Innovative wash app that builds customer loyalty by automatically detecting a vehicle’s number plate using number plate recognition algorithms and triggering messages to people who have signed up for a loyalty programme, offering them awards for repeat visits takes home silver.
The app developed for CarSpa, a car-washing business in Illovo, Johannesburg won an award for having used AI creatively as an ideal tool for solving complex marketing challenges, especially in the small business context. The company developed the app with the aim of differentiating their offering in a crowded marketplace.
The award-winning app, won silver for best Marketing by an Agency; Most Innovative App Developed by a Corporate; and Best Low-Budget Campaign. The app is available for download on mobile, tablet and desktop.
Good Response from Customers
In the first four months after the programme’s launch, more than 250 customers registered for the loyalty programme and received more than 600 loyalty messages via WhatsApp. The top CarSpa loyalty programme member visited the business 39 times, and 32% of the businesses customers were repeat visitors.
How it works:
Customers are prompted to sign up for the loyalty programme when they first visit CarSpa by scanning a QR code with their smartphones. After a short registration form is filled out, each customer can opt to join a free loyalty programme or a paid membership programme. They then receive a welcome message via WhatsApp and a reminder of the benefits to be enjoyed as part of the loyalty programme.
Importantly, even if customers do not sign up for the loyalty programme, the AI system keeps records of their visits, giving CarSpa valuable analytics to support its future business decisions, such as the number of visits per day, plus the make and model of visiting vehicles and recognition of its top customers.
“We believe that AI tools merged with human marketing insight is a killer combination. The automation has allowed CarSpa to engage with its customers at the best possible moment – when they are actually using the service. This has definitely encouraged customer loyalty. We’re keen to do more of this type of innovative merging of AI and human marketing insight,” says Frank.