As loyalty programs evolve, ensuring customers that their private information is secure and being used appropriately is essential in gaining their trust. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. The secret to succeeding with a loyalty program in 2012 is to make sure you’re offering customers value on their terms, while also ensuring them that their information…
Mac’s Convenience Stores Using Social Media to Thwart Crime
Mac’s Convenience Stores has added social media to its crime prevention tactics in its Canadian convenience stores. Mac’s Stores inCentral Canadahave developed an innovative approach to augment its formidable crime prevention measures by using social media to help identify criminals through Facebook and Twitter. According to The Chronicle-Journal, Mac’s will use these social media outlets…
Understanding What Your Customers are Buying
MSA and Paradigm Sample, in partnership with Convenience Store Decisions, examine the market basket of 18-34-year-old convenience store shoppers. By Trish Temmerman, Contributing Editor. Numerous reports are being written about connecting to and interacting with the Millennial (18-34 year-old) generation. These Millennials, numbering 71 million-plus according to the 2010 U.S. Census, are a key shopper…
Are Customers Always Right?
As anyone even remotely associated with the service industry will tell you the customer is king. But a new book is challenging that theory and takes a critical look at the true value of disgruntled customers. For example, in a retail setting, the squeaky wheel almost always winds up getting the grease. Customers tend to…
Joe Coffee Launches Website
Joe Coffee has introduced a new Website: Joeknowscoffee.com. Midwest roaster Paramount Coffee Co. recently launched the improved, interactive Website so customers can place orders or find out what Joe’s up to. Joe Coffee includes “Tall Dark and Handsome,” a dark roast, “Wake Up Joe,” a medium roast, “Joe’s Gal Hazel,” a hazelnut blend, and “Unleaded,”…
Taking Social Media to the Next Level
C-stores are adding Facebook pages, but to profit from social media, retailers need to also engage fans with text and email marketing campaigns. By Erin Rigik, Associate Editor. Anyone still questioning the power of social media need only look to Japan. The country, which between earthquakes, tsunamis and radiation fears has seen tourism drop, is…
ExxonMobil Introduces Station Locator App
ExxonMobil has introduced the “Exxon Mobil Fuel Finder” iPhone and iPod touch application, which provides drivers with real-time maps, driving directions and station information for more than 10,000 Exxon and Mobil retail locations across the continental U.S. “We are very excited to bring our customers the first mobile app from ExxonMobil, using technology to allow…