Loyalty program penetration at QSRs has grown just over 100% from 2012, according to Steve Kennedy, director of loyalty for Domino’s. But simply having a program isn’t enough. “Loyalty programs have evolved so quickly that they’re now considered a table stake,” says Sherrill Kaplan, VP of digital marketing and innovation at Dunkin’ Donuts. Now, the challenge is building apps and programs to provide users with additional benefits and rewards that are experiential.
The other big way consumers’ expectations of loyalty has changed in the past year? Personalization. “Customers these days are very savvy about data that chains are collecting on them. They want offers that are relevant to them,” says Kaplan. “And they want to be rewarded if they’re a great guest of ours.”
Jeff Zuckerman, CMO and co-owner of PizzaRev, says “Personalization is the most important element of the modern-day loyalty experience. We leverage consumer purchasing behavior and interaction within [our] app so we can provide information and promotions that are more specific to that user.”
Here’s how industry leaders have modernized loyalty to keep up with today’s demands.