AT&T Gives Thanks for Brand Loyalty with Ticket Twosdays

Teaming up with AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group, AT&T this month launched Ticket Twosdays to reward customers with a free movie ticket when they buy one at full price through AT&T THANKS.

AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group are the two largest movie theatre chains in the country, boasting nearly 1,000 theaters and 13,000 movie screens combined. As the AT&T Ticket Twosdays program continues to grow, AT&T plans for other leading national and regional movie theater circuits across the country to join the list of participating theaters.

AT&T customers can access att.com/attthanks to learn how to get their free movie tickets, exclusively through MovieTickets.com, a leading global provider of remote movie ticketing.

Loyalty360 talked to Jay Cary, VP Marketing Strategy & Customer Loyalty at AT&T, and Ryan Noonan, Director of Corporate Communications at AMC Theatres, to learn more about this unique partnership.

How did this partnership with AMC Theatres (Ticket Twosdays) come about and what are your goals for it from a customer engagement/customer experience perspective?
Cary: We teamed up with AMC and Regal Cinemas as part of a collaboration to thank our customers. AMC and Regal bring the scale and quality so our customers can go to the movies all over the country and have a quality experience when they get there. Enabling our customers to bring a friend to the movie, every week on AT&T THANKS, is a great way for us to show appreciation.

What makes this partnership/campaign unique from a customer experience perspective?
Cary: AT&T THANKS is an appreciation program that goes where other carriers can’t to show our customers how much they mean to us. Our combination of wireless, TV, and Internet services lets us give our customers access to unique benefits, perks, and experiences as a thank-you for being with us. Customers across the board are saying that they don’t feel appreciated by their carriers- wireless, TV, or Internet. With our shift to being an integrated service provider, it’s the right thing for AT&T to do. We are thanking our customers for choosing to be part of the AT&T family.

The great part about AT&T THANKS is the fact that these benefits are just part of being an AT&T customer. The benefit from AT&T thanks is that customers don’t need to sign up, opt-in, or pay any membership fees. It’s automatic and there are no waiting periods.

What does CX mean to AT&T?
Cary: At AT&T, customers are our No. 1 priority. From the tools we develop to help make their experience quick and effortless; to the products and services we provide – when, where and how they want them – to an “I can help you with that” culture that encourages employees to be advocates for customers.  “I can help you with that” is visible to customers in many ways. For example: Resolving issues the first time — from field technicians to call center reps; Making it easier to connect with AT&T for help -- by phone or via web, chat and email to resolve questions on their own; Expanding centers to help customers on social media – in addition to our traditional contact centers; Investing in online and mobile applications so that customers have easy access to view and pay bills. Our myATT app is simple and easy to use; Enhancing employee coaching on mobile tools help customer-facing managers and their reps provide better service. This mindset has reduced customer phone calls by 2 million per month over the past year or so.

How do you define customer loyalty and has that definition changed or evolved in recent years?
Cary: AT&T believes a customer’s willingness to recommend the company is the best gauge of loyalty and how effective we are in meeting our customers’ needs. AT&T uses data from Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys to identify areas of strength and areas for growth. AT&T and DIRECTV video and broadband lead the industry in NPS scores – a reflection of our employees’ ability to execute great service at scale. 

That being said, while industry surveys like NPS inform much of AT&T’s approach to customer experience, nothing is more valued than customer feedback. Where AT&T U-verse is offered, subscribers are more satisfied overall compared to cable video and Internet subscribers. For the 15th year in a row, DIRECTV rated higher in customer satisfaction than cable. And in January 2015, Frost & Sullivan recognized AT&T U-verse® with 3 awards for its leadership in Internet and video services and its offering of bundled options that cater to customers. These awards symbolize a common cultural attribute– delivering the industry's best customer experience.

What prompted this promotion and what are your goals for it from a customer engagement perspective?
Noonan: Our goal is to provide more opportunities for our guests to enjoy a good movie at our theatres. Ticket Twosdays are a great value for AMC moviegoers.

Is it a simple process to go through AT&T Thanks?
Noonan: Yes, thanks to our partners at Movietickets.com, it is a relatively simple process. Members get a code through AT&T, and use that code in their purchase process at Movietickets.com.

What does customer loyalty mean to you and has that definition evolved in recent years?
Noonan: In the past few years, there’s been a seismic shift in the theatrical exhibition industry to build a more personal connection with movie fans. AMC, in particular, has led that change through a number of amenities that are bringing us closer than ever to moviegoers. Enhanced movie-going amenities such as our AMC Stubs rewards program, comfortable plush seating, the emergence of our MacGuffins bars, and our leading premium sight and sound presentation, like IMAX and Dolby Cinema at AMC, are not only bringing more guests to AMC, but motivating some moviegoers to pass by other options to seek out the AMC experience.

Recent Content

Membership and Pricing

Videos and podcasts

Membership and Pricing