03 Feb 2003

TEXACO ADDS INSTANT REWARDS TO LOYALTY CARD

Texaco, one of the UK’s largest fuel retailers, is to offer a loyalty card scheme that delivers rewards instantly and without the need to redeem points, a first for a fuel retailer in the UK.

Around 1.5 million members of Texaco’s Global Club loyalty programme already enjoy one of the highest points rebate on their spend offered by any fuel retailer, but the company is now giving more back to its customers with the addition of the new “WE.O.U.” scheme. The initiative means that Global Club members can now enjoy extra benefits, including exclusive offers and competitions, whenever they want and without having to redeem points. To celebrate the launch of the WE.O.U scheme, Global Club members also have an opportunity to win one of three Mitsubishi Space Stars, worth £10,995 on the road.

Texaco, a pioneer of fuel loyalty in the UK, devised the WE.O.U programme in response to consumer research which highlighted the need for simplicity and tangible rewards. For the WE.O.U. scheme, Texaco has partnered up with some of the UK’s leading companies, including Mitsubishi Motors, Hilton Hotels, England Rugby and City Centre Restaurants to offer customers practical and obtainable rewards.

Nick White, Texaco’s loyalty card manager, commented: “Our research has revealed that customers are disenchanted with the confusing array of loyalty cards in their wallet that promise much but deliver little in terms of tangible reward. Texaco, in the form of Global Club Star points, has always offered a simple, transparent reward scheme with a high points rebate, but now with the introduction of WE.O.U, we can provide our customers with instant rewards as a thank you for shopping with us.”

The offers available through the WE.O.U programme are in addition to the rewards available to customers collecting and redeeming Star points through Global Club. The popular Star points reward system remains the same, with customers collecting points for every pound spent on fuel and non-fuel items* at Texaco sites, which are then redeemed for vouchers that can be spent at Texaco’s wide range of partners.

The Global Club card can be used to collect Star points at around 1,400 Texaco service stations in the UK, one of the largest petrol retail networks in the country. Existing Global Club members will not need a new card; they can carry on using their existing cards as normal. All the benefits of the WE.O.U scheme will be open to them as well as to new members, all of whom will receive a new benefits book with details of Texaco’s new partners. For further information, customers can call the Global Club hotline 0870 241 4993 or visit online at www.texacoglobalclub.co.uk.

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* Star points can be collected on every purchase at Texaco sites except for paypoint facility services such as electricity or water bills, London Congestion Charge payment or Lottery ticket purchases.

Notes to editors:

• Texaco Global Club offers members a 1.1% points rebate on spend at service stations, with £1 spent equalling 1 Star point, which can then be redeemed after every 450 points for a £5 high street voucher.
• Texaco launched Global Club in 1994, which replaced the Star Collection loyalty programme.
• Texaco’s partners for the WE.O.U scheme are: Mitsubishi Motors, English Rugby, Hilton Hotels, The Tote, VFB Holidays (Paris short breaks by Eurostar), City Centre Restaurants (Garfunkel’s, Chiquito Est Est Est and Caffe Uno), Leisure Direction (Eurotunnel breaks), The Great Escapes, The Original Tour Company (London sightseeing), Merlin Entertainments (The Dungeons), Travelmood, Motoreasy.
• Global Club Star points can be redeemed for Capital Bonds, Texaco vouchers, Arcadia vouchers and Virgin Flying Miles.