Dive Brief:
- RaceTrac has partnered with Capillary Technologies, an AI-powered loyalty solutions company, to update the RaceTrac Rewards program, according to a Thursday announcement.
- The update will revamp its existing tiered setup, introducing the ability to stack and combine offers and more tailored promotions targeting customers across all of the Atlanta-based retailer’s 600-plus company-owned stores.
- RaceTrac is the second c-store to make an announcement about a tiered loyalty format so far this year, alongside Sprint Mart, which introduced a rewards program for professional drivers with two status levels.
Dive Insight:
RaceTrac’s loyalty revamp is the latest in a long line of tech upgrades the company has made over the past few years, cementing its name as one of the industry’s most operationally innovative c-store companies.
While RaceTrac made headlines last year for its acquisition of sandwich QSR Potbelly, its steadily improving its tech stack — naming its first chief information officer and adding new fuel pump technology as well as a separate rewards program for its RaceWay franchised stores — has also been a big story.
“This collaboration brings together RaceTrac’s deep understanding of guest experiences with Capillary’s AI-led loyalty technology,” said Kunwar Keshav, senior vice president at Capillary. “The result is a modern program that not only responds to what customers want today but anticipates what they’ll value tomorrow.”
The new loyalty program will allow RaceTrac to “recognize loyalty at multiple levels, present offers that fit each customer’s context, and strengthen the emotional connection that drives repeat visits,” according to the announcement.
Tiered loyalty programs have become common in convenience retailing in recent years. Besides RaceTrac, operators such as Circle K and Sheetz have also experimented with the structure. Experts have said that tiered loyalty programs invest in a brand’s most loyal customers while giving infrequent visitors more reasons to visit the store and reach the higher member status.
