Recent Press Releases - Article

USA RELEASE: MILLER'S NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET COMMENCES CHAINWIDE ROLLOUT

8 JANUARY 2002

Miller's Neighborhood Market has launched a chainwide rollout of Miller's Rewards, a new loyalty program based on the revolutionary GraphiCardT loyalty card technology and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system from Visible Results USA. The re-writeable card, which can be used for convenience store and gasoline purchases, is being implemented in all 52 of Miller's corporate-owned stores in Virginia following a successful three-month pilot test in seven locations late last year.

Training sessions for supervisors, managers and associates have been held, and equipment is already in place at each unit. Miller's Neighborhood Market, the convenience store subsidiary of Norfolk-based Miller Oil, is supporting the rollout with a comprehensive advertising campaign that kicked off on January 7.

Undertaken at an investment of $400,000 for the first nine months, the campaign includes the airing of television and radio commercials several times each day in the Hampton Roads market. The ads portray customers' exclamations of excitement as they win prizes by using their Miller's Rewards cards in-store. To maximize program enrollment and use, Miller's is giving away a four-day, all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Bahamas during the months of January, February and March. Advertisements and point-of-purchase materials inform customers that they may automatically enter to win a trip by presenting their Miller's Rewards cards whenever they visit a store.

On an ongoing basis, the program features a tiered incentive structure wherein patrons receive rewards based on cumulative spending at Miller's stores, as well as an "Instant Rewards" component also aimed at encouraging more frequent card usage. Several vendors have demonstrated support for Miller's Rewards by agreeing to provide such prizes as snacks and beverages in return for free advertising on coupons redeemable for these items. Current vendor partners include Pepsi-Cola, the Coca-Cola Company, Red Bull, Tropicana, Gatorade, Hershey, Jack Link meat snacks, and Bon Apetit. Miller's is seeking to sign similar agreements with third-party entities that operate franchises within or adjacent to its stores. "During the test period, some Arby's and Open Pantry units cooperated with us on activities of this type," said Terry Johnson, Miller Oil Director of Marketing. "Based on their interest, we will continue to seek opportunities to bring third party partners into the program."

To date, more than 30,000 persons have signed up to participate in the program, with a sharp increase in enrollment expected as consumers learn about it through the commercials and via point-of-purchase materials that will be displayed in every location, according to Johnson.

"From the outcome of the tests and our positive experiences with Visible Results, it is clear that the company's already-proven program sets us apart from competitors and can play a major role in helping us to build a strong brand image," noted Miller Oil President Jeff Miller. "It is not a discount card, but a vehicle for engaging consumers and employees and generating excitement among them. Consequently, it will be the key to our overall marketing efforts going forward."

With the patented GraphiCard T technology, users' cards are inserted into a small point-of-sale terminal during each sales transaction. A cutting-edge thermo-chromic process enables the front of the card to display points accrued through the most recent purchase, along with other personalized data designed to pique consumers' interest. Such data-which is customized for each Visible Results client- can include highly targeted offers, details of special promotions and sales, advertising messages, particulars of instant-win games and more.

The terminal instantly prints out customized coupons and similar incentives as transactions are completed. A re-writeable magnetic stripe, incorporated into the back of the card, stores specific data about transactions as they occur. It also allows the back of the card to be automatically re-written every time it is presented, turning it into a self-contained database that eliminates extensive, costly systems integration while encouraging repeated use and fostering customer loyalty.

Support for GraphiCardT technology is provided by Visible Results' sophisticated CRM infrastructure. Point-of-sale information collected during transactions involving program members is downloaded to Visible Results' international data center, which maintains customer databases and issues customized reports specifically for each client. Thus, clients need not employ large IT staffs in their own back offices and can efficiently target marketing offers to individual customers and generate reports needed to operate, fine-tune, and constantly update the program.

"Visible Results' CRM support and ability to complete installation rapidly without IT integration allowed us implement the program in considerably less time than an internally operated loyalty program," noted Miller. "We are extremely excited to see Miller's, a top-notch regional operator, roll out this program in such a major way," added Gerald Lewis, the veteran retail and consumer marketing consultant who now serves as Chairman of Visible Results USA. Noting that this marks the first rollout of the program by a mainland U.S. convenience store company, he added: "We anticipate that it will be a huge success, and will indeed be the forerunner of similar programs deployed throughout the country in this and other retail/hospitality segments." Outside the continental U.S., Visible Results' loyalty card program is already utilized by such companies as Mobil Oil New Zealand and McDonald's Hawaii.

About Visible Results

Since its inception in 1997, Auckland, NZ-based Visible Results Group of Companies (a business unit of Atlantis Group) has emerged as one of the world's leading customer relationship firms, serving a growing client base across convenience, fast food, fuels and the general retail industry. The company established its Visible Results USA subsidiary and a base in the US through the February 2001 acquisition of GraphiCard Systems International (GSI), Overland Park, KS. The purchase included the worldwide intellectual property patents to the unique technology that underlies all Visible Results GraphiCardT programs. Visible Results USA established a marketing office in New York City in May 2001, following the addition of veteran retail and consumer products marketing consultant Gerald Lewis to its team as Chairman. For further information, visit the company's website at: www.visibleresults.com., or contact Visible Results USA, 230 Park Avenue, Suite 630, New York, NY 10169. Telephone is (212) 681-9159.

Press Contacts: At Visible Results USA, Gerald Lewis, Chairman, (212) 681-9159; e-mail: glewis@visibleresults.com; at Visible Results Group of Companies, Michael Whittaker, President and CEO, (913) 851-9400, e-mail: Mwhittaker@tag.co.nz; at Parness & Associates Public Relations, Bill Parness or Lisa Kreda, (732) 290-0121.