The convenience store industry is going through a transformation where retailers are becoming competitors in the foodservice space, but there is still a lot that c-stores can learn from restaurants when it comes to customer engagement. By learning more about their customers and leveraging the data, c-stores can build loyalty and earn increased visits and spend from their customers.
How can c-stores achieve the level of customer engagement that restaurants have been able to get? There is a shift in the way brands think about their marketing, moving from category-centric to customer-centric, meaning instead of thinking about how to sell more of a product you think about who is buying those products. A customer-centric approach still revolves around selling more products, but it also means delving into who is buying them and why.
To move to a customer-centric approach, c-store marketers need to think about three main things:
For instance, Thorntons Inc. utilizes a multi-channel enrollment method that includes a card, mobile app, and responsive web pages that are easily accessed from any device. By using multiple channels, the company was able to enroll one million customers within the first year, creating the desired incremental sales and contributing to the program’s profitability.
By employing the customer engagement methods that restaurants have practiced and refined over the years convenience stores are poised to generate increased loyalty and spend from their customers. This topic was recently discussed at length during the webinar “What Can Convenience Stores Learn from Restaurants about Guest Engagement”, view this on demand to learn more.