Jimmy John’s, known for its “Freaky Fast” service and tasty sandwiches, also offers a loyalty program called Freaky Fast Rewards. Recently, they’ve rolled out some updates aimed at boosting customer engagement and sparking viral buzz. But do these changes truly enhance the program, or are they more “freaky” than fantastic? Let’s dive into the details to see if Jimmy John’s Rewards is worth your time and appetite.
In the competitive landscape of the food and beverage industry, especially in the fast-paced restaurant sector, loyalty programs need to be easily accessible and understandable. Customers want quick and simple systems, particularly when ordering on the go. So, does Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast Rewards deliver on both speed and simplicity?
The Perks of Freaky Fast Rewards
One of the most effective ways to drive adoption and ensure positive long-term engagement for any loyalty program is to offer immediate value to new members. Jimmy John’s clearly understands this principle. New members are greeted with a free sandwich after their first order upon joining the Freaky Fast Rewards program.
Gif from an email, showing an image of a sandwhich from Jimmy John
Alt text: Animated email showcasing Jimmy John’s free sandwich reward for new loyalty program members, highlighting a delicious sandwich.
This instant reward strategy is beneficial in several key aspects. Firstly, it encourages members to continue accumulating points – and consequently, placing more orders – to keep the rewards coming, which directly boosts revenue for Jimmy John’s. Secondly, it creates a positive association between the brand and the pleasurable feeling of receiving something delicious for free, effectively conditioning customer behavior and brand preference.
These positive emotional connections are evident in the over 200,000 images tagged with #JimmyJohns on Instagram, illustrating the brand’s strong social media presence and the potential for viral growth of their loyalty program. After all, who can resist the allure of a free sandwich?
New Avenues to Earn Rewards: Achievement Badges
Building upon a solid foundation, Jimmy John’s introduced a new layer of excitement to their Freaky Fast Rewards program in January 2023 with the launch of achievement badges. This feature presents members with engaging challenges that, upon completion, unlock unique and special rewards.
Image from an email about Jimmy John
Alt text: Email graphic announcing Jimmy John’s achievement badges for rewards program members, featuring “The Gauntlet” badge and a beanbag chair reward.
The inaugural badge, “The Gauntlet,” is awarded to members who order all 25 of Jimmy John’s core menu sandwiches. The reward for conquering this sandwich marathon? A Jimmy John’s branded beanbag chair.
While the beanbag chair might seem like an unconventional reward for consuming 25 sandwiches, it suggests Jimmy John’s is aiming for a unique and memorable prize. Perhaps market research indicated a demand for such a novelty item among their customer base. Regardless, “The Gauntlet” is undeniably a significant challenge, designed to deeply engage loyal customers. Whether this bold approach resonates with the wider audience remains to be seen.
App-Exclusive Engagement for Data and Focus
From a strategic business and customer engagement perspective, Jimmy John’s has structured Freaky Fast Rewards and its new challenges to be primarily an “owned” customer experience within their mobile app.
Instead of allowing members to participate through their website, where standard, non-loyalty orders can be placed, Jimmy John’s directs users to download and use their mobile app to access and engage with the reward challenges.
Screenshot of the Apple App Store, showing the Jimmy John
Alt text: Jimmy John’s mobile app listing in the Apple App Store, displaying app icon and customer ratings, emphasizing app-based rewards access.
Restricting Freaky Fast Rewards badges and challenges to the mobile app offers Jimmy John’s several advantages. Firstly, it minimizes distractions for customers. Unlike browsing on a website with multiple tabs and potential diversions, a mobile app captures the user’s full, albeit temporary, attention.
Secondly, app-based engagement enables the use of push notifications, a less intrusive method compared to SMS or email marketing, to re-engage users and remind them about the rewards program. By encouraging frequent app usage and interaction with the rewards program, Jimmy John’s aims to maintain top-of-mind awareness whenever customers consider their next meal. This strategy is geared towards fostering habitual ordering and maximizing customer lifetime value.
Areas Where Freaky Fast Rewards Falls Short
Despite its appealing aspects, Freaky Fast Rewards is not without its shortcomings. Several elements of the program might leave customers with a less than satisfactory experience.
Mobile App Dependency Limits Accessibility
While prioritizing the mobile app for rewards engagement serves Jimmy John’s business objectives, it presents a less-than-ideal user experience for a significant segment of potential customers.
Screenshot from Pew Research showing that 15% of percentage of US Americans do not have access to a Smart Phone
Alt text: Pew Research Center statistic showing 15% of US adults lack smartphone access in 2021, illustrating digital divide impacting mobile-app-only loyalty programs.
Although smartphone penetration is high, a Pew Research Center study reveals that approximately 15% of American adults do not own a smartphone. This app-only approach effectively excludes nearly 40 million Americans from fully participating in Jimmy John’s rewards program and accessing the achievement badges.
Furthermore, relying solely on the mobile app hinders the potential benefits of omnichannel commerce. Allowing loyalty program members to seamlessly interact across different touchpoints – ordering in-store and tracking progress in the app, for instance – would significantly enhance engagement by offering greater convenience and flexibility. An integrated omnichannel experience would cater to a wider range of customer preferences and improve overall program usability.
Exclusivity and the Gauntlet Challenge’s Practicality
The concept of achievement badges and challenges is promising, but the execution, especially with “The Gauntlet” as the inaugural challenge, overlooks crucial practical considerations.
Image of Jimmy John
Alt text: Close-up image of a Jimmy John’s sandwich, representing the variety required to complete “The Gauntlet” challenge and potential dietary restrictions.
For example, the “Gauntlet” requires consuming all 25 core sandwiches. This poses a significant barrier for members with dietary restrictions, allergies, intolerances, or even simple dislikes towards specific ingredients in just one of the Original sandwiches. Does this mean these customers are permanently excluded from completing the Gauntlet challenge?
While this might seem like a minor point, it highlights a potential oversight. Restaurants should strive to make loyalty programs inclusive and appealing to the broadest possible customer base. Focusing challenges solely on consuming a wide variety of menu items might inadvertently alienate customers with specific dietary needs or preferences, potentially limiting program participation and goodwill. A more flexible and personalized challenge structure could enhance inclusivity and broaden appeal.
Limited Badge Variety and Time-Constrained Challenges
Launching with “The Gauntlet” undoubtedly generated initial press attention. However, after the initial excitement, presenting “buy 25 different sandwiches” as the primary challenge, coupled with a completion deadline of March 15th, 2023, may have been demotivating for existing members seeking sustained engagement. Announced in mid-January, “The Gauntlet” demanded customers to purchase an average of 2 to 3 different sandwiches per week.
Considering an average sandwich price of around $10, completing “The Gauntlet” requires a significant investment of approximately $250 to earn the beanbag chair reward. While the spend-to-reward ratio might align with the recommended 3-10% return on loyalty programs, the sheer volume and pace of consumption required for this initial challenge might be overwhelming for many customers.
Beyond “The Gauntlet,” the program offered badges for placing the first order (which unlocks the pre-existing free sandwich perk) and a “Super Host” badge for spending $75 in a single transaction, which was only available until late February. The limited number of initial badges and their time-sensitive nature might hinder long-term excitement and sustained participation in the rewards program beyond the initial launch period. A more diverse and ongoing rollout of badges with varying difficulty levels and reward types could maintain customer interest and program vitality.
Demotivating Mystery Rewards in the Standard Program
Beyond the new badge system, the standard Freaky Fast Rewards program suffers from fundamental issues, primarily centered around the “mystery” reward system.
GIF from the Jimmy John
Alt text: Animated Jimmy John’s rewards program graphic with mystery reward reveal, symbolizing unpredictable value and potential customer disappointment.
The core frustration stems from the unpredictable nature of the rewards. Members are kept in the dark about what they are working towards, directly contradicting established loyalty program best practices. While the element of surprise might be intended to generate excitement, the reality is that reward values vary drastically, from a desirable free sandwich to a less appealing single pickle. This inconsistency creates a negative customer experience and can lead to dissatisfaction.
This issue is further compounded by the reward system being based on the number of qualifying orders rather than the total amount spent. This encourages customers to split orders into multiple smaller transactions instead of consolidating them into larger, more profitable orders for Jimmy John’s. Furthermore, customers who place larger orders receive no additional benefit, diminishing the incentive for increased spending.
Implementing a points-per-dollar system would address these shortcomings by making every dollar spent valuable to customers and incentivizing larger order values for Jimmy John’s – a mutually beneficial approach. A points-based system offers transparency, predictability, and fairness, fostering greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Freaky Fast Rewards Needs More Than Just a Pickle
Overall, Jimmy John’s deserves credit for innovating and attempting to revitalize their Freaky Fast Rewards program with new features like achievement badges. However, significant improvements are necessary. Learning from the initial badge challenges and carefully planning future updates are crucial steps. Jimmy John’s should prioritize making the program more engaging, accessible, and rewarding for all sandwich enthusiasts.
And importantly, when it comes to rewards, offering customers more than just a pickle is essential to truly cultivate lasting loyalty. A shift towards a more transparent, flexible, and value-driven rewards system will be key to unlocking the full potential of Jimmy John’s Freaky Fast Rewards program.
