DETROIT — Stellantis is meting out rewards to drivers by means of a smartphone app that additionally serves as an exploratory device into new income streams.
The Stellantis Miles app is incentivizing journey of all types, whether or not driving, utilizing ride-sharing companies, biking or simply taking a jog. The accrued miles might be redeemed at Stellantis dealerships for oil modifications and different purchases or at greater than 250 companies together with Amazon, Starbucks, Goal and Walmart.
Whereas the perks might be attractive for its model prospects, Stellantis is reaping rewards as effectively by creating a deeper relationship with them and studying extra about them. This data might show helpful because the automaker develops enterprise fashions that transcend promoting automobiles, mentioned Mamatha Chamarthi, head of software program enterprise and product administration for Stellantis.
“There’s a basic shift within the enterprise mannequin within the auto trade,” Chamarthi advised Automotive Information. “We do not need to name ourselves auto anymore. We need to name ourselves mobility tech, proper? And so there is a basic shift from a one-time promoting of the automobile by means of a dealership to a recurring income mannequin.”
The idea took place final yr after Fiat Chrysler Cars challenged workers to carry modern concepts to the desk for a “Pitch Evening” competitors styled after the TV present “Shark Tank.” “Pitch Evening” has since been rebranded and expanded into a worldwide contest known as Star*Up after the January merger between FCA and PSA Group into Stellantis.
Concepts already are flowing from Star*Up. The corporate held Star*Up occasions in its six areas throughout the summer time, and Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares picked the winner in October. The automaker hasn’t publicly introduced what that idea is but.
“Drawing inspiration from our workers’ innovation potential is so essential as a result of each — coming from such numerous, wealthy experiences — have a look at the auto trade differently,” Chamarthi mentioned. “Tapping into the potential will assist us speed up our transformation.”
Stellantis partnered with rewards app Miles for this system and launched a pilot late final yr to see how it could resonate with customers. Round 80 p.c donated a portion of their miles to charities comparable to Toys for Tots and Habitat for Humanity.
The automaker additionally began an initiative that allowed customers to commit miles towards wildfire aid. Inside 24 hours, practically 600 of them had donated miles to have 1,000 timber planted.
The dealership advantages had been added to this system in October.
Stellantis says the app routinely logs every journey together with the mode of transportation whereas retaining private information non-public.
Individuals can observe their miles earned per journey and obtain customized rewards or unique perks redeemable both on-line, at a close-by retailer or at a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat or Alfa Romeo dealership. The concept was impressed by loyalty plans outdoors the auto trade.
If all goes in keeping with plan, the rewards program will drive extra enterprise to dealership service lanes. Oil change reductions could be a draw, however Chamarthi says prospects can also redeem miles for equipment and merchandise from their favourite manufacturers.
Stellantis will element its software program plans and the way it intends to become profitable from new enterprise fashions Dec. 7.
“We need to get into the microtransactions,” Chamarthi mentioned. “The extra we all know in regards to the life-style selections of our prospects, the extra customized our software program choices are to these prospects.”