Website roundup
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based loyalty program company Points International has redesigned its website at <http://www.points.com>. The new site is intended to be more user-friendly and to allow users to manage multiple loyalty programs more easily. Users can track loyalty points from approximately 100 programs. The new site also offers personalized news feeds that provide information on and special offers from the programs of a user's choice. Users can also post information to the site about loyalty offers available in geographic areas. The company plans to introduce additional features later this year, including more social media integration. "With more than 100 million consumers participating in an average of 14 programs each, we felt it essential to identify opportunities to enhance and expand upon Points.com's existing unique value proposition," said Christopher Barnard, president of Points.com. "Throughout the design effort for the new site, we canvassed tens of thousands of loyalty program members and actively studied user habits. The result is a highly individualized experience for each Points.com user that offers the most relevant information and earning options for the multiple programs each user is active in."
Calgary-based Imperial Oil has redesigned the website of its Esso gas station chain at <http://www.essostations.com>. The new site is intended to be more user-friendly and includes a new locator function to allow users to find Esso retail locations in Canada as well as Exxon and Mobil locations in the United States. The locator makes use of technology from Google Maps and a new search function that allows users to plan a driving route that includes turn-by-turn directions and traffic reports, among other information. Users can also download routes into compatible GPS devices. "We know people depend on us when they take a road trip," said Simon Smith, vice-president and general manager of fuels marketing at Imperial Oil. "It's why we are so excited to help motorists find Esso stations in Canada or Exxon and Mobil stations in the US. This tool will also allow our valued customers to identify the specific retail services they need while travelling."