Advancing AI in Restaurant Marketing - With abundant tools available to capture data for customer attraction and retention, it is important to assess the need for skilled personnel to utilize that data effectively. Many brands struggle with maximizing these tools, opting to assign the task of managing complex loyalty campaigns to junior marketers. Jeremy Theisen believes the key to growth lies in continually expanding the database, and integrating AI-driven tools could bridge the gap, providing smarter insights and strategies without the need for large, highly experienced teams.
Loyalty Programs as Revenue Generators - Jeremy Theisen says when loyalty programs are operating correctly, vendors should have transparent conversations with brands about the true costs of implementing loyalty programs, including the required personnel, and the potential outcomes. He notes that loyalty programs are often viewed in a negative light, limiting their potential, and leaving untapped potential for loyalty programs to be leveraged as key revenue generators.
Emerging Tech Trends in Loyalty - Customer engagement plays an important role in the success of any business. As business evolves, Jeremy Theisen foresees revenue recapture tools as an incoming wave within the loyalty space that will help businesses understand where gaps may exist and who should be tapped within the company to address them.
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In a recent episode of Data Delicacies, hosted by Arun Kumar of Incentivio, Jeremy Theisen, Chief Revenue Officer of Hang, provided insightful commentary on the evolving landscape of restaurant marketing, particularly the role of AI and loyalty programs in driving customer engagement. Theisen highlighted the challenges many brands face in utilizing the abundance of data available for customer retention, suggesting that AI could bridge the gap between tools and actionable insights, allowing brands to operate smarter with fewer resources.
Leveraging AI to Maximize Customer Retention
Theisen pointed out that many restaurants fail to fully utilize loyalty tools, often assigning these tasks to less-experienced marketers. He emphasized the importance of integrating AI-driven tools to enhance the effectiveness of loyalty programs. By employing AI, Theisen believes brands can automate smarter strategies and better target promotions, ultimately creating a more efficient path to customer retention.
“The only way for guys like us to move the industry forward is to develop tools a lot more focused on AI that bridge the gap between what the tool can do and what we think consumers want.”
Tough Conversations for Long-Term Growth
Theisen also stressed the need for honest conversations between vendors and brands about the true costs and potential outcomes of loyalty programs. Many brands see loyalty as a cost center rather than a revenue generator, which Theisen attributes to a lack of proper operation. He believes transparency about the necessary investment in personnel and tools can unlock loyalty programs' full potential.
“There are still too many folks that look at [loyalty programs] as a call center... but listen to Chipotle and Yum! Brands earnings calls—they’ll tell you everything coming through digital, and that doesn't just mean online ordering.”
Exciting Innovations in the Loyalty Space
Looking to the future, Theisen identified revenue recapture tools as a major trend in loyalty, which will allow businesses to track gaps in customer engagement and find ways to bring back lapsed users. He also pointed to companies like Ovation and Momos, which have raised significant funds in the review space, suggesting that customer feedback tools may evolve similarly to loyalty programs.
These emerging technologies, he noted, are reshaping the way businesses approach customer retention and engagement in an increasingly competitive market.
Episode Links
ABOUT JEREMY THEISEN—
With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Jeremy Theisen has built a reputation for driving growth, optimizing revenue, and leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance operations. As the Chief Revenue Officer at Hang, Jeremy excels in creating dynamic, high-performing teams and fostering a vibrant company culture. His expertise in blending innovation with strategic leadership has helped numerous brands navigate the complexities of modern customer engagement and loyalty, positioning them for long-term success.
ABOUT DATA DELICACIES—
Data Delicacies is a weekly podcast that dives deep into the world of technology and data as it pertains to restaurants. Host Arun Kumar interviews some of the best and brightest in the industry about all things hospitality tech, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
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