Family Express tests AI in digital marketing

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At Family Express, the best way to engage with customers is often digital.

“Our mobile app is at the heart of our marketing,” said Thierry Lyles, Manager of Digital Marketing CSP Daily News.

The convenience store chain is revamping the app with help from Rovertown and plans to launch a new version of the app in June with great success, Lyles said. “We really focus on the customer experience within the app.”

The revamped app will make it easier for consumers to pre-order, pick up the car, get a car wash and earn loyalty points. With the new technology, customers can buy a car wash by opening the app and scanning a QR code, he said. “You don’t have to touch anything, just open the app.”

Family Express also works with Paytronix about its loyalty program, which drives store traffic through personalized messages. Outside of the app, many consumers respond to email offers, especially when they arrive when they’re most likely to read them, Lyles said.

• Family Express is No. 81 At CSPs 2022 Top 202 Ranking of C-Store Chains with 81 shops. Look for the top 202 2023 in the June issue of CSP Magazine.

Family Express has beta tested an artificial intelligence-based weekday feature with email messages. It allows the retailer to set up a campaign to send an email for a new product or promotional offer on the day of the week the customer is most likely to open it, based on historical data, he said.

The power of email marketing was demonstrated during a February 9th loyalty promotion National Pizza Day at Family Express. According to a blog post on Paytronix’s website, the promotion, which offered two extra-large pizzas for $12, was sent to a segmented list of consumers who had visited a Cravin’s to Order location or a nearby location within the last 60 days had visited the shop. The company sent app users a notification of the promotion and then emailed it out at 2 p.m., prompting a flood of orders. Paytronix called.

“Within the first 90 minutes, several hundred open orders came in. When it was finished, Family Express had nearly 10 times the typical daily orders—an all-time high,” Paytronix reported on his blog. “The benefit extended beyond the pizza: add-on purchases increased the average ticket price to $18. Most of the traffic came from mobile orders, with 70% of online orders coming through this channel.” The promotion resulted in a sustained 10% increase over pre-National Pizza Day sales.

The additional sales from the promotion lasted for at least four weeks, Lyles said. “Our made-to-order foodservice program has continued to grow significantly since then,” he said.

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