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Hello!

This is the 26th edition of Always Be Convenient, your weekly guide on navigating our digital world as a convenience leader. This marks my sixth month writing this newsletter and time has flown by.

If you’re new, you can find all previous issues in the archives.

This week I come to your inbox from the land of Circle K, QuikTrip, and 7-Eleven. Where might that be, you ask? It’s the state of Arizona, and more specifically the city of Tucson.

I am staying at the Loews Ventana Canyon resort as Conexxus kicks off its annual conference. Retailers, suppliers, and the trade press are all gathered to collaborate on and discuss technology standards for the industry.

While the consumer never sees the bits and bytes behind the scenes (if we can help it), it’s this very work that makes all the magic of convenience possible.

It was a thirty-minute Uber ride from the airport to the resort, much of which was under the cover of darkness. But the one thing that stood shining bright across the landscape were the striking canopies and facilities of the area players.

Circle K has a corporate office about two hours north in Tempe, and QuikTrip has had stores in Arizona dating all the way back to 2000. The first QT opened in Tucson in 2010.

If I’m lucky I’ll get a chance to stop at Quik Mart. This local chain of over a dozen stores got its start back in 1965 – and even has several locations without fuel.

Conveniently,
Mike

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An experience worth repeating

This week we’ll introduce the last (but certainly not the least) of the four primary enablers of digital engagement. Each enabler has a role to play, and this one brings everything together. Today we’re talking about your loyalty experience.

And notice I did not say loyalty program. A program may be part of how you bring that experience to life, but driving loyalty from customers is about more than a program.

Your loyalty experience is all about recognizing familiar customers and creating relevant interactions – sometimes even with incentives – that promote repeat visits and incremental behaviors.

Since the beginning of this industry the shopping experience has always been about being convenient. From selling ice to keep things cool, being open when someone needed something they forgot, or offering fuel when the gauge is near empty, convenience stores meet consumers’ needs conveniently – wherever they are.

But why does anyone ever come back to a convenience store? It’s not likely the same exact need has occurred at the same moment in time in the same part of town.

What brings people back to c-stores is the way they make customers feel.

That’s where loyalty comes into play.

In Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, author Robert Cialdini describes the concept of reciprocity, which says we are all hard-wired to respond positively to a gift. Whether that gift is something physical or an experience we encounter, our natural response when someone does something nice for us is to return the favor.

I believe loyalty is a lot like the reciprocity principle.

When you have a positive experience with a brand, you want to pay it back.

This can be a visit to a store, a relevant recommendation, or even just thoughtful recognition.

That drive in the consumer’s mind – to come back and “give” something in return – is the epitome of loyalty. And not a single loyalty point had to be exchanged. 😉

Does this mean we don’t need loyalty programs? Or that all incentives are purely subsidizing existing behavior? Absolutely not.

But it does mean you need to be thinking about more than just your points value when it comes to loyalty.

What do you do that gives consumers a reason to come back? What is your experience worth repeating?

Once you figure that out, wrap everything else around it.

7-Eleven has their iconic Big Gulp. Casey’s has their made-from-scratch pizza. And HOP Shops has disco bathrooms.

Create an experience that customers love and you’ll have no trouble getting them to come back.