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Loyalty Newswire – February 3rd, 2020

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By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on February 3, 2020

Here’s what we’re following in loyalty news: Zeamo rewards incentivizes healthy employee lifestyles, Cubic reveals loyalty program for public transit, Tim Horton's franchisees fire back at free donuts and coffee, crypto takes precedence in congressional hearing, Zelle is thriving, Remitly launches digital banking for immigrants, Atari announces video game themed hotels, Choice Hotels rewards golfers, retail and resale can may have to coexist, retailers are filing for bankruptcy not once but twice, and airlines struggle to serve both the casual and the frequent flyer.

And if you missed it, here's last week's loyalty newswire.

LOYALTY PROGRAM NEWS:

Zeamo Rewards Program to Incentivize Employee Fitness

Quotable: “Employee wellness programs have become a must-have benefit for attracting and retaining talent, and for keeping employees healthy, both mentally and physically. Employee fitness has proven to increase productivity while reducing illness, absenteeism, and presenteeism (employees who show up sick and are therefore less productive). Even more tangible, better employee fitness could reduce U.S. employer health care costs by as much as $6 billion a year.”

Cubic Reveals Public Transit Loyalty Program

Quotable: “The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW)’s new mobile app, GO Miami-Dade Transit, encompasses features such as tracking, trip planning, mobile passes and a rewards program ... Travelers will earn “Stars”—a proprietary digital loyalty currency, owned and operated by Cubic—when they view or interact with ads on the app, or when they use loyalty-based transit service provided by MDT.”

Tim Hortons loyalty program's free coffee and doughnut giveaways raise questions for franchisee group

Quotable: “The program, called Tims Rewards, has shattered internal expectations at Tim Hortons since its launch last spring, jumping to roughly 7.5 million active users in a matter of months. Customers get a free coffee or baked good after every seventh purchase. But the Alliance of Canadian Franchisees, an independent association of Tims store owners, is suggesting that some owners are worried the giveaways are adding to their costs while not boosting sales.”

PAYMENTS NEWS:

Crypto Upstages Other Mobile Payments in US Congressional Hearing

Quotable: “The hearing — entitled “Is Cash Still King? Reviewing the Rise of Mobile Payments” — featured testimony from witnesses with backgrounds spanning payment providers, consumer advocates and financial inclusion non-profits ... The members of the Fintech Task Force are clearly looking seriously at cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology as answers to issues of financial inclusion and a sluggish payments process.”

Peer to Peer Payments Platform Zelle Handled $187 Billion in Payments via 743 Million Transactions in 2019: Report

Quotable: “The Zelle payment network, which is owned by a group of seven major US banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, confirms that it has 378 contracted financial institutions that are using its network to settle near-instant transactions ... The firm mentioned that sending funds with Zelle for birthday and holiday gifts has become a popular trend, referencing a survey performed last year which revealed that giving money was the preferred holiday gift.”

Remitly launches digital banking service for immigrant communities

Quotable: “"Passbook is the next step in Remitly’s mission to transform the lives of millions of immigrants around the world who make the huge sacrifice of leaving their families behind to live and work in another country," Matt Oppenheimer, co-founder and CEO of Remitly, said in the release ... Customers receive a Visa debit card to withdraw from ATMs in more than 200 countries.”

HOSPITALITY NEWS:

Atari, Video Game Pioneer, Plans to Open 8 Hotels to ‘Eat, Sleep and Play’

Quotable: “In a move that underlines the popularity of e-sports, the demands of its growing audience and how video games are escaping the bounds of their consoles, Atari announced on Monday that it would begin construction on its first-ever video-game themed hotel.”

Choice Hotels Launches Golf By Choice; Brings Industry-First Benefits To Its Loyalty Program

Quotable: “The program — the first of its kind in the hospitality industry — not only gives members exclusive access to deals on top-rated golf apparel and equipment, but it also allows members to earn and use points when booking tee times at golf courses located across the country.”

RETAIL NEWS:

‘Resale and retail can peacefully coexist’: Inside Nordstrom’s long-term resale plans

Quotable: “As brick-and-mortar department stores face stiff competition from online players and DTC brands, as well as deal with high real estate costs, they need to find new ways to service customers that meet them where they are and adjust to how they’re actually shopping. While resale may have once been seen as the enemy, it’s increasingly something that retailers are embracing to stay relevant. The challenge then becomes competing with platforms that solely focus on resale.”

More retailers file for bankruptcy twice as they struggle with rising debt, pressure from Amazon

Quotable: “It’s a scenario that’s getting more common for traditional retailers as they find themselves under pressure from a sea change in where and how people are shopping. Retailers like Barneys and RadioShack have found themselves on the brink twice — going through a bankruptcy filing once, emerging, and then heading back to court, again.”

AIRLINE NEWS:

Airline perks: The gulf between first-class and economy passengers just keeps widening

Quotable: “It seems like every time you look, airlines have added a ridiculous new amenity. Now they're chauffeuring passengers to the gate in limousines and offering cabins with beds, private showers and butler service. But these airline perks aren't for you. They're only available to the elite flyers or the superrich. The rest of us must endure shrinking seats with zero service. Does anyone else think there's something wrong with this picture?”

The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.