Here’s what we’re following in loyalty news: BP launches new loyalty program, Expensify launches Karma Points aimed at making charitable donations, Carrot Rewards app relaunching under new ownership, Brinker International to deploy Presto’s pay-at-table solution in most of Chili’s 1250 locations, Apple Pay needs improved loyalty card support, Indian loyalty platform Payback in talks with major players to further growth, Panera Bread to add more plant-based foods, Nielsen buys loyalty analytics platform Precima, True Fit partners with Google Cloud to enhance the fashion retail market, and Eithad expands its partnership with Gulf Air.
LOYALTY PROGRAM NEWS
BP LAUNCHES NEW US CONSUMER LOYALTY PROGRAM
Quotable: “BP recently unveiled a new consumer loyalty program, called BPme Rewards, and rolled it out to participating BP and Amoco retail stations nationwide. Exclusively available in the BPme app, consumers are now able to complete their fueling transaction directly through a mobile device, so they can avoid swiping a credit card or using the pin pad. The app also combines all fuel rewards into a single place so it’s easy to track, receive additional savings, and automatically apply rewards to purchases.”
EXPENSIFY LAUNCHES NEW CORPORATE CARD REWARDS PROGRAM
Quotable: “Expensify, the expense management platform, announced a new corporate card initiative, Karma Points, that makes an automatic charitable donation every time an Expensify cardholder makes a purchase. With every swipe, Expensify will donate 10 percent of Expensify Card revenue to causes aimed at keeping people off the streets, getting hungry kids meals, and fighting climate change. The Expensify Card is the first corporate card to offer a more meaningful alternative to traditional “rewards points.”
CARROTS REWARDS APP TO RELAUNCH UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP
Quotable: “Toronto-based Optimity bought Carrot Rewards last month, she said, and the company is still sorting through the assets. Financial terms were not disclosed. The free app allowed users to earn rewards points from major loyalty programs, like Cineplex’s Scene and Petro-Canada’s Petro-Points, in exchange for meeting health and fitness goals. It first launched in B.C. in March 2016 with the province investing $2.5 million and the federal government contributing $5 million. The user base grew to about 1.1 million people…”
PAYMENTS NEWS
BRINKER INTERNATIONAL SELECTS PRESTO AS PAY-AT-TABLE TECHNOLOGY PARTNER
Quotable: “Designed to provide a superior guest experience and more powerful payment technology, the Presto pay-at-table systems are scheduled to be deployed across most of Chili’s ® Grill & Bar 1,250 restaurants in the United States over the course of Brinker’s fiscal year.”
FOR APPLE PAY TO REALLY IMPROVE OUR LIVES, APPLE NEEDS TO IMPROVE LOYALTY CARD SUPPORT
Quotable: “ This is deceptively straightforward. It’s true that there are lots of loyalty programs that will add a card to the Wallet app, but that’s not the same thing as being integrated with Apple Pay. Apps like Lowe’s and REI can add your membership card to the Wallet, and some even let you scan it at checkout, but it’s separate from the payment process. Jumping around in the Wallet app isn’t much better than digging around in your physical wallet. ”
PAYBACK IN TALKS WITH GROCERY, CAB HAILING, OTT PLATFORMS
Quotable: “Loyalty program platform Payback is in talks with multiple high-frequency transaction segments to step up its user base which has now crossed over 100 million customers, company officials said. The announcements will be made over the coming quarters. “This is in step with our focus on increasing engagement frequency of our members and new enrolments on the platform. This will increase the partner network and deepen customer engagement,” he said.”
Also read: Last week’s loyalty newswire.
BUSINESS NEWS
MORE PLANT-BASED FOOD, DRIVE-THRUS: HERE’S WHAT PANERA’S NEW CEO HAS IN STORE FOR THE BRAND
Quotable: “Panera has long leaned into a wellness-minded, ingredient-transparent menu, removing antibiotics from its chicken supply in 2004, removing artificial additives in 2016, posting whole grain counts on its menu and so on. Chaudhary plans to step on the gas here, including a ramp up of its plant-based options.”
RETAIL NEWS
NIELSEN GLOBAL CONNECT BUYS LOYALTY ANALYTICS PLATFORM PRECIMA
Quotable: “As Nielsen continues to be a champion of change through its retail products and collaboration programs, the combined strength of both Nielsen and Precima will work to significantly strengthen Nielsen’s ability to foster stronger connections across the industry, ultimately benefiting the consumer.”
TRUE FIT PARTNERS WITH GOOGLE CLOUD TO HOST AND LEVERAGE THE WORLD’S LARGEST DATA SET FOR FASHION
Quotable: “Together, True Fit and Google Cloud are helping retailers go beyond the hype cycle of artificial intelligence and machine learning, to drive value straight to retailers’ P&L. Retailers that use True Fit’s platform on Google Cloud’s infrastructure drive incremental revenue, reduce returns and increase customer lifetime value and loyalty.”
AIRLINE NEWS
ETIHAD EXPANDS ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH GULF AIR
Quotable: “Members of Etihad Guest, the loyalty program of Etihad, can now use their membership to redeem benefits across Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain. Likewise, those frequent flyer members of Gulf Air’s Falconflyer program can now use their points across Etihad’s vast network.”
The Loyalty Newswire is compiled and edited by the staff at The Wise Marketer.
