Photograph courtesy of TXB
TXB wants to increase loyalty app traffic by 35-40%, but scaling the program is a challenge for the 52-store chain.
Benjamin Hoffmeyer, vice president of marketing and merchandising at TXB Stores, told CSP that even though it’s a challenge, he wants to focus on increasing engagement and capture rates; make sign-up easier via PIN pad; increase gamification and app traffic by 35-40%; and monetize gamification traffic and digital assets.
Hoffmeyer was a tech and loyalty category small-chain finalist in CSP’s 2025 Category Manager of the Year (CMOY) awards.
This year’s CMOY awards featured 14 winners across seven categories. Winners from both small (99 or fewer stores) and large chains (100 stores or more) were selected for the first time in each category.
Hoffmeyer spoke to CSP about experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI), goals for the next year, what he loves about the category and more.
What’s a technology or loyalty feature that you haven’t implemented yet but are curious about? Why?
Shep Digital—this is the first company I have seen that can integrate into digital pumps and first loyalty provider to display custom advertising based on guest shopping history. Instead of showing the same digital advertisement to all customers, it would trigger custom ads based on when the guest enters their loyalty number at the pump. This feature would create a truly personalized one-to-one experience where guest see advertising they truly care about.
Have you experimented or adopted AI anywhere in the category? Do you plan to in the future?
Yes, we are using artificial intelligence to do custom delivery of our loyalty email and in-app messaging based on users’ optimal open rates. We are planning on leveraging AI more in scaling our loyalty target segment campaigns where an advertisement would trigger based on a guest with similar shopping patterns. This would allow for scale when trying to target guest with custom loyalty offers and messaging.
What are your goals for 2025?
Focus on loyalty basics like increasing loyalty engagement and capture rates, easier sign-up via pin pad, increase gamification/app traffic by 35-40%, monetize gamification traffic and digital assets via Retail Media Network.
Are there any recent changes/upgrades you’ve made?
Yes, TXB moved to BrandMobile for our TXB app gamification platforms and move our TXB app to the upgraded Paytronix Mobile Experience Builder, and in coming months, we will be executing partnerships with Retail Media Network companies.
What do you love about your category?
I love learning about the various customer insights and using that data to create changes in customer experience, sales and profitability.
What are the biggest challenges?
Scaling programs when you’re a 52-plus store retailer. TXB tends to fight above its weight class when it comes to branding and digital sophistication, but we still face challenges with scaling and smaller budgets.
What is another loyalty program that you look up to, whether it’s in the c-store channel or not? Why do you think it’s a good model?
The Chick-fil-A app would be a top one for me as it is simple to use and they are continuously adding new features like gamification and surprise and delight offers from local Chick-fil-A restaurants. McDonald’s has done a great job of creating customizable value and power of choice when it comes to using rewards.
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