 points for every $1 spent and at 2,000 rewards points, customers receive a $15 credit to use on anything they want, from dim sum, to entrees, to dessert. Traveling for your Birthday? P.F. Chang’s prefers a birthday month – customers can redeem your complimentary dessert or appetizer at any point within the special month.

Learn more about what Birthday rewards programs can do for your brand here.

Caribou Coffee

Caribou Coffee is all about thinking ahead – from buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) orders to product sneak peeks, Caribou’s loyalty program is fully caffeinated and ready for what’s next. Customers earn 2 points per $1 spent on a great variety of products and loyalty members enjoy exclusive access to offers and birthday rewards.

California Pizza Kitchen

“An instant party for your tastebuds” says California Pizza Kitchen about its loyalty program offerings. With built-in incentives like free small plates for new registrants, California Pizza Kitchen has partied its way to the top.

Thinking a tiered automatic conversion program may be right for your brand? Learn more here.

Panera Bread

Panera is here for every kind of loyal customer. Panera veterans are impressed by the degree of personalization but kept on their toes with surprise offers. Businesses love the catering rewards, and for those who aren’t quite ready to jump into MyPanera appreciate a 3-month free trial to the “Free Coffee & Tea” subscription program.

Learn more about Panera’s subscription program here.

Einstein Bros. Bagels. 

Who doesn’t love free bagels? The Shmear Society rewards program at Einstein Bagels lets customers “eat the benefits,” by cashing in accrued points on rewards of their choice. And it all happens from an easy-to-use mobile app.

Jimmy John’s

Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast Rewards program rewards customers for “what they already do – eating sandwiches.” In a world of complex loyalty programs, Jimmy Johns keeps it simple fast with free sandwiches, sneak peeks at new menu items, and special promotions.

Learn how to optimize your loyalty program and begin driving revenue for your brand here.

Papa Murphy’s

Papa Murphy’s treats their loyal customers as “pizza insiders.” The brand’s MySLICE rewards program goes the extra mile to get to know customers, allowing them to save favorite orders and locations to make the next transaction even easier than the last.

Dutch Bros

You don’t have to Double Dutch your way to rewards at Dutch Bros. With attainable rewards conversions and contactless payments, Dutch Bros lets you win early on – and gives you stickers to show off.

Learn more about how contactless payments can smooth out your loyalty program.

MAPCO

Customers taking pit stops at MAPCO are winning the savings race. With MAPCO MY Reward$, customers save 3 cents on every gallon and can earn points both at the pump and in the store.

Learn how loyalty programs can help bring your convenience store to the next level here.

A top loyalty program is a sign that a brand values its top customers and knows what will keep them coming back.

Congratulations to these brands for putting their customers first, with Paytronix.

As 2021 comes to a close, the Paytronix team took a look at some of our favorite apps from restaurants and c-stores.

In its early days, order and delivery services were an indulgence, a treat for the occasional lazy night-in after a long workday. But during the pandemic, online delivery became a lifeline for people stuck at home, and a competitive edge for c-stores and restaurants. Now we’re entering the next phase with “ghost kitchens” and “dark stores” rising out of vacated storefronts that were once home to traditional mom and pop businesses. These stores operate virtually, fielding orders digitally, fulfilling them behind closed doors, and dispatching couriers within minutes. 

Today, mobile apps have become front and center for all brands, which means that restaurants and c-stores are transforming their apps to seamlessly integrate all of their services into a single touch-and-go hub. These services include:

• Loyalty programs
• NFC and in-app payments
• Multi-channel messaging
• Geo-tracking
• Customizations such as product favorites and re-order capabilities

Experience is everything. A successful app captures the essence of your brand and delivers your services to customers in seamless and exciting ways.

 

Our favorite apps from c-stores and restaurants

OUR FAVORITE APPS
FROM C-STORES AND RESTAURANTS

Alltown Fresh

Buona Beef

Family Express

Panera

Parker's

Peet's Coffee

Qdoba

United Dairy Farmers

Pizzeria Uno

Yesway