BP Moves On New Loyalty Initiative

CHICAGO -- Briefing its branded jobbers and franchisees on a new point-of-sale enhancement initiative, BP is laying the foundation for future branded card and loyalty offers.

The new POS enhancement will allow consumers to redeem cents-off-per-gallon rewards immediately at the pump with the swipe of a card when purchasing fuel at BP. Rewards could also be used to pay for a portion of the posted price, referred to by some in the industry as "price rollback functionality." Approved grocer loyalty programs could use BP’s price rollback functionality to reward loyal grocery customers with cents-off-per-gallon fuel rewards.

BP expects these initiatives to increase the number of BP cardmembers and increase consumer loyalty.

"While final card offers and loyalty program partners are still pending, the demand for price rollback functionality warrants beginning the brand-wide deployment process now," said David VanWiggeren, manager of card marketing. "BP is encouraging its branded marketers to attend [our] regional meetings, review all price rollback materials, and take advantage of BP’s price rollback deployment initiative."

BP’s research shows consumers are attracted to cents-off-per-gallon fuel rewards because they closely follow retail fuel prices and value the convenience of redeeming instantly at the pump.

BP will fund and support a large-scale software deployment effort for qualified BP branded marketers. The deployment effort begins with BP- branded marketers signing a contract to allow POS software upgrades at their sites. BP has set a Sept. 30, 2009 deadline for the contracts to be in place if marketers wish to participate in the deployment.

For sites with BP price rollback-compatible POS devices, which represent the majority of BP branded sites today, no new hardware is required because BP’s existing electronic payment server and communications technology, serves as a standard platform to enable price rollback functionality.

BP is investigating if there are any states or local regulations that may limit or alter this initiative, future card offers or programs.

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-- Loyalty Rewards Program Membership on the Rise
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