7-Eleven launched a chatbot platform on Nov. 15 that company officials say is poised to propel the convenience retailing industry into a new era of “conversational commerce.”
The 7-Eleven Bot on Messenger allows customers to engage with the brand from within Facebook.
It is estimated that nearly 1.3 billion people use Messenger each month, and 7-Eleven saw an opportunity to reach customers in their online ecosystem by leveraging the Messenger app.
Users can sign up for the 7Rewards customer loyalty platform, find a store location near them and learn about the latest discount offers and more 24/7.
“Today’s digital-savvy consumers expect brands to be present when and where they choose, in an effortless manner, and 7-Eleven Bot on Messenger allows that to happen,” said Gurmeet Singh, 7-Eleven chief digital officer. “We are launching a unique loyalty experience for our consumers through an intelligent bot. Using groundbreaking technology, customers immediately receive a digital card in messenger and can scan to start earning points and check status as well as collect coupons when they choose. Bye-bye physical loyalty cards.”
7Rewards expanded
In other news, the 7Rewards loyalty program has recently expanded to give members the opportunity to earn and redeem points—including bonus points—while they shop. This is in addition to the original “Buy 6 Cups-Get the 7th Free” 7Rewards offer on any 7-Eleven proprietary beverages such as coffee, Big Gulp fountain drinks and Slurpee semi-frozen drinks. Digital coupons also are redeemed through the 7Rewards app, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.
7-Eleven also announced a few other customer-centric innovations: the growing availability of Amazon Lockers for package pickup; expansion of on-demand customer delivery service in 35 cities in collaboration with Postmates; and an alliance with the PayNearMe app to help cash users pay for a variety of bills within a 7-Eleven store.