Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, which has more than 2,800 locations in 43 states, launched its first-ever loyalty program this week to provide customers more value and an enhanced experience.
Known for its “freaky fast” delivery, Jimmy John’s wants to rewards its most loyal customers through the new Freaky Fast Rewards program. The nationwide program launch came after a successful eight-month test in 45 locations.
Jimmy John’s CMO John Shea called the pilot program “encouraging” with nearly 2 million signups since March and more than 1.7 million total rewards redeemed to date.
Keeping the Focus on the Customer
College students have always been a priority for Jimmy John’s since founder Jimmy Liautaud launched the company while he was a student at Eastern Illinois University.
As a result, the company tested its program in the following major college towns: Champaign, Illinois; Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Lansing, Michigan; Lafayette, Indiana; Madison, Wisconsin; and Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Consumers are empowered and have more choices than ever before in the Age of the Customer. They also have an abundance of limitless information at their fingertips about pricing, products, and competitors.
Because of this reality, listening to and understanding your customers is the most important thing a brand can do to develop true and lasting loyalty.
It’s clear Jimmy John’s has kept the focus on its customers and is now rewarding them with a new loyalty program.
“At Jimmy John’s, we have amazing customers, and we’re committed to rewarding them for their loyalty,” Shea said. “Freaky Fast Rewards is a best-in-class program that makes earning rewards fast and easy.”
Seamless Customer Experience, Added Value Keys “Freaky Fast Rewards”
Loyalty is harder than ever, but presents a big opportunity for marketers like Jimmy John’s. Developing or rethinking loyalty strategies can directly impact the customer experience and create brand advocates.
New members of the Freaky Fast Rewards program receive a free 8-inch sandwich after their first order, with the opportunity to earn sandwiches, sides, and drinks. Rewards members also get early access to new products.
The program works with Google Pay and Apple Pay, as well as the chain’s website and mobile app.
During the test, more than 1.7 million rewards were redeemed, including 268,893 free birthday sandwiches and 18,512 pickles given away on National Pickle Day last month. Rewards members also claimed 50,000 free Little John sandwiches when the snack-sized sandwich debuted in October.
“We’re just getting started and it’s already clear that Freaky Fast Rewards is providing value to our customers and improving the customer experience,” Shea said.
The program is designed to ensure a frictionless customer experience from sign-up through earning, redemption, and payment and features one-tap technology integrated into the store experience.
Just how important is a memorable customer experience?
According to a Walker study, by the end of 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.
Creating Loyalty Moments
Jimmy John’s has done a great job of “delivering” memorable experiences since it opened in 1983.
Jimmy John’s also has a “Freaky Fast” campaign based on its sandwich delivery zones.
The campaign, which goes a long way in creating loyalty moments through memorable customer experiences, involves the company’s carefully mapped zones that take into account traffic and road patterns, while driving the speed limit, to ensure customers remain within five minutes of the store.
Earlier this year Jimmy John’s announced “it will never authorize third-party companies like Uber Eats, DoorDash or Grubhub to deliver its sandwiches to its customers.”
“We’re obsessed with getting our customers the fastest and freshest sandwich we can, whether in our stores or at their homes or work,” Shea said. “Mapping our incredibly tight delivery zones means some people fall outside, but it also means a better sandwich for those we serve.”
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