Pies, vouchers, Airpoints: Z Rewards turns points into perks.
Remember when those annoying plastic loyalty cards cluttering your wallet were only about getting a discount for going to the same store every week?
Not anymore. Modern programmes are designed to reward customers and give them special treats, not just an occasional discount.
That’s why Bronwyn Barberel, Z Energy’s Head of Loyalty, says the transport energy company decided to call its new programme Z Rewards. “Because it’s a rewarding experience. It’s our way of saying, Ngā mihi, thank you for choosing Z. You can pick up the reward of your choice,” says Barberel.
It means, she says, that when customers go to any one of Z’s network of over 160 service stations, they can leave with more. “With Z Rewards we aim to add surprise and delight and for our customers to feel they’re winning. It’s a little hit of dopamine that you can get when you choose to convert some of your Rewards points into a treat for your whānau.”
Air New Zealand Airpoints™ have long been part of the Z experience, but now Barberel says Z is “really excited” to have them integrated directly into Z Rewards, allowing customers to earn Airpoints every day.
How Z Rewards works (in a nutshell):
Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on fuel, and 2 points for every $1 spent on most in-store purchases, EV charging or pre-orders.
Buy five barista-made drinks? That’s an instant 500 bonus points – enough for a treat or your next coffee free.
Points can be swapped at 500 points for a treat, or stacked: 2500 points gets you a $20 Z voucher, and you’ll still get a minimum 6c per litre off your fuel every day.
You can convert your Z Rewards points to Airpoints Dollars™ in one of two ways:
- Manual: Convert 2500 points for 20 Airpoints Dollars™, or 5000 points for 40 Airpoints Dollars™.
- Automatic: Every time you reach 500 Z Rewards points, you automatically receive 4 Airpoints Dollars™.
And the most popular treat? No surprise here: it’s pies.
“We were hoping this would be the case because we knew, before we started the programme, that Kiwis love our pies,” says Barberel.
“We know our customers like to trial our new pies using their Z Reward points. We put the cheeseburger pie on as a limited-time offer and it went gangbusters. The Z Rewards points were flying out the door, so much that we’ve kept it on our full-time rota.
“We think, coming into summer, that customers might like to convert points into our barista-made iced drinks, and we’ve put ice creams on the treat list too.”
Barberel says Z Rewards app users have increased 31% in the few months since the programme was introduced earlier this year. Customers report they appreciate the ease of use, and that the treats aren’t limited to Z products.
Feedback is crucial to what their outlets stock, Barberel says, and that has increased to the point where each site is much more than a service station. “You can get your groceries on the way home on those occasions when you forget that the toilet paper needs stocking up, or the milk, or the eggs. We’ve got some really neat deals on those as well.
“If you’re needing a snack on the go, come in and grab it. We have a full range of bakery items and our coffees are right up there with the best cafes.”
The Z Rewards app utilises the company’s digital-first initiatives which offer much more than the expected pay-at-pump or loyalty benefits. “One of the things that not a lot of people know about is you can pre-order your coffee from the next Z station. So when you’re on your roadie or your commute home, you can drive in and your coffee will be ready to be picked up.”
So, does managing a programme that’s designed to surprise her customers hold any surprises for Barberel? “Just one thing! We’ve got customers sitting there with points and we’d really like them to be able to gain a treat and use them.
“So they should take a look at their Z Rewards app and see how many points they’ve got because now we’ve got Kāpiti and Magnum ice creams sitting there as one of the treats. On a hot sunny day they’re the ones you’ll want to convert – and if you don’t want it for yourself, that small person in the back seat is going to nag you for it!”
Download the Z Rewards app here, or read the terms and conditions.