News

Pizza Express UAE turns problem into profit with WiFi

January 16, 2017

After hearing customer complaints of spotty WiFi coverage in PizzaExpress UAE locations, the brand partnered with Purple and CDW to install a solution that not only pleases guests but also props up profits and promotion value for the chain through innovative data collection, analysis and marketing usage, according to a news release. 

CDW provided the hardware, software and services in partnership with Cisco Meraki, Purple and Microsoft Office 365 for the new system. The free WiFi service now up and running at all chain locations serves to both enhance customer engagement and provide marketing insights, since the new system provides real-time customer behavior data. 

"Our partnership with PizzaExpress UAE shows the benefits of having a fast, free and secure guest WiFi offering, combined with easy to use detailed customer analytics," Purple CEO Gavin Wheeldon, said in a news release. "Purple has changed customer WiFi from a customer pain point to a valuable asset, introducing a measurable sales channel for the business as a whole in the process."

According to the news release, the chain now has more data about how often customers visit, their menu choices, social media interaction habits and potential for loyalty rewards. The system exports data which is then used to keep CRM and email marketing records updated to drive sales. The news release said Purple has collected 10,000 more unique active customers in just a few weeks' time, allowing the chain to launch other promotions which it said will ultimately increase traffic and spending per guest.

In fact, the chain said so far its has been able to generate more than 300 additional covers through an email campaign that used a single batch of outbound emails.
 
"Compared to the other platforms we looked at, Purple is more robust, the reports are impressive and the portal is far more visually appealing and easy to understand," PizzaExpress UAE Marketing Director Nick Freeman, said in a news release. "The automated emails are good for saving time, allowing us to focus on planning new marketing campaigns."
 
Other results of the service include an option to log on through social media, which a news release said has proved popular with PizzaExpress UAE customers, as almost 2,000 people logged into the brand's WiFi through Facebook alone in the first few weeks.
 
Likewise, since activating the 'Ask for a Facebook like' function in the portal, the brand has gotten 52 percent more of those brand affirmations in less than a month. And in the first four weeks, page impressions have grown 181 percent, with anticipated growth of 294 percent in the first three months, according to a news release.