Marks & Spencer trials digital loyalty app at its cafés

Marks & Spencer has teamed up with digital loyalty specialists Eagle Eye to launch a digital coffee stamp card app at 58 of its Hot Food and On The Move cafés across the Greater London area in a bid to increase visit frequency and “stay ahead of the competition”.

Marks and Spencer's

The M&S Barista app will replace the current paper card that is issued to café customers and could be rolled out across its estate if the trial is a success.

Although M&S has collaborated with Eagle Eye before, adding a ‘My Offers’ section for customers using its shopping app, this marks the first time it has launched a standalone digital loyalty scheme.

The app, which is push-notification enabled, will allow Marks & Spencer to remind customers when their stamp card is near completion and will be integrated into M&S’s CRM and point of sale technology. This enables rewards such as a free drink following a certain number of beverage purchases.

Customers with one stamp to go will also be sent an offer on food and drink to encourage them to pop into their local M&S cafe.

Phillip Blundell, CEO of Eagle Eye, which is financially backed by ex-Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, has worked on similar digital loyalty cards for the likes of Greggs and Tesco. He says the ‘Barista’ app will enable the upmarket retailer “to stay ahead of the competition”.

“Digital stamp cards are one of the simplest ways through which businesses can drive loyalty and increase visit frequency through personalised offers,” he said. “For M&S this trial will not only strengthen customer loyalty, it will also help them to stay one step ahead of competitors in the food-on-the-go market.”

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