Integrating forecourt and backcourt loyalty programs can increase customer engagement. BY KEVIN RICE
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o stand out from the competition and build consumer loyalty, many convenience retail marketers have adopted fuel brand loyalty programs and platforms focused on fuel savings. However, because these programs are not integrated with independent c-stores, marketers are limited, and the customer experience is often complicated with separate loyalty programs. The solution is an integrated loyalty 8 | 2022 Retail Fuel Innovator of the Year
program that seamlessly connects forecourt and backcourt offerings in one easy-to-use experience. For the past decade, fuel marketers have benefited from consumer fuel purchases to maintain revenue and margin growth as the cost of fuel continues to climb. But with a highly competitive market and a consumer traditionally agnostic to fuel brands, building a business on forecourt sales is limited.
Loyalty programs are a proven way to grow your business. In fact, 78% of consumers as reported in a 2019 Salesforce survey are more likely to buy from a brand with a loyalty program. And while fuel brand (Exxon, Chevron, etc.) loyalty programs provide valuable incentives for customers, the challenge with many of these programs is that their singular focus on winning over brand-agnostic consumers comes at the cost of user experience and preferences. These coalition programs invite any marketer that sells a specific fuel brand to participate, which has allowed fuel brands to build a national network of different independent fuel outlets. But these programs are not necessarily focused on building loyalty to a single-site operator or a regionalized group of branded sites operated by a jobber or marketer. While these programs do offer consumers value, they are doing very little to build consumer loyalty to the total brand. In fact, many of the mobile applications that support these fuel brand loyalty programs lack any type of individualized retailer branding whatsoever. For example, a Southeast-based FuelsMarketNews.com
CREDIT: ANDREY_POPOV/SHUTTERSTOCK
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