Loyalty / Rewards Program
Chipotle Drops Guac Mode: A New “Extra” Benefit For Chipotle Rewards Members
Chipotle Mexican Grill recently announced the launch of Guac Mode, a benefit that will unlock access to free guacamole rewards, and other extras, for Chipotle Rewards members. Guac Mode is being introduced to help celebrate the one-year anniversary of Chipotle Rewards, which has more than 8.5 million members. Chipotle says existing Chipotle Rewards members automatically will have access to Guac Mode, while new members will have 10 days to join Chipotle Rewards to unlock Guac Mode.
Customer Service / Satisfaction
JetBlue Celebrates 20th Birthday, 20 Years of Award-Winning Customer Service and Low Fares
JetBlue marked its 20th birthday, commemorating its first revenue flight, between New York and Fort Lauderdale, on February 11, 2000. JetBlue says in those 20 years, it has had 470 million customers and provided 102 million bags of Terra Blue chips. “No one believed that a start-up airline in 2000 could survive 20 months, much less 20 years,” Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue, said in a company release. “But JetBlue proved that taking care of people and bringing low fares to the market could not only be a viable business model but could also completely disrupt an industry. Others have tried to imitate JetBlue but no one has ever successfully copied our 23,000 crewmembers and the incredible culture that they’ve built.”
Partnerships
OTG and Starbucks Announce Partnership To Introduce Reimagined Customer Experience in Airports
Airport hospitality group OTG and Starbucks recently announced a partnership “to introduce a re-imagined customer experience, with a focus on new experiential concepts and innovative technology to better serve travelers at airports across the country.” OTG and Starbucks will offer various traditional and experiential locations. “OTG is thrilled to be forging this new and exciting partnership with Starbucks. Our mission is simple: deliver our guests what they want in the most efficient, frictionless way possible,” Rick Blatstein, OTG CEO, said in a news release. “This collaboration will allow us to introduce a fully re-imagined Starbucks customer experience, ensuring guests access to their preferred cup anywhere in the airport.”
Judge approves $26 billion merger of T-Mobile and Sprint
According to a report on CNBC.com that was published Tuesday morning: “Shares of Sprint soared Tuesday after a U.S. district judge ruled in favor of its $26 billion deal to merge with T-Mobile. The stock was up 75% Tuesday morning. It had risen in extended trading Monday after The Wall Street Journal reported the judge was expected to rule in favor of the deal. Shares of T-Mobile were up 10%.”
Retail
Simon Property Group to Acquire Taubman Centers, Inc.
Simon Property Group, Inc. and Taubman Centers, Inc. recently announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Simon will acquire an 80 percent ownership interest in The Taubman Realty Group Limited Partnership (TRG). “TRG is engaged in the ownership, management and/or leasing of 26 super-regional shopping centers in the U.S. and Asia,” according to a Simon news release. “We are very pleased to announce this transaction, which will be immediately accretive to Simon’s FFO,” Simon Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President David Simon stated in the release. “By joining together, we will enhance the ability of TRG to invest in innovative retail environments that create exciting shopping and entertainment experiences for consumers, immersive opportunities for retailers, and substantial new job prospects for local communities.”