Although the Pittsburgh Penguins just launched its new fan loyalty program – PensPoints – on Feb. 13, it’s already gained significant traction and marks the first mobile rewards program to surface in professional sports.
Jim Ambrose, director of business development for LoyalTree – which helped facilitate the integration in CONSOL Energy Center (home of the Penguins) with LoyalTree lead developers Ray Chan and Shriya Joang -- told Loyalty 360 that PensPoints is unlike other mobile loyalty programs.
“I think we are unique because our approach to the market is unlike all of the other mobile loyalty companies out there,” Ambrose explained. “We do not require businesses to buy any additional hardware to run the program, and we build our solutions to fit whatever business, team or merchant we are working with. This allows a seamless adoption of the program for staff members. The consumer interface of the application speaks for itself. Most people of all age demographics can understand how to use it because we try to make the interface intuitive.”
PensPoints, which is run through users’ smartphones and uses QR codes, rewards people for things such as attending games, listening to games on the radio, and purchasing concession food and merchandise. If the code is scanned by a generic QR code reader, then it will automatically link the user to buttons to download the PensPoints application for Android or iPhone. Once the codes are scanned using the PensPoints scanner, then the application interface informs the consumer exactly what they are doing through messaging and interface animations.
Prior to the Feb. 13 launch of PensPoints, Ambrose said the program was announced on social media and there were more than 20,000 downloads in two days – placing it second in the sports category for app store behind only the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue.
“That’s really been exciting,” Ambrose said. “Each game downloads have increased by 25% through word of mouth and marketing promotions. Since it’s driven by QR codes, it allows us to get into every single channel fans are embedded with. We built loyalty into everything the Penguins market, including concession and merchant transactions at the arena.”
Ambrose said LoyalTree worked on the app for about a year with the Penguins' marketing team, and integrated the technology with the CONSOL Energy Center's food service provider.
“From a technology standpoint, everything is working 100%,” Ambrose said. “It’s really exciting and very hard to believe.”
Fans scan special codes in the app to collect PensPoints – and the program is free to join. Every time a fan earns 100 PensPoints, a new reward voucher is automatically mailed to his or her home. Vouchers can be redeemed throughout Pittsburgh. Special codes are given when PensPoints are earned. Codes will appear in places such as IceTime magazine, on sales receipts, or can be heard over the radio.
Ambrose said the LoyalTree program initially targeted the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League, but ultimately reached the Penguins.
“We were going to be doing something to give back to the community,” Ambrose said. “Our meetings led to collecting valuable data about consumers as to how they engage with local ice rinks. Then the Penguins came into the picture.”
Fans also receive bonus codes for posting about PensPoints on Twitter and Facebook. When a fan earns 400 PensPoints, a free Penguins’ T-shirt is mailed to their home. There is also a monthly grand prize winner and the highest earner of PensPoints for February will win a trip to a road Penguins’ game in Philadelphia and get to travel there on the team bus.
“What we aim to do is make it as simple as possible for fans to engage with the Penguins,” Ambrose said.
The PensPoints app can be downloaded by iPhone or Android. Fans can also search for “PensPoints” in the App Store of on Google Play. A leaderboard keeps fans updated as to who has collected the most PensPoints during the current month and for the season overall. By pressing the “My Points" button on the app, a fan can immediately see how many PensPoints he or she has accumulated.
PensPoints is advertised on all outlets where the Penguin brand currently reaches, Ambrose said, which includes radio broadcasts, the center ice Jumbotron, IceTime magazine, local media outlets, and Penguins’ social media channels.
“I don't think I am personally surprised by the reception it has received because when our team developed this, we were preparing for this kind of volume,” Ambrose said. “We have had a lot of success with our primary technology, LoyalTree. PensPoints was based off of concepts that we had already executed and proven in the marketplace. I think others are surprised because they haven't seen anything like the program we have created.”