Big news: PDI Technologies is proud to have joined the European Loyalty Association (ELA).  

In this short video, PDI Sales Engineer Danny McArdle shares why we joined this association and what we value most about the broader loyalty community. 

He also explains how the PDI Loyalty platform supports a wide range of retailers in creating personalized, data-driven loyalty experiences that increase customer participation and drive a strong return on their investment. 

Ready to learn more? Schedule your personalized PDI Loyalty demo today

Want more loyalty content from PDI?

Check out C-Store Loyalty Insider for the latest in convenience loyalty—at PDI and across the industry.

With P97 Networks joining the PDI engagement solutions suite, our mission of “connecting convenience” just accelerated! While PDI and P97 have been working together for many years with mutual customers, it’s a whole new ball game to be on the same team.

Mike Melson, SVP/GM, Payments & Loyalty at PDI, and Don Frieden, Founder and CEO at P97, discuss what our combined technologies and solutions for payments and loyalty mean to your business.

Read about the P97 Networks acquisition

Like to hear more from Mike and Don?   

Register now to join us at Connections Live 2025 in Denver, CO from August 24-27. This is your opportunity to hear PDI leaders discuss the latest solutions and future roadmaps for payments and loyalty. 

Want more loyalty content from PDI?

Check out C-Store Loyalty Insider for the latest in convenience loyalty—at PDI and across the industry.

It’s inevitable. Every loyalty program will have its occasional hiccup—a missing reward, a promotion that didn’t apply, or a customer who’s frustrated and unsure about exactly what went wrong. 

In those moments, you’re not just solving a problem. You’re building a relationship. 

At PDI, we believe that the way you handle loyalty issues is just as important as how you structure your loyalty program. In fact, those moments of friction are often the biggest opportunities to win deeper loyalty when your team is empowered, trained, and equipped with the right tools. 

Here are three key steps you can take to turn loyalty issues into relationship wins. 

1. Turn problems into opportunities 

When mistakes happen, resolution moments become the hidden turning points in the customer experience. 

One study by PwC found that 32% of customers will walk away from a brand after just one bad experience—but 86% of customers say they’re more loyal to brands that offer great customer support. The difference? It’s not the mistake. It’s the response. 

When your frontline employees—whether store associates or support agents—have the tools, knowledge, and authority to resolve issues quickly and with empathy, they can turn what could be a churn risk into a loyalty moment. 

Even though managing customer issues can be stressful, there’s a silver lining. Feedback from customers is a gift. Great operators use it to identify trends or recurring problems, and they adapt with strategies to improve the ongoing customer experience. Be sure to communicate regularly with your employees and customers to acknowledge that you’re listening and responding. 

2. Empower your staff to act like loyalty leaders 

In the PDI Loyalty Playbook, we explain how to create a culture of loyalty where your entire organization understands that loyalty is more than a program. It’s a mindset and one of your most valuable business assets. 

That means: 

• Training store employees to confidently handle loyalty questions, card issues, and reward redemptions
• Giving customer service agents visibility into purchase history, points balances, and offer activity
• Equipping managers with dashboards that flag recurring issues or trends across locations
• Rewarding employees for “saving” loyalty moments or delivering exceptional customer service
• Empowering your team to go “above and beyond” by not just fixing a problem but also compensating customers for their trouble, encouraging them to give your brand another chance 

With this approach, every customer-facing role becomes a brand ambassador—with the power to turn a simple resolution into a memorable positive experience. 

3. Anticipate issues before they escalate 

What’s the best way to solve problems? Prevent them from happening in the first place. With PDI Loyalty, your team has access to: 

• Real-time data to validate redemptions and points
• Promotion timelines synced across the POS and the pump
• Member history to spot fraud, disputes, or trends 
• Intuitive campaign tools to reduce setup errors 

And, with integrated support features in PDI Experience Designer, your team can send “make-good” offers or apology perks instantly—turning any misstep into a positive memory. 

Real-world example: Starbucks as the gold standard 

The Starbucks loyalty program is a well-known benchmark, not just for its mobile-first design but for its world-class member support. 

If a customer reports a missed star or reward, they often receive a personalized message and compensation within hours. The brand’s support team is trained to reinforce the value of the program and the relationship. The result? 

• Over 31 million active US loyalty members 
• An average 15% higher spend by loyalty members compared to non-members 
• Over 50% of in-store transactions driven by rewards members 

That’s the power of building and maintaining a brand-wide loyalty culture. 

PDI perspective: loyalty is a people strategy 

Like most things today, technology is critical for a successful loyalty program. But it’s your people who make loyalty real. 

That’s why PDI doesn’t just provide platforms. We provide partnerships. We coach our clients on how to build scalable support processes, train frontline teams, and use every loyalty issue as a chance to drive retention. 

From loyalty troubleshooting guides to store-level dashboards and CPG-funded goodwill offers, we give you the tools to win the moments that matter. 

Final thought 

Imagine a customer calling you because they didn’t get their points. They leave the call not just satisfied—but more loyal than before. That’s the goal. 

In loyalty, problems are not necessarily disruptions—they’re invitations to show up. To fix it fast. And to prove why your brand is worth coming back to. 

Ready to build a loyalty culture that turns every challenge into a customer win?

Want to hear more from Mindy?

Mindy will be one of our many PDI industry experts on hand at Connections Live 2025 in Denver, August 24-27. 

Register Now

Want more loyalty content from PDI?

Check out C-Store Loyalty Insider for the latest in convenience loyalty—at PDI and across the industry.

Sources: PDI Technologies Loyalty Playbook, and PwC Experience is everything: Here’s how to get it right 

One of the most common questions I get about PDI Connections Live is why it makes sense to send multiple people from one company. I admit that’s a good question to ask, especially when budgets are tight. 

My typical response is that the focus on in-depth training for this conference makes it unique in our industry. When you invest in PDI solutions, you clearly want to maximize your investment. The best way to do that is to become as proficient with those solutions as possible. 

Our goal at Connections Live 2025 is to deliver the deep technical training your organization needs to thrive. This year, that includes: 

• 160+ classes 

• 86 advanced-level classes 

• 26 hands-on classes 

• 24-hour networking labs 

• Almost unlimited peer networking opportunities 

A proven history of team training 

That covers why someone would want to attend. To answer why anyone would send multiple people, I lean on the feedback we’ve received from previous attendees. In the early years of the conference, we discovered that team training became a force multiplier for many organizations. 

Instead of attendees overlapping with each other and diminishing the overall training experience, we kept hearing how organizations were seeing even greater value by sending a full team. By working in groups, attendees can apply their shared knowledge and learn from each other’s diverse experiences as they: 

• Build practical, real-world technical skills 

• Collaborate more effectively 

• Exchange best practices 

• Learn directly from PDI product experts 

• Cross-train across roles for greater versatility 

In addition, we offer multiple full role-based tracks for attendees. If you want to send different employees focused on wholesale, technology, accounting, pricebook, loyalty, or security, there’s a unique track for each attendee. 

Big savings with Group Discount Bundles 

Team training is so important that we offer a Group Discount for any organization or parent company that sends multiple attendees to Connections Live 2025. Here’s how much you can save: 

You can get all the details about Group Discount Bundles here. 

Please note that you must purchase your bundle by June 15. 

Savings for individual attendees 

If you want to attend Connections Live 2025 but aren’t part of a group, you can still save big: 

• Use the Early-Bird Discount to save $400 off the standard conference rate 

• Register ASAP, because this discount ends on June 30 

If you have any questions about Group Discount Bundles or Connections Live in general, just let us know at: connectionslive@pditechnologies.com. 

We can’t wait to see you this August in Denver! 

Check out what your peers think 

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Register now for Connections Live 2025!

What: PDI Connections Live 2025
When: August 24-27
Where: Gaylord Rockies Resort in Denver, CO

In the fast-paced world of convenience retail, loyalty programs can be one of the most powerful tools in your growth strategy—if you build them the right way. 

At PDI, we’ve worked with customers large and small for over two decades to create loyalty programs that do more than just check a box. We help transform loyalty from a transactional incentive into an ongoing performance engine that drives revenue, visit frequency, and customer lifetime value. 

Here are five lessons we’ve learned about loyalty—and what the experts agree are the foundational elements of a successful program tailored for the convenience and fuel industry. 

1. Start with clear goals—and the right metrics 

As Entrepreneur points out, “before you design your program, decide what you want to achieve.”

That might be: 

• Increasing visit frequency 

• Growing in-store basket size and overall loyalty member spend 

• Promoting CPG brands and new products 

• Adding loyalty members and capturing first-party data 

• Competing more effectively with other convenience and fuel brands to gain market share 

At PDI, we help our customers align their loyalty strategies with measurable outcomes.  

For a deeper look, check out our Loyalty Insider blog Measuring What Matters: 10 Critical KPIs for Convenience Loyalty where we explore KPIs like penetration rate, customer retention, and average spend by loyalty member—because when you track the right metrics, success becomes repeatable. 

TIP: When creating a new loyalty program, create a clear business case coupled with a Learning and Measurement Plan. This approach gives you an early advantage by setting expectations and understanding what metrics matter to your internal stakeholders.  

2. Keep it simple for shoppers (“KISS”) 

According to Antavo, “simplicity is the cornerstone of a good loyalty program.” And in convenience, where every second counts, clarity matters more than ever. 

That means: 

• Clear rules for earning and redeeming rewards 

• Easy enrollment (physical, digital, or via app) 

• Easy identification at the point of sale without overly lengthening transaction times 

• Visible rewards communicated through signage, pump prompts, and mobile devices 

Successful loyalty programs should include features like a clean mobile app, useful communications, and recognizable in-store signage—all designed to make loyalty consistently visible, accessible, and usable. 

TIP: Gain customer insights when designing and creating a program. Customer surveys, interviews, online UX testing, and even a proof-of-concept trial in a limited geography can aid in program design.  

3. Design for your business—not just your competitors 

Ascendant Loyalty reminds us that copying another brand’s program won’t always work. Your loyalty strategy should reflect your business model, customer mix, and margin realities. 

At PDI, our customers build programs that support: 

• Fuel-only offers, in-store offers, or hybrid offers 

• Multi-tiered rewards to incentivize frequency 

• Gamified experiences that promote fun and FOMO 

• Tobacco program integrations (where compliant) 

PDI Experience Designer is a powerful self-service platform that helps retailers create personalized, omnichannel loyalty campaigns with ease—no copy/paste strategy needed. 

TIP: Capitalize on what differentiates your brand. Shape program benefits and experiences around your brand equity. If you have a strong fuel brand, ensure your program offers Premium fuel benefits. If you’re known for your food, highlight food rewards when promoting loyalty. 

4. Avoid the most common mistakes 

Indeed and LoyaltyXpert both emphasize that poor execution can derail even the best loyalty concept.

Watch out for: 

• Overcomplicating enrollment or reward structure 

• Failing to promote the program effectively 

• Not training and incentivizing store associates 

• Launching without any tracking mechanisms 

• Offering rewards that don’t matter to your audience 

The PDI Loyalty Playbook addresses all of these areas and provides frameworks to train teams, measure impact, and keep your program aligned with your business goals. 

TIP: Harness the power of incentives. Design an incentive plan that encourages store associates to ask customers to identify during every transaction. Reward store associates based on in-store penetration, where their customer interaction can directly impact program participation. 

5. Use data to evolve your strategy 

As GRIN puts it, “a loyalty program is not ‘set it and forget it’—it requires maintenance.” At PDI, we couldn’t agree more. 

That’s why our loyalty solutions include:  

• Real-time dashboards 

• Loyalty vs. non-loyalty performance tracking 

• Behavioral segmentation 

• Campaign testing and optimization tools 

Whether you’re testing new offers, analyzing customer churn risk, or measuring lift by product category, your data tells you what’s working—and what’s not. 

TIP: This is where the real fun begins! You’re now understanding your customers better and how to engage with them. You can deliver pointed value and tailored communications. You can work with your CPG partners on enhanced promotional strategies. You can refine and build on your customer journeys and user experiences. And don’t be afraid to fine-tune your loyalty program as you continue to learn. 

Final thought: build loyalty around your customers, not just your brand 

Convenience loyalty isn’t just about points. It’s about relationships. It’s about remembering your customers’ favorite energy drink, rewarding their repeat visits, sending communications they care about, and making every trip feel a little more rewarding. 

That’s why we’ve built PDI Loyalty as a complete solution—from strategy to execution, backed by data, and designed for how convenience retailers actually work. 

Ready to create a loyalty program that drives measurable growth? 
Let’s talk.

Sources: PDI Technologies Loyalty Playbook, GRIN 8 Steps on How to Create a Customer Loyalty Program, indeed How To Create a Loyalty Program in 5 Steps, LoyaltyXpert 10 Mistakes to Avoid While Creating Successful Loyalty Programs, Ascendant How to Design a Highly Effective Loyalty Program,   Antavo 37 Loyalty Program Best Practices to Build the Perfect Concept, and Entrepreneur 5 Key Tips for Building a Successful Customer Loyalty Program 

Want to hear more from Dan?

Meet Dan and other thought leaders at PDI Connections Live 2025 in Denver from August 24-27.

Register Now

Want more loyalty content from PDI?

Check out C-Store Loyalty Insider for the latest in convenience loyalty—at PDI and across the industry.

Are you ready for another year of the industry’s premier training and networking event? That’s right. We’re already in full preparation mode for PDI Connections Live 2025.

This year, we’re returning to one of our most popular destinations—the Gaylord Rockies Resort in Denver, Colorado. If you’ve been there previously, you won’t believe the amazing upgrades they’ve made. And, if you’ve never stayed at the resort, you’re in for a treat.

At last year’s conference in Washington, DC, we hosted over 1000 attendees representing the full spectrum of roles from across the fuel and convenience ecosystem. This year we’re ramping up the training with even more classes, including exactly what you’ve asked for: more hands-on and advanced training.

If you’re looking to build your technical skills, expand your knowledge, and make valuable industry connections, this info-packed event is right up your alley.

What to expect (for new attendees)

If you haven’t attended one of our previous conferences—or you attended way back in the pre-COVID years—our focus is on delivering an immersive 4-day learning experience with:

• Classes and tracks for different roles and levels of experience
• Hands-on training to match your specific needs
• Networking to get 1:1 assistance from PDI technical experts
• Industry leadership tips and best practices

And that’s just for the training element of the conference. The other key focus area is helping you make impactful connections with:

• Speed networking sessions where you can get to know other attendees with similar interests
• An Expo area where you can mix with PDI experts and industry vendors
• Casual networking events like the Welcome Reception, Game Night, and Big Night Out (our customer appreciation party)

What’s new for 2025

We love all your feedback and recommendations for making Connections Live as valuable as possible. After all, this customer-driven conference depends on your active participation. Based on what you’ve requested, this year’s conference will include:

• Additional advanced-level classes
• More hands-on training opportunities
• New ways to influence the PDI product strategy
• A greater focus on loyalty and CPG brand/retailer collaboration

How to get the best conference rate

If you plan to join us in Denver, be sure to get the best rate. Here are two ways to save big:

• Individuals: Use the Super Early-Bird Discount  to save $600 off the standard conference rate. This discount ends on May 31, so register soon!
• Groups: If your company sends 5 to 9 attendees, you can save $700 per person. If you send 10 or more, you can save $800 per person. You must purchase your Group Discount Bundle by June 15.

Find more PDI resources

In addition to our annual Connections Live conference, we’ve recently broadened the overall PDI Connections experience with:

• Support resources, forums, and knowledge exchange on the PDI Connections online platform
• Live training courses, on-demand videos, user group conversations, and thought leadership resources on PDI University (an All-Access Pass unlocks nearly limitless opportunities for your entire organization)
• Connections Live Quarterly events to keep you up to speed on the latest news and industry trends

I hope to see you in Denver!

Sign up today

Register now for Connections Live 2025!

What: PDI Connections Live 2025
When: August 24-27
Where: Gaylord Rockies Resort in Denver, CO

Interested in becoming a sponsor for Connections Live 2025?
A few remaining sponsorship spots are available. Please reach out to us if you’d like to explore a conference sponsorship opportunity.

The funnel is dead. Long live the map.  

The traditional marketing funnel is officially a relic. According to recent research from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the path to purchase no longer flows downward in a tidy sequence of awareness, consideration, and purchase.  

Instead, it zigzags. It scrolls. It streams. It searches. And for convenience store retailers trying to build meaningful loyalty, this behavioral shift has major implications.  

In this new paradigm, loyalty isn’t something that happens at the end of the customer journey—it happens in every moment. That means your brand needs to move beyond campaigns and conversion metrics and start focusing on real-time, relevant, and persistent influence.  

Goodbye funnel, hello 4S behavior  

BCG identifies a new framework to understand how consumers interact with brands: the 4S model—Streaming, Scrolling, Searching, and Shopping. It’s important to note that this isn’t a progressive sequence. It’s a cycle. And it’s especially relevant in convenience retail, where customers often act on impulse based on proximity and digital nudges: 

• Streaming: Consumers engage with media across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify, absorbing brand impressions without even realizing it.  

• Scrolling: Endless browsing through social feeds primes users for micro-moments of brand discovery.  

• Searching: Voice assistants and Google queries reveal immediate options—your brand must be in the results.  

• Shopping: Consumers expect frictionless, omnichannel purchase options—both in-store and online.  

The PDI 2025 C-Store Shopper Insights Report validates this type of behavior. Digital-first loyalty users are always connected, quick to switch brands for better value, and more likely to act on personalized prompts than blanket promotions. In other words, they aren’t waiting for a linear offer—they’re engaging when and where it suits them. 

What this means for c-store loyalty  

If your loyalty strategy still relies on traditional segmentation, periodic blasts, or after-the-fact rewards, it’s time to recalibrate. Today’s consumers demand immediacy, context, and consistency or they’ll look elsewhere.  

At PDI, we help brands stay connected—not just at the moment of transaction, but across the entire loyalty journey. Our omnichannel tools allow brands to influence purchase decisions before shoppers are even ready to make a decision.  

Personalized, purposeful engagement  

The PDI Tracking Convenience Report shows that 74% of c-store loyalty members expect personalized offers tailored to their habits and preferences. That’s not a suggestion—it’s a standard.  

Using AI-powered insights, PDI Loyalty solutions tap into real-time transaction data, geo-location, and behavioral trends to deliver the right reward, at the right moment, through the right channel. Whether it’s a free coffee at 8 AM or a two-for-one snack deal at 3 PM, personalization drives engagement—and repeat visits.  

Loyalty as ecosystem, not program  

The most successful convenience retailers treat loyalty not as a standalone program, but as a connected digital ecosystem. This means integrating:  

• Branded mobile apps  

• Real-time fuel discounts  

• Foodservice rewards 

• Online ordering and delivery 

• Car wash rewards and discounts 

• Partner offers  

• Store locators and mobile ordering  

• Contactless checkout and payment integration  

This cohesive approach creates a seamless, engaging customer experience—and perfectly aligns with BCG’s call to replace linear funnels with influence maps. With the right infrastructure, you can surround customers with consistent, value-driven experiences wherever they go.  

The future of c-store loyalty: embedded influence 

To succeed in the era of the flattened funnel, c-store retailers must embed themselves into the everyday digital habits of their customers. Loyalty is no longer about asking for attention after a transaction—it’s about earning presence in the moments that matter most to customers.  

Imagine reaching a customer with:  

• A hyper-relevant foodservice promo  

• A targeted Google ad for your nearest location  

• An in-app offer they can activate instantly  

This is how modern convenience loyalty works. It’s dynamic, data-informed, and demand-driven.  

Let’s rethink loyalty together  

PDI is teaming up with some of the world’s leading convenience retailers to re-imagine loyalty for the modern consumer. Whether you’re modernizing an existing program or building a new digital-first strategy, flexible, scalable solutions can help you drive sustained engagement and measurable ROI.  

Ready to flatten your funnel and elevate your loyalty offerings? Let’s talk.   

 Sources: PDI Technologies, Boston Consulting Group, It’s Time for Marketers to Move Beyond the Linear Funnel, 2024.   

Want more loyalty content from PDI?

Check out C-Store Loyalty Insider for the latest in convenience loyalty—at PDI and across the industry.

In convenience retail, success moves fast—and so do your customers. With high-frequency visits, impulse-driven buying, and razor-thin margins, loyalty programs must do more than engage customers. They must deliver measurable results. 

That’s where KPIs come in. 

A well-executed loyalty program is only as strong as the metrics behind it. Whether you’re optimizing campaign performance, driving repeat visits, or proving ROI to leadership, your ability to track the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will determine your program’s success—and its sustainability. 

So, what KPIs should convenience retailers be watching? We’ve compiled insights from industry leaders like Forbes and ebbo, then paired them with PDI’s data-backed experience serving over 200,000 sites globally. 

1. Loyalty penetration rate 

What it measures: The percentage of total transactions made by loyalty members. 

Why it matters: This KPI shows how well your loyalty program is being adopted at the store level. A low penetration rate can point to issues with associate engagement, signage, or the enrollment experience. 

PDI tip: Use PDI Loyalty Dashboards to compare loyalty transactions versus total transactions to calculate your Loyalty Penetration Rate across locations. Set benchmarks and train underperforming sites to promote loyalty consistently. 

2. Visit frequency per member 

What it measures: How often loyalty members return during a given period. 

Why it matters: According to ebbo, increased frequency is a core indicator of behavior change—the ultimate goal of loyalty. 

PDI tip: Track frequency and layer on behavioral segmentation via PDI Experience Designer to reach customers with the right promotions at the right time. 

3. Average spend per loyalty member 

What it measures: The average transaction value for loyalty members. 

Why it matters: Loyalty members typically spend more per visit than non-members. Measuring this helps you calculate incremental lift, not just program engagement. 

PDI tip: Identify which product categories drive basket growth and use targeted offers to reinforce those behaviors—especially with cross-category CPG-funded promotions. 

4. Offer redemption rate 

What it measures: The percentage of offers redeemed versus those distributed. 

Why it matters: A high redemption rate signals that your offers are relevant, well-timed, and easy to use. A low rate could mean poor targeting, unclear messaging, or a lack of product availability. How a loyalty program is configured impacts the base redemption percentage. Knowing your average redemption percentage allows you to identify higher- and lower-performing offer redemptions. 

PDI tip: Segment your offer strategy by region, time of day, and customer type. Also, breaking down redemption rate by site will allow you to stack rank your stores and leverage any best practices. 

5. Customer retention rate 

What it measures: How many loyalty members stay active over a given timeframe. 

Why it matters: Retention rate is critical for understanding long-term program value. Keeping existing members is much more cost-effective than acquiring new ones. 

PDI tip: Create targeted, automated “Win Back” campaigns with PDI Experience Designer to automatically re-engage lapsed members. 

6. Loyalty ROI 

What it measures: The return on investment of your program: typically calculated as (incremental revenue – program costs) / program costs. 

Why it matters: Forbes calls ROI the most important KPI in loyalty. It validates business value and secures long-term buy-in from leadership. 

PDI tip: The PDI Loyalty Playbook includes ROI formulas and attribution models that help isolate loyalty-driven growth from other business trends. 

7. Enrollment Growth 

What it measures: The number of new members added during a campaign or over a given period of time. 

Why it matters: Growth indicates awareness and appeal. But it’s only valuable if those members become engaged—so don’t track this metric in isolation. 

PDI tip: Track conversions from every entry point. Incentivize store employees to promote your loyalty program by creating store-level competitions. 

8. Account registration rate 

What it measures: The percentage of loyalty members who have fully registered their accounts (i.e., provided personally identifiable information or PII). 

Why it matters: Registered members are more engaged—and more valuable. They’ve shared data that allows you to personalize marketing efforts, influence behavior, and track results more precisely. A high registration rate often reflects strong associate engagement and effective in-store promotion. 

PDI tip: Monitor registration rates by location to identify which stores are actively promoting your loyalty program. High-performing stores typically have well-trained staff who understand and advocate for the value of loyalty. 

9. Active member growth 

What it measures: The number of actively engaged loyalty members added over a given time period. 

Why it matters: Active members are the heart of your program. Growth in this group reflects the “stickiness” of your program—not just initial signups, but sustained engagement. More active members mean more opportunities to increase share of wallet and long-term value. 

PDI tip: Analyze which offers or campaigns are driving the most engagement. Use these insights to refine your promotions and allocate your marketing budget more effectively. 

10. Average loyalty transactions per store 

What it measures: The average number of loyalty transactions per store over a specific period of time. 

Why it matters: This store-level performance metric helps identify which locations are excelling—and which ones may need support. It’s a helpful way to benchmark store engagement with the loyalty program and uncover best practices. 

PDI tip: Stack rank your stores based on this metric and study your top performers. Often, successful stores have staff who consistently promote the program. Use those insights to train and uplift underperforming locations. 

Final thought: you can’t improve what you don’t measure 

At PDI, we don’t just help you launch loyalty programs—we help you manage them like a business. With real-time analytics, store-level insights, and built-in campaign testing, we make it easier to measure, iterate, and grow your loyalty program. 

Looking to use KPIs to drive smarter loyalty for your program? Let’s talk. 

Sources: PDI Technologies, Forbes Measuring The Success Of Your Loyalty Program With Optimal KPIs, and ebbo The 9 Most Important Loyalty Program KPIs.

Like to hear more from Matt?

Be sure to attend his strategy sessions at Connections Live 2025 in Denver August 24-27.

Register Now

Want more loyalty content from PDI?

Check out C-Store Loyalty Insider for the latest in convenience loyalty—at PDI and across the industry.

Loyalty in the fuel and convenience space has come a long way. What started as a simple fuel discount has evolved into a dynamic, data-powered ecosystem that connects every touchpoint—from the pump to the snack aisle and everything in between. 

In this blog, we’ll look back at how fuel and convenience loyalty programs have evolved—and where they’re heading next. 

1920s–1990s

The origins: proprietary fuel cards and basic discounts   

The earliest form of fuel loyalty wasn’t even called that—it was just smart business. Oil companies issued proprietary credit cards starting in the 1920s to encourage return visits. By the 1980s and 1990s, loyalty took the shape of cents-per-gallon discounts tied to fuel cards or store-issued punch cards.  

Loyalty was simple: buy more fuel, save more money.  

 2000s

The digital shift: loyalty gets smarter   

As loyalty programs took off across other types of industries, fuel retailers followed suit. With digital infrastructure in place, loyalty shifted from static discounts and punch cards to trackable customer engagement. Customers began earning points for their fuel and in-store purchases, and loyalty programs were able to start leveraging first-party data.  

This era marked the start of true behavioral tracking and digital ID programs.  

2010s

Personalization and partnerships: earning more, everywhere  

With the proliferation of smartphones, loyalty programs became app-first. Customers quickly jumped on board as retailers layered in:  

• CPG-funded offers  
• Grocery store and fuel loyalty tie-ins  
• Coalition programs across multiple verticals 
• Easy rewards tracking and offers  
• Personalized promotions based on purchase behavior

Loyalty started becoming a true business platform—not just a quick discount.  

 Today

Connected convenience: omnichannel engagement  

As loyalty has evolved from customers earning a reward based on a transaction to customers and brands building true relationships together, modern loyalty programs (like those powered by PDI Technologies) are connected across all customer touchpoints:  

• Fueling, shopping, snacking, fresh foods, mobile, and digital  
• App-based prompts, kiosks, ordering and delivery, and mobile payments  
• Real-time targeted offers from CPG brands  
• Insight-rich data analytics and loyalty attribution

In fact, loyalty members today spend 29% more and visit 1.5x more often than non-members. The ROI is real—and measurable for retailers who make smart, data-driven technology investments​.  

 What’s Next

AI, gamification, and deeper connections  

As we peer ahead to the next few years, there are clear indications that the future of convenience loyalty will be powered by:  

• AI-driven personalization using advanced data analytics while respecting consumer privacy 
• Gamified engagements that hold consumers’ attention and drive behavior  
• Subscription models for frequent purchases like Car Washes and Beverage Clubs 
• Connected ecosystems that unify loyalty, payments, CPG offers, and back-office systems  
• Frictionless experiences and instant gratification at every consumer touchpoint 

 Transform your loyalty strategy  

Loyalty is no longer about transactions. It’s about connection and experiences that differentiate your business in a crowded marketplace. And in an industry built on speed and convenience, the retailers that prioritize loyalty will continue to win—at the pump, in the store, and in the hearts of your customers.  

At PDI, we’re helping to define that future one personalized offer at a time. Looking to evolve your loyalty strategy? Let’s talk. 

Like to hear more from Mindy?

Mindy will be one of our many PDI industry experts on hand at Connections Live 2025 in Denver, August 24-27. 

Register Now

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A warm introduction from Linnea Geiss, Chief Operating Officer at PDI Technologies

Were you able to participate in the inaugural Connections Live Virtual EMEA event? If so, I hope you found it valuable for optimizing your daily operations and planning your business strategy for 2025 and beyond. 

If you weren’t able to attend, I wanted to share some key takeaways from this event that brought together industry leaders and innovators from the fuel and convenience industry across the EMEA region. 

Here’s a snapshot of four key items we covered in the virtual event. 

1. PDI’s global expansion and initiatives: why that matters to you 

Linnea Geiss, COO at PDI, kicked off the event by highlighting PDI’s global expansion, including operations spanning 60 countries. Linnea shared three major industry trends from her discussions with customers: optimizing enterprise productivity, meeting consumers where they are, and operating securely. 

As part of this global expansion, Dawn Desai, SVP & GM International Solutions, covered the company’s initiatives across six key pillars: brand, people, customers, innovation, operations, and continued stability to better serve the industry. Pointing toward the future, Dawn highlighted the focus areas of PDI’s next chapter of growth and investment in the industry. 

2. Loyalty marketing, supply chain integration, and data-driven decision making 

Can you guess what some of the biggest industry game-changers in the past few years have been? Kathryn Duque, VP of Product Management, discussed the importance of investing in data-driven loyalty marketing. Next up, Mark Evans, VP of Product Management, emphasized the productivity benefits gained from a fully integrated fuel supply chain. And David Anderson, VP of Commercial Operations, explained the growing role data plays in helping both retailers and wholesalers make more-informed decisions. 

3. Regional insights from industry legends 

One of the best moments of the event was the industry panel discussion moderated by Oscar Smith Diamante, Editor-in-Chief at MobilityPlaza, and featuring prominent industry figures. Frank Brennan, Chairman, National Oil Reserve, covered the impact of the 2035 EU directive for zero tailpipe emissions and the importance of investing in food and convenience services. Then we heard from Brian Donaldson, Maxol CEO, who shared strategies for exceptional customer service, digitalization, and sustainability—highlighting the company’s collaboration with PDI. 

You can view the replay of the panel discussion here. 

4. The next wave: PDI solution updates 

To close out the event, the PDI EMEA team updated everyone about the PDI portfolio of industry-specific solutions. Attendees learned about recent product enhancements as well as the future direction for key PDI solutions in the region.