U.S. Bank officials have been working on various ways to add value to the overall customer experience. And with Deal Local−a new mobile app designed to help local businesses attract new customers and build loyalty with their existing customers through deals and rewards−they achieved just that.
Deal Local launched exclusively as a pilot program in Lawrence, KS. The app is live in the Apple and Google Play app stores and is already being used by Weaver’s, Milton’s Café, and Hobbs, among others.
Here’s how Deal Local works:
Local shops and restaurants can load deals into the Deal Local app. The deals will be presented on the business’s point-of-sale payment terminal when their customers check out. A shopper can scroll through deals on the app, as well as set up their phone number or payment card info so they’re automatically recognized at checkout. Visit http://www.GetDealLocal.com/ for more information and a short video.
Dominic Venturo, Chief Innovation Officer for U.S. Bank, talked to Loyalty360 about the genesis of Deal Local.
“We have been working on different ways to add value for our business and consumer customers for some time,” Venturo explained. “In this work, one area of consistent feedback we received from consumers was they there was great interest in being able to know about offers relevant to them in their local community. Similarly, business customers are always looking for better ways to gain visibility and attract business. Deal Local provides both of these benefits in a contextual way based upon the user location and their preferences. By adding in integration with the payment processing, we've simplified the offer redemption process for the business and consumer.”
Venturo said the mobile app allows U.S. Bank’s business customers to create offers and receive a simplified redemption process that is integrated with payment processing.
“It’s an exciting new approach for both consumers and business customers,” Venturo said. “Consumers are inundated with offers and have difficulties finding offers relevant to them. As merchants create offers in a variety of categories (retail, dining, and more), the ability to simplify the awareness and then use of the offer is greatly simplified for both consumers and businesses.”
Deal Local was developed at The Grove, which is U.S. Bank subsidiary Elavon’s innovation lab in Atlanta. The app is powered by Elavon’s Fanfare point-of-sale technology and customer loyalty program.
Lawrence, KS was selected as the pilot market for its size, civic pride and numerous local businesses.