Kennamer, LOC's CEO, said that LOC Enterprises is focused on simplifying the customer engagement process for consumers, and in doing so, providing merchants with the benefit of greater participation in customer loyalty programs from all demographic categories. "For those who don't think customers will flock to the LOC Card, the day the announcement went out in the local papers our phones started ringing with customers wanting to know how they could get the LOC Card! Think about that? What does it take to get someone read a story, look up a phone number, make the call, and ask? Just more confirmation."
"As we implement LOC and transition our customers over to the LOC Dashboard, I look forward to working with other Springfield-based merchants to expand the value and simplicity LOC brings to the consumer community here in Springfield." Ratner said his company plans to go live with the LOC Card in its stores before the upcoming holiday season. "What merchant doesn't want to make it easier for their customers?" "We have a very successful loyalty program but the LOC Card made too much sense for me not to do it," he said. Ratner said the use of the LOC Card system will actually reduce his company's costs of operating his loyalty system and increase Dave's ability to better connect with its customers. "We don't have to change anything about or in our current loyalty program, or our vendors, and we greatly simplify our customers' enrollment and engagement process in just one step." Ratner called the LOC Card a "win/win" for his company and his customers.
The LOC Card eliminates all these issues for the consumer without making the merchant change their loyalty system or provider, plus our system brings cost savings to the merchants." "Our data, as well as multiple other studies, show that the biggest issues consumers have with loyalty programs are 1) enrollment, 2) managing all their cards, and 3) getting pummeled with all the e-mails and texts trying to engage customers.
LOC is now actively signing other merchants to join the network. Dave's Soda and Pet City is the first merchant to accept the LOC Card. The system went live in mid-July of this year. Since that time, the company has partnered with manufacturers of retail and point-of-sale (POS) equipment and companies that provide loyalty programs to merchants to incorporate the LOC Card into their systems. LOC Enterprises introduced the LOC Card in New York City in January 2013 at the annual National Retail Federation convention. "We actually had a customer in yesterday, while checking out she was looking for her Dave's card and said, 'There has to be a better way.' Not that I had any doubts that the LOC Card was the right move, but this statement was just more confirmation that we are on the right track." "We are all customers, we all have numerous cards from stores that have loyalty programs, and we all are forced to manage those cards for each merchant," he said. "We all have fumbled through our wallets looking for a loyalty card, I've done it myself," said Dave Ratner, owner and CEO of Dave's Soda and Pet City, which is based in Springfield, Mass. As he puts it, “It’s all these big dogs - and me!”ĭave has represented the voice of small business owners before both houses of Congress and continues to work to elevate the retail industry.ĭave Ratner received the Silver Award from the National Retail Federation and was named to the Massachusetts Retail Hall of Fame in recognition of outstanding contributions to the Retail Industry and induction into the Massachusetts Retail Hall of Fame.CINCINNATI, OH -(Marketwired - October 28, 2013) - Dave's Soda and Pet City, a leading pet store chain in Massachusetts and Connecticut, is one of the first merchants to accept the LOC Card, the universal loyalty card developed by LOC Enterprises that allows customers to easily enroll in multiple merchants' loyalty programs and maintain engagement with the companies through LOC Card dashboard. He also sits on the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association Board of Directors, the only small business owner representing the independent retailer alongside the VPs of Marketing for Home Depot, Walgreens, and Target. With seven Dave’s Soda and Pet City stores, and a nationally marketed line of high-quality pet food for dogs and cats, Dave has earned a seat at the table on the National Retail Federation Board of Directors. When retail industry leaders come together, the pack includes business leaders from Polo, Neiman Marcus, Kohl’s… and Dave’s Pet Cityįor more than 4 decades, Dave Ratner has been building an independent, critically and commercially acclaimed pet supply business.