"(MarketVolt) helps us design programs that are more appealing to the customer, and thus more effective for the company."
 
-- April Mehl, Marketing Manager
  
Client: Wallis Companies / Mobil
Based in Cuba, Mo., Wallis Companies is one of the top Mobil gasoline distributors in the United States and is a Regional Franchise Developer (RFD) for Mobil’s On The Run convenience store concept. Wallis employs more than 650 people, operating 44 gasoline/convenient food stores, and servicing over 70 dealer locations, all of which accounts for more than 178 million gallons of fuel annually. In addition to operating Mobil stations, Wallis also distributes gasoline under the major brand names of Conoco, BP/Amoco and Phillips 66 stations in eastern, central, and southern Missouri. Wallis operations offer conveniences such as food service, ATMs, Speedpass, touch-free car washes, and pay-at-the-pump.

Challenge: Convert Gasoline Customers into Consumers of Many Products
Wallis needed a quick, cost-efficient way to incent its customers to try and then continue buying car washes and convenience store merchandise. The company had base of loyal Mobil Speedpass customers, but no easy way to reach them with consistent, effective marketing messages.

Solution: A Multi-Stage Campaign, Using Several MarketVolt Features
 Wallis has used every element of MarketVolt's software to design and execute a marketing campaign that is meeting and exceeding the company's goals. The ongoing campaign has included:

Wallis Case Study Image» List Building, Using MarketVolt's Signup Generator -- Wallis sent a postcard, via U.S. Mail, to customers on its mailing list, urging them to signup online for a free car wash and to enter in a drawing for free car washes for a year. Wallis created the online signup page with MarketVolt's Signup Generator, which automatically processed the signups and sent confirmation emails, with free carwash coupons, to all who completed the online form.

» Monthly Email Promotions, Using MarketVolt's Content Generator -- Wallis has used MarketVolt to create, send, and track monthly emails (to customers who opted-in) with product promotions, announcements, monthly sweepstakes, and coupons -- all designed to promote car washes and convenience store merchandise. The emails have been created and sent by Wallis employees who have limited or no HTML and programming skills. The cost per email is less than 2-cents per piece, far lower than the cost for additional direct mail postcards.

 » Trackable, Digital Coupons, Using MarketVolt's Coupon Generator -- In each email, Wallis includes a link to a digital coupon that is created by MarketVolt's Coupon Generator. Wallis tracks who clicks through to get the coupon (with MarketVolt's built-in click-tracking), and the company can keep track of whose coupons have been redeemed because MarketVolt puts a unique, trackable redemption code (specific to each customer) on every coupon.

» Customer Feedback, Using MarketVolt's Survey Generator -- Using MarketVolt's Survey Generator, Wallis has begun to create online surveys and include them with the regular emails. This has allowed Wallis to establish a "Customer Advisory Board" that provides in-depth feedback to Wallis on promotions and products. Wallis has begun to categorize it's customer list based on survey responses (and information collected from click-through data) to provide more targeted marketing. For example, customers who tell Wallis (via a survey) that they drink coffee, receive coupons for discounts on coffee. Those who don't drink coffee don't receive such coupons.

Results: Meeting Expectations with Some Pleasant Surprises
The campaign has been a great success for Wallis, which plans to continue and expand its email marketing program in 2004. "'We've gotten great response to the coupons we've sent out, particularly with the car wash, " said April Mehl, Wallis' marketing manager. "Market Volt helps us design programs that are more appealing to the customer, and thus more effective for the company."

The surveys have been a big hit with customers and strengthened the bond between Wallis and them. Wallis employees have been pleasantly surprised with the volume and quality of the feedback. "It's amazing to be able to send out surveys and have personal and specific feedback within hours. This has driven us to place more emphasis on one-to-one marketing. The customers I have corresponded directly with are very excited that they've had an opportunity to give their input. And we're excited to have feedback that we can put to use immediately," Mehl said.