NEWTON, MA--(Marketwired - Oct 19, 2016) - Paytronix Systems, Inc., a leading provider of reward program solutions to restaurants and retailers, today announced that Forward Corporation is moving its Forward Rewards program to the Paytronix Rewards platform in order to improve the ways in which it engages customers at its Forward Convenience Stores. The new Forward Rewards will launch in November across 40 gas and convenience stores in Michigan with plans to later expand the program to Forward Corporation's restaurant, hotel, home heating oil and retail businesses.
The modernized Forward Rewards program replaces a 10-year-old program that had attracted 60,000 members but relied on RFID tags, a detached printer at the POS, and no ability to roll-back prices at the gas pump. Leveraging the Paytronix API to integrate with Forwards' VeriFone POS, the updated Forward Rewards program provides multiple ways to identify and connect with members and eliminates both expensive RFID technology as well as the inconvenience of replacing lost cards.
Forward Corporation evaluated many loyalty providers and programs, but five factors stood out in making the choice to work with Paytronix:
1. Point of Sale Integration -- Speed, accuracy and the customer purchase behavior data available due to the POS integration style.
2. Flexibility and Control -- Extreme flexibility to customize programs and promotions for a rewards program.
3. Customer Identification Options -- Multiple options to look up a customer's account enables quick application or redemption of reward points with or without their physical card.
4. Customer Engagement Tools -- Messaging on multiple channels including email, push, pull, and SMS provides the ability to reach customers one-to-one with tailored messages. Deploying messages in real time based on customer behavior at the POS, via a scheduled campaign, or through an ad hoc message expands how, when and why the brand engages with its members.
5. Consumer Purchase Insight Access -- Reporting and data analysis capabilities to better understand each customer, deliver relevant offers and reduce cannibalized sales.
A points-based program, Forward Rewards members earn 10 points for every gallon of gas and 20 points for every dollar spent in store. Members also earn a sign-up bonus discount of 5¢ per gallon every time they purchase gas for 30 days. The program integrates with Forward's popular sweepstakes, offering members various ways to earn entries for four exciting giveaways per month.
"It will be much easier to manage the program with the Paytronix platform, to do campaigns and outreach that drive more visits. Paytronix has created a portal where we can input our own promotional criteria and then email Forward Rewards members each month -- sharing their rewards points, the number of sweepstakes entries they've earned via purchases, to present new offers and more," said Emily Mallory, chief marketing officer at Forward Corporation. "Our old loyalty program was too difficult to use and had become a bit stale, so we needed to get smarter and more effective with our communications. Paytronix is helping us to do that."
November's rollout of the new and improved Forward Rewards will kick off with a super-mega giveaway sweepstakes, including more than 100 high-end prizes. It will work as a registration bonus for everyone who signs up for the new reward program and will include a challenge for each store -- with prizes for locations that register the highest percentage of new members. Forward Corporation's employees also are excited about the new program, which includes competitions for the employees to win prizes and perks.
"Paytronix is excited to partner with Forward Convenience Stores to revitalize its rewards program. At its heart, the program operates in real-time and is directly integrated to VeriFone Commander POS system," said Andrew Robbins, president of Paytronix Systems Inc. "With the power to analyze guest behavior and highly, personalize offers, the Paytronix-powered program will transform Forward Rewards into a revenue engine for the convenience store chain."
About Paytronix Systems, Inc.
Paytronix's proprietary guest engagement platform helps more than 300 restaurant and retail chains manage and grow more than $18 Billion in guest spend. Customers benefit from big data consumer insights that Paytronix generates from 1-to-1 engagement with more than 165 million loyal guests -- through mobile, social and today's most innovative digital marketing tools. As a result, customers can more effectively segment and motivate their guests to increase spend and drive revenue. For more information, visit www.paytronix.com.