How these 4 brands are crushing digital optimization

May 17, 2022

Digital optimization has become table stakes for brands. As the pandemic forced technology to adapt or be left behind, Kobie experts looked back at the brands who crushed it with digital enhancements, fulfilling member needs and bridging the online vs. offline gap.

 

1. Venmo: Let’s talk about Venmo and why they caught our eye. As a digital payment company that provides a seamless, easy-to-use app experience, members can personalize their payment interactions with notes and cute emojis and add friends for quick access. Upping their convenience game, Venmo added a co-brand credit card with the member QR code printed right on the physical card allowing for seamless purchasing with a quick scan. Taking payments a step further, last year Venmo and PayPal partnered with American Express to support the brands’ split spending functionality for added payment options. Also intriguing, Venmo offers users the ability to buy cryptocurrency from right within the app. Each of these unique offerings has optimized the digital payment experience, and naturally, the brand has grown quite the following.

 

2. National Car Rental: The Emerald Club loyalty program experienced a lot of changes as people returned to renting cars again following the pandemic. National pivoted its focus to convenience and safety and leaned into Emerald Aisle, an experience where members can bypass the counter, go right to the parking lot, and pick up their vehicle without engaging with a representative. National also enabled geofencing capabilities, providing members with real-time notifications about their car as they get closer to the rental location. These safety features and open lines of communication throughout the member experience enhance the car rental process and provide members with peace of mind during travel.

 

3. Kohl’s: As consumers quickly shifted from physical to digital, BOPIS (buy online pick-up in-store) became a delivery method of choice for consumers. Kohl’s quickly enabled  BOPIS and curbside pick-up services when their stores closed during the pandemic. They also ramped up their member web experience through digital enhancements, such as implementing a member point balance preview during the shopping journey and showcasing point balances at cart review and checkout. By providing a seamless online experience with point transparency and offering convenient delivery options, Kohl’s has proven to set the brand apart from others in the retail industry.

 

4. Albertson’s: This well-known grocery store relied on more than just coupons and grabbed attention amidst a huge uptick in consumer demand throughout the pandemic. They expanded delivery options in-store, established new partnerships, and launched new shop-in-store capabilities. From piloting control delivery robots to curating shoppable digital content where Albertson’s live-streamed experiences for customers, they really worked on meeting customer needs and optimized engagement.

So, consider this when thinking about digital optimization—convenient and seamless digital experiences are here to stay. Brands need to meet the needs of their customers where they are and look forward to that very next enhancement to stay ahead of the crowd. Kobie’s loyalty assessment tool reviews and scores not only loyalty program perks and rewards but also the digital experience through the lens of the consumer, so that brands can see where their loyalty offerings fall in comparison to a competitive set and the industry.

Contact us today to learn how your digital onboarding experience stacks up against competitors in the industry.