Virgin Megastores Unveils New Customer Loyalty Program

Virgin Megastores Unveils New Customer Loyalty Program

Visible Results' revolutionary card technology is backbone of new initiative

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Visible Results USA, Inc. today announced that its unique GraphiCard(TM) loyalty card technology and CRM system has been selected by Virgin Entertainment Group for implementation early this month in select Virgin Megastores.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/CGW038 )

The new program, branded the V.I.P. (Virgin Important Person) card, carries the tag line "It's not the size of your V.I.P.-ness, it's how you use it" and utilizes the Visible Results GraphiCard(TM) loyalty platform to offer customers a unique point/reward program with special discounts and entertainment incentives - such as backstage passes, concert tickets, and instant prizes. Customers join the program in-store and receive their V.I.P. card on the spot. Points earned on every transaction at Virgin Megastores are instantly displayed on the face of the member's card, along with their new points balance and the points required to reach the next reward level.

"We know that the market for loyalty programs is competitive and we also know there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to these types of programs," explains Dee Mc Laughlin, senior director of marketing, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America. "However, we are confident that our V.I.P. program will offer unique premiums that will motivate and reward our most loyal customers. We've built our reputation on giving customers what they truly want. We've done the research and will continue to do more to identify Virgin customers' preferences, and we will tailor our offer accordingly."

The real prize for Virgin Megastores is the ability the program provides to collect an extensive array of customer data. For the first time, Virgin Megastore marketers are able to effectively mine transaction data, profile their customers to determine the products that resonate with particular profiles, and identify their most profitable customers. Each product, its genre, media type, and a range of other parameters can be automatically matched to the V.I.P. cardholder to facilitate the communication of relevant offers to each segment of the V.I.P. customer base.

The Virgin V.I.P. program is structured to give members one point for every dollar they spend while shopping with their V.I.P. card. Every time they use their card, they're automatically entered into a major prize draw with a chance to win high-value prizes (currently a trip for 2 to London is on offer). And because the V.I.P. GraphiCard is ultra-thin, it's convenient for members to keep it in their wallet and always have handy. Combining this interactive technology with detail customer data, Virgin Megastores will be able to ensure their best customers are identified, accounted for and properly recognized - every time they use their visit a store.

About Visible Results

Headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, Visible Results has emerged as one of the world's leading customer-relationship firms, serving a growing client base across convenience, fast-food, fuels, restaurants and the general retail industry. The company currently operates programs in fifteen countries globally, including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe and parts of South America. For more information on Visible Results visit http://www.visibleresults.com/ .

About Virgin Entertainment Group

Virgin Entertainment Group is the world's leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The "category killer" Virgin Megastores and Virgin Megastore Online at http://www.virginmega.com/ are integral parts of a strategy to provide entertainment customers with what they want, how they want it, and when they want it. For more information, or to check out the location of the nearest Virgin retail, go to http://www.virginmegamagazine.com/ .

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061011/CGW038
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Visible Results USA, Inc.

CONTACT: At Virgin Megastores, SJ Communications, Krysty O'Quinn,
+1-818-881-3889, krysty@sjcommunications.com , or at Visible Results USA,
George Stevens, General Manager, +1-913-383-3400,
gstevens@visibleresults.com

Web site: http://www.visibleresults.com/
http://www.virginmega.com/
http://www.virginmegamagazine.com/

-------
Profile: intent