#182: BP Fueling Customer Loyalty Around the World (Short Summary Show)

PAULA: Welcome to Let’s Talk Loyalty, an industry podcast for Loyalty Marketing Professionals.

PAULA: I’m your host, Paula Thomas, and if you work in Loyalty Marketing, join me every week to learn the latest ideas from loyalty specialists around the world.

PAULA: This show is sponsored by Comark, a global provider of innovative software products and business services.

PAULA: Comark’s platform is used by leading brands across all industries to drive their customer loyalty.

PAULA: Powered by AI and machine learning, Comark technologies allow you to build, run, and manage personalized loyalty programs and product offers with ease.

PAULA: For more information, please visit comark.com.

PAULA: Hello, and welcome to episode 182 of Let’s Talk Loyalty.

PAULA: In this week’s episode, I’m looking back on an interview with Olivier Martinet, who led the development and execution of loyalty programs all over the world for BP for more than a quarter century.

PAULA: For me, it was a real delight to be able to talk to and learn from such an expert in the industry.

PAULA: BP is otherwise known as British Petroleum.

PAULA: And many of you will know, it is one of the world’s biggest companies in the oil industry, operating in more than 80 countries, in just about every corner of the world, except South America and here in the Middle East.

PAULA: Olivier has overseen the development of digital loyalty programs in many diverse markets.

PAULA: So my first question was whether the simplicity of a single program was the way that BP approached its global loyalty.

PAULA: Instead, Olivier explained, BP has chosen a non-standardized approach, and focuses on implementing what is most relevant to customers in each specific area.

PAULA: So, they have complete flexibility in terms of partnerships, the scope of the program and also the rewards and redemption processes.

PAULA: He really says that success to him is the ability to be different in every market, and of course ensure that the cost and complexity of each program is balanced for the customer and for the business.

PAULA: Now, because of my work at the time with loyalty programs, in convenience retail, I was particularly curious to learn about BPme, a program which was launched in the UK and the US in January of 2020.

PAULA: And now it’s the digital platform for both fuel payment and the rewards program.

PAULA: BPme Rewards is a points-based rewards program that allows customers to earn points for fuel and, of course, in-store purchases, and then apply those points towards future discounts in-store and towards many partner products.

PAULA: We both agreed that the timing of all of the new functionality was incredibly fortunate in early 2020.

PAULA: And the arrival of this important new payment functionality directly on the customer’s phone came for customers at a time they needed it more than ever before.

PAULA: When we spoke, Olivier was in the exploration stages of discussing a partnership with Qantas Airlines in Australia, designed to reward customers there with airline miles.

PAULA: Now, at the time, it was quite unusual for a fuel retail company, so I was delighted to hear the details of the programme.

PAULA: Now, I see that BPme is awarding miles with British Airways in the UK, and I have no doubt this is an increasingly successful model for BP in other markets as well.

PAULA: I concluded our interview by asking Olivier his opinion on innovative ideas or trends that the industry should explore.

PAULA: He stressed that loyalty programmes have to get beyond the points in a digital multi-channel environment.

PAULA: In particular, he mentioned that subscriptions are an important evolving development for us all to keep an eye on.

PAULA: And, of course, we can’t lose sight of the fact that a quick and convenient experience for customers will always remain extremely important.

PAULA: Finally, he mentioned building an emotional connection with customers was more important than ever.

PAULA: And, as you all know, that’s something we talk about regularly here on the show.

PAULA: In closing, I want to say it really was a real privilege to have the chance to interview Olivier just as he was coming to the end of his 26-year career with BP and starting to look forward to his retirement.

PAULA: So, as we closed, I asked one final question on what would be his one big lesson he would want to share with us as the audience.

PAULA: Again, he emphasized having a one-size-fits-all solution for a massive global company like BP will never work, and that customer-focused brands must connect with local markets and refine their programs and customize if we want to connect and succeed.

PAULA: So, that’s it for my short summary.

PAULA: A quick reminder, if you want to listen to the full interview with Olivier Martinet, it’s episode 60 on letstalkloyalty.com.

PAULA: Lastly, I invite you to join me again on Thursday when I’m talking with Antraar Suitsch of the Salling Group, a company with retail businesses in restaurants, grocery, coffee shops and discount stores throughout Denmark.

PAULA: And together, we discuss important strategic objectives and the powerful tools they have found to delight customers all across the country.

PAULA: This show is sponsored by The Wise Marketeer, the world’s most popular source of loyalty marketing news, insights and research.

PAULA: The Wise Marketeer also offers loyalty marketing training through its Loyalty Academy, which has already certified over 245 executives in 27 countries as certified loyalty marketing professionals.

PAULA: For more information, check out thewisemarketeer.com and loyaltyacademy.org.

PAULA: Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Let’s Talk Loyalty.

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