Liquid Barcodes

Resources

Croatia’s New Concept

Paula Thomas, Chief Content Officer, Liquid Barcodes

11/08/2020

This article first appeared on Global Convenience Store Focus.

As a leading international integrated oil company boasting a team of over 26,000 people and a network of nearly 2,000 retail fuel stations in thirty countries, MOL Group is laser focused on the digital transformation of its business, with a plan to leverage digital data and payment technologies, as well as the latest AI, CRM and loyalty tools and lead the “mobility transformation” in Central Eastern Europe. Headquartered in Budapest in Hungary, MOL Group service stations operate under six retail and consumer services brands, playing a leading role in the fuel industry across Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia as well as the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro.

Global Convenience Store Focus

The company has already achieved extraordinary success re-positioning itself from a pure fuel retailer to a consumer goods retailer, becoming the region’s largest coffee retailer through its Fresh Corner cafe brand, selling over 50 million cups a year across its network of 900 stores.

And so we were excited to discuss the brand’s latest innovation with István Mag, the Head of the Digital Factory at MOL Group who shared the incredible journey of building and launching INALoyalty, the company’s innovative new loyalty programme in the INA network in Croatia, designed to transform its relationships with customers.

István MagIstván Mag – Head of the Digital Factory at MOL Group

We’ll discuss Mag’s key insights below, however to showcase the programme fully, we’ll first show the brand’s new TV ad which does a superb job of introducing the programme’s overall brand promise and proposition, and is being supported by outdoor, digital and PR activity, as well as comprehensive staff training programme, which together will ensure the programme is positioned perfectly for success.

The TV Launch Campaign for INA Loyalty in Croatia. 

How Does it Work:

  • The INA Loyalty programme is unique in awarding points to members as its earning currency, however it focuses on instant gifts and games rather than burning points as its rewards strategy. The approach is designed to delight customers who love collecting, yet avoid the costly liability of points that can become prohibitive for many fuel retailers.
  • Points are awarded for purchases, birthdays, giving feedback and for building your profile data progressively on the loyalty platform, enabling the business to increasingly learn about their members over time.
  • The loyalty programme benefits are illustrated on a clear table as shown below, and includes four tiers from blue to silver, gold and ultimately VIP status for top customers.
  • Welcome Rewards increase in value as members achieve each tier, from hot drinks for basic blue members, a hot dog or sandwich for silver, a “gastronomic” experience for gold, and “secret” rewards for top tier VIP customers.
  • Members earn points for almost all purchases, whether on fuel, shop products or services at INA stations.
  • Other increasing benefits include discounts on car cosmetics, premium and standard fuel, as well as upgrades on car washing packages for premium members – all shown in the table below.
  • Beyond these tier benefits, the programme includes important mechanisms for rewarding customers, including personalised coupons and challenges that allow customers to earn rewards in line with their own needs.

INA Loyalty Programme

The INA Loyalty Programme for Fuel Customers in Croatia

Achievements Despite Challenges

Perhaps the most extraordinary achievement for the team is managing to successfully launch its loyalty programme in perhaps the most challenging year the industry has ever seen. And even before Covid-19, INA in Croatia had already endured and recovered from an earthquake and a cyber attack yet the team became even more determined to launch something positive and powerful for the business and deliver on their digital commitments.

Whether in spite of these challenges, or perhaps because of them, Mag is even more convinced that customer relationships are key to their business and that this loyalty platform will ensure a single customer view that will continually improve customer’s experiences. For now, Croatia is the first country in the group to enjoy the new loyalty concept, with plans for Slovenia and Hungary to follow in 2021 and no doubt the entire group will see the positive impact on NPS and customer satisfaction scores when they launch in those markets over time.

INA Loyalty programme Images showcasing the new INALoyalty programme 

Strong Commercial Mindset

What is certainly clear is that the MOL Group is commercially driven and aims to increase its share of customer’s fuel and convenience products spend. It’s benchmarking itself against best practice in loyalty programmes and digital concepts globally across all sectors including fuel and quick service restaurants as well as iconic global coffee brands such as Starbucks.

Alongside the development of this new concept, MOL Group is now leveraging an online learning platform to allow its stations compete with each other in a fun and friendly way that will measure and maximise customer penetration. Over time, they also see the potential to support key supplier relationships with data, insights and customer connections, and we wish the MOL Group every success with this ambitious and innovative project.

INA Loyalty logo

About Us:

Liquid Barcodes is a leading global loyalty and digital marketing technology company specialising in the convenience store and foodservice industries. Our proprietary cloud-based technology platform allow retailers to create and manage their digital marketing campaigns with a proprietary process we call the “customer connection cycle’ to engage, promote and reward customers activities in real-time across digital and media channels.

How we do it:

We have developed the most advanced loyalty and digital marketing technology platform specifically for convenience store and foodservice retailers globally.

Retailers use our self-service dashboard to create and manage loyalty driven marketing campaigns that increase purchases with their existing customers, as well as effectively target and acquire new customers through partners or paid media channels.

One core component of live loyalty is gamification. We have gamified branding, loyalty and promotions. We believe this approach is essential in order to get customers’ attention and ultimately truly engage them with repeatable actions thereby winning their loyalty.

Check out some of our exciting/proven results here:

www.LiquidBarcodes.com

About Me:

Paula Thomas

Chief Content Officer, Liquid Barcodes and Independent Loyalty Consultant

With over twenty-five years marketing experience, I specialise in loyalty marketing consulting, managing consumer loyalty propositions, strategy and operations. In addition to working with Liquid Barcodes, my clients have included Telefonica O2 Priority, Three Mobile, Electric Ireland, Allied Irish Bank and The Entertainer Group (UAE), as well as Avios – the global points currency for some of the world’s top airlines. I am also a former judge for the Loyalty Magazine Awards and host of the “Let’s Talk Loyalty” podcast.

—————————————————————————————–


Blog post

Everyone Wins With App Games

Games reward customers for visiting an app and encourage them to visit the store. Customers love to feel appreciated, they love a good deal and they especially love winning.  Customers are excited when they get a good discount or coupon. And, they truly feel like winners after playing and winning a game. It is easy […]

Blog post

Liquid Barcodes Connects With Convenience Industry Leaders in Texas

The Liquid Barcodes team networks and learns at 2023 NAG Conference in Austin, Texas. Last week, Liquid Barcodes attended and exhibited at the US convenience industry conference held by the National Advisory Group (NAG). Among those present from the Liquid Barcodes team were Saurabh Swarup, General Manager of North America and Jose Santiago, Head of […]

Blog post

5 Cs of Summer: Cold Coffee, Clean Cars & Convenience

Subscription programs are a great way to secure long-term customer loyalty and revenue. Whether you are providing a subscription for beverages or car washes, securing recurring monthly revenue is imperative to stay competitive.   Summer is around the corner and retail marketers are crafting sunny campaigns to increase customer traffic to the store. Help those […]

Blog post

Circle K Makes a Splash With Car Wash Subscription Program in Europe

Circle K has extended its highly successful car wash subscription program to Norway after successful implementations in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Sweden and Estonia. Circle K’s vast global network of car washes has digitally transformed operations with its revolutionary car wash subscription program. First launched in Denmark and the U.S. in 2020, the program […]

Blog post

Newly Redesigned Brezelkönig App Accepts Payments and Rewards Loyalty

Swiss foodservice chain Brezelkönig releases app update which offers customers the convenience of earning rewards and paying for products with the app in stores.  The recently-updated Brezelkönig app allows pretzel-loving customers to enjoy recognition and rewards for their loyalty. Additionally, the Brezelkönig app accepts payments to make the customer experience even more convenient.  Brezelkönig is […]

Blog post

Sunshine Gasoline Introduces ACH-Only Mobile Payment for Fuel

Florida convenience retailer releases fuel payment app accepting only ACH payment, saving thousands in payment processing fees for the retailer. Sunshine Gasoline upgraded its Max Carwash App to Sunshine Brand featuring a special fuel pay program, powered by C-StorePay by Liquid Barcodes, which allows consumers to conveniently pay for fuel using the app. Customers simply […]

Blog post

2022: An Outstanding Year for Liquid Barcodes and Our Customers

In 2022, Liquid Barcodes witnessed a year of unprecedented growth with customers, products and team members. Every great business has an inspiring founding story and Liquid Barcodes’ 10-year journey is inspiring the future of loyalty. Beginning as a startup in Norway, the company opened its second office in the United States in early 2022 and […]

Blog post

What Is C-StorePay?

Liquid Barcodes’ proprietary C-StorePay makes paying for fuel, in-store merchandise, and subscription programs convenient for customers, reduces credit card fees for retailers, and integrates easily into existing loyalty programs Announced in October 2022, the revolutionary Liquid Barcodes C-StorePay product rose to the top of retailers’ 2022 wish lists at the NACS Show, even achieving a […]

Blog post

Polish Retail Leader Żabka Launches Coffee Subscription Program

Polish retail giant, Żabka introduces a monthly coffee subscription program across its vast store network. With its new coffee subscription program, Żabka Polska will certainly dominate the beverage category in Poland’s unique convenience market. In July 2022, Dr. Adam Manikowski, Managing Director of Żabka Polska, was featured on the popular Global Convenience Store Focus video […]

Blog post

Loyalty Apps Engage Customers

98% of loyalty app users love using a loyalty app and want more features from it. In September 2022, NACS published a report examining customer engagement with convenience loyalty programs. Unsurprisingly, customers feel most engaged, appreciated and valued by the stores to which they belong in a loyalty or membership program – nearly ¾ of […]

Blog post

Save Thousands in Credit Card Fees With ACH

Visa and Mastercard announced an increase in interchange fees earlier in the year and retailers are taking action and sending a message by migrating their customers to new solutions, including mobile app-based ACH payments, and in the process increasing profits by not only reducing credit card fees but also boosting loyalty via innovative app-based incentive […]

Blog post

Maxol Launches First-of-Its-Kind Loyalty App

Maxol, Ireland’s largest family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, announced it has launched a new customer loyalty app with never-before-seen features in the Irish market. After more than a century serving Irish customers, Maxol’s 240+ stores and service stations are located throughout Ireland and have enjoyed global recognition for their best-in-class operations, store design and offers. […]

Blog post

Delivering Personalized Content With Machine Learning and Image Recognition

Build personalized customer connections, improve efficiency, and make intelligent, data-driven decisions using machine learning and image recognition.   It’s 7:15 in the morning and a customer – Amy – is on her way to work. She is on the hunt for coffee and breakfast and stops at a convenience store. She opens her store app […]

Blog post

Circle K’s Use of Beacon Technology to Activate Car Wash Subscription Program

Beacon Technology and Car Wash Subscription Programs Beacon technology used in tandem with a customer-facing car wash subscription program revolutionizes the customer experience by providing a quick, convenient experience. Innovation is the key to continued growth and ensuring a frictionless customer experience should be top of mind for any retailer. Circle K’s vast global network […]

Liquid Barcodes

Put a rocket under your loyalty program

With our loyalty platform, we help design and operate world-class, tailor-made subscription and reward programs that make sure your customers always come back.

Book a Demo →

We are trusted by global brands.

Convenience retailers all over the world have engaged and rewarded consumers with our tailor-made loyalty programs.

To our case studies →

Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes

Convenience retailers all over the world have engaged and rewarded consumers with our tailor-made loyalty programs.

To our case studies →

Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes
Liquid Barcodes