Dive Brief:
- ExxonMobil — which operates Exxon and Mobile branded gas stations — updated its mobile payments application to work with the Apple Watch and Ford vehicles that have the Sync3 dashboard infotainment system, a statement said.
- The energy company’s Speedpass cashless payment app, available on Apple and Android devices, can be used to buy gasoline and pay for car washes at about 10,000 gas stations across the country. The app also keeps track of points earned and redeemed with the Plenti loyalty program, Matt Bergeron, vice president of marketing for ExxonMobil Fuels, Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Co., wrote in the statement.
- Ford’s AppLink technology lets Speedpass users authorize payment — credit or debit card, ExxonMobil Smart Card, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay — on the Sync3 touchscreen, which also responds to voice commands.
Dive Insight:
ExxonMobil, the biggest U.S. oil company with $218.6 billion in sales last year, recognizes that gasoline is a business of distribution, and drivers often buy gas to satisfy an immediate need. A key way to differentiate a commodity is with incentives like loyalty programs, rebates and discounts. The company’s mobile app is another step toward making gas purchases more convenient while rewarding loyal customers who link their Speedpass and Plenti accounts.
Because gasoline is an everyday commodity, rewards that help people save on fuel costs are the most popular loyalty programs in the U.S., according to a survey by loyalty manager Excentus Corp. and Ipsos market research. One-third of consumers prefer gas discounts over credit card rewards, coupons, retailer points and instant discounts at the cash register, the study found.
While mobile payments, in general, have not caught on as quickly as once expected, using mobile apps to manage loyalty programs was most popular among millennials, with 38% of the age group saying they use a wireless device to keep track of reward points. Mobile apps led to a 4% decline in using plastic membership cards for loyalty programs last year, Excentus said.
