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#476: Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Story | Building Loyalty Through Trust, Simplicity, and Scale: Inside ExxonMobil Egypt’s Rewards+ Program

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For over 120 years, ExxonMobil has been a trusted name in Egypt, offering high-quality lubricants and fuels through a vast network of more than 400 service stations and 250 Mobile One Centers. But as customer expectations evolve and convenience becomes king, ExxonMobil Egypt is leaning into customer loyalty as a competitive differentiator—transforming service stations from utilitarian fueling points into lifestyle destinations. 

In this edition of Loyalty360’s Leaders in Customer Loyalty: Brand Stories, we speak with Karim Nour, Egypt Loyalty Head at ExxonMobil. Karim takes us inside the strategy behind Exxon Mobil Rewards+ program, shares insights on reaching digitally underserved segments, and explains why trust—not transactions—is the foundation of long-term loyalty in the Egyptian market. 

Speaker 1:

It's Thursday, so it's time for another edition of our Leaders in Customer Loyalty series, the Brand Stories. In today's episode, we're going to be hearing from Kareem Noor. He is the Egypt Loyalty Head at ExxonMobil. Exxonmobil is known for delivering innovative solutions and strong partnerships across industries that bring value to their customers. Exxonmobil was also recently awarded a bronze category winner in the B2B customer loyalty category at the 2025 Loyalty Expo. It's a testament to their commitment to building lasting value and driving customer loyalty with their business customer relationships. Kareem joins us to discuss the ExxonMobil Reward Plus program and how ExxonMobil continuesward Plus program and how ExxonMobil continues to go above and beyond for their customers. Looking forward to the discussion, Kareem, thank you very much for joining us today. How are you All good? Thank you Great. Well, thank you for taking time again. For those who may not be familiar, can you give us a brief introduction to ExxonMobil and how was the company started? Why was the company started?

Speaker 2:

Fair enough. Well, first of all, I'd like to thank you for giving me the time to explain more about our loyalty program in Egypt for ExxonMobil Egypt. First of all, a mobile brand has been presented in Egypt for over 120 years. Exxonmobil Egypt is a leading provider of high quality of lubricant and fuels in the Egyptian market, having more than 400 service stations around Egypt and around 250 loops bay under the name and the flag of Mobile One Center and Mobile Auto Care. Moreover, that we have more than 55 convenience stores under the flag of on the run and way to go, serving the Egyptian market. This is in a brief about the ExxonMobil Egypt and history of operating inside the Egyptian market.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. Well, the convenience stores then. It allows you to have both a front court and a back court offering. It's something that we've become quite familiar with in the US and the fuel brands that we have To get a completely integrated program. Having a front court and the back court becomes essential, correct.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, it's now becoming a lifestyle, because the service station now is considered to be a hub for the service, food and even digital engagement. It's a one-stop shop concept, as they said, so, uh, so, having both the forecourt and the backcourt, giving the customers a great experience and, as well, trust, that provide us with an edge in the egyptian market, mainly okay, you know exxon mobil amazing brand uh usually viewed as more of an upscale uh brand.

Speaker 1:

You know what has led to its amazing success.

Speaker 2:

Well, there is a lot. Example the innovation, because we are a pioneer in the technology diversity. But one main thing that I believe is leading to success mainly in the Egyptian market. Exxonmobil success in the Egyptian market is the trust, Because in Egypt we're only not building or expanding volume or footprint, we are building a brand affinity and that's very important. We provide solution for our end consumer. As I said that, we have the forecourt and the backcourt and we are changing the experience to the customer. It's only not for the fueling or lubricants, it's a lifestyle. We or lubricants, it's a lifestyle. We are trying to meet the expectation and the needs of end consumer and making it much fun and a lucrative experience inside our service station or our territories where we sell our products. So it's not about selling the product, it's about building the relationship and the trust with end consumer Mainly. If we don't have this trust, we won't be able to survive 120 years in the shipping market. That's awesome.

Speaker 1:

When you look at your role in charge of the global head of the loyalty program. How did you get into the role that you currently are? Have you been in customer loyalty for your whole life? We'd love to know a little bit more about your current role and how did you get into the role.

Speaker 2:

Well, now I'm currently the Egypt loyalty head for the lubricant business. My journey started in 2005. I started as a fuels customer operation, then moving to the terminal fuels operation, then having some positions in the sales fuels and sales loops and finally joining the marketing team, as currently the loyalty head Egypt Loyalty Head. Joining the marketing team, as as current, is a loyalty hat egypt loyalty hat for sure, offering a unique experience and a unique understanding for the customer, for our company strategy and how to increase more our end consumers engagement to, to the brand, to the mobile brand okay, you know.

Speaker 1:

When you look at your role, obviously, uh, being the loyalty head of the lubricant division is a big job, lots of responsibility. Uh, when you look at your role, obviously being the loyalty head of a lubricant division is a big job, lots of responsibility. When you look at some of the challenges or opportunities you face within the position, you know what are they. What keeps you up at night?

Speaker 2:

Well, mainly, I can focus on mainly three main parts, which is regarding the loyalty part.

Speaker 2:

I mean here Reachability, awareness and digital engagement.

Speaker 2:

What I mean here, mark, mainly giving the fact that we have a large number of lube oil shops and traders, which is considered to be an opportunity, well, but it's still a challenge to reach these all lube oil shops.

Speaker 2:

We have around 40,000 lube oil shops across Egypt, which make it challenging to reach to all these loop oil shops or even to be engaged in this.

Speaker 2:

But we capitalize on a number of things. For example, we have the merchandiser, our arm in the field, and geotagging the services of these loop oil shops in order to be engaged. That enables us to have the reachability to this club oil shop over when in support of our above the line and the below the line campaigns and the communication and effective communication, hammering on the importance and the strengths of mob brand in the egyptian market and how it provides solutions and build the trust to our thesesloop oil shops. Finally, managing or attracting Zsloop oil shop digitally was challenging. That's why we set a priority by putting it in phases by starting the campaign, starting the program with an SMS in the first, then upgrading to a portal and, finally, through an app, through our digital platform, in order to engage this loop oil shop digitally and understanding their needs and wants and, accordingly, having the commercial authority which, at the end, increase our shelf share inside these loop oil shops.

Speaker 1:

Okay, exxonmobil being an amazing, large, significant global brand and having a global presence, what are some of the challenges you face when building and scaling a loyalty program across international markets?

Speaker 2:

As I said, how to reach this or how to, because most of the Z-slope oil shops are not digitally aware of the the new era of the technology. So, in order to change the behavior of these people and understanding the lucrativity of how to be engaged digitally and what is and how this will support their earnings or support their sales and performance, need to have more educating the market. So one of the challenges that we need to educate the market toward the digital era. So that's what Mobilao did, by the way, because we focused on three main aspects Mainly was the brand investment. We invest in the brand.

Speaker 2:

What I mean here in the brand, by building relationships, building a relationship with the oil shop, understanding the needs and the wants where they redeem the points, where they accumulate the points, what product they need for their day-to-day operation, for example. This all data were captured through our digital platform, which is the Mobility or the loyalty program. Through this digital platform, I can see and have a direct contact and direct link with Zip Oil Shop and end consumer and see how they purchase, the purchase behavior, how they redeem the points, from where they accumulate the points, what type of product they accumulate the points. Accordingly, this have a direct effect on our commercial authority in the Egyptian market. By understanding these needs and wants, I start to tailor an experience for every lube oil shop and every end consumer according for their needs and wants.

Speaker 1:

Excellent. When you look at the, you know the retail and convenience store sectors. It's undergoing a significant amount of change, transformation. You talked about becoming a lifestyle brand for your customers. You know. When you look at ExxonMobil, you know how is the fuel retail industry changing and how are you adapting to the customers as they change as well.

Speaker 2:

Well, as I said, in the past it was only for coming for the service station to fuel and go away and that's it, or having the lubricant and finish the whole process. But nowadays it's becoming a lifestyle, especially having the convenience store inside the service station become a lifestyle hub. As I said, I'm just not offering fuels or lubricants. We are offering a different experience for the end consumer the one-stop shop concept having a convenience store, having a car wash, having a light mechanic, whatever. So we have expanded at one place all these needs and wants regarding his vehicle and as well as upgrading his lifestyle, because it's becoming more and more here I mean here in the Egyptian market it's more and more as a trendy part. This is part. The other part was mainly regarding the changes of the price which affect the customer's loyalty and the customer experience. So we need to make the experience more tailored to the consumer, meaning that having a simple and easy way in order to attract the customer.

Speaker 2:

Because I believe in one thing that customer's loyalty is not earned by single transaction or discount, for example. I believe it's built based on trust. So when he has trust on the brand and what is providing him, so accordingly he will make the usual purchase and another purchase as well as the word of mouth. Finally, we have a nice quote here in Egypt for mobile that is being known for the last 20 years that mobile moves billions in the Egyptian market. So it's being trended that the mobile, the convenience of all service stations and all the services being included in the service station. So we were able, or we were the leader in the egyptian market, to change the lifestyle and the concept of the fuel service station to be a lifestyle hub for our end consumer you discussed, you uh at least you mentioned uh kind of raising, uh the rise prices right right now there's a little bit of inflation.

Speaker 1:

There's some challenging economic, macroeconomic trends and behavioral trends that are out there. You know, how are you like looking at those trends? Are those something you have a concern with? And, you know, are you using the customer loyalty program as a mechanism to address those engagement opportunities?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I believe these factors regarding the increase of the price of the fuel or the macroeconomics, the inflation, have a direct effect on the customer loyalty and the purchase power of the customers. Accordingly, we capitalize mainly on one of our tools was on the loyalty program. In order to have a direct connection with these end consumers, we need to understand, as I said, their needs and wants and how to provide them with a lucrative value proposition versus competition in order to be able to come to the service station. This is number one. This is number one. The number two it has to be an easy and simple process, not a complicated process, meaning that we need to have our customers or our end consumer engaged and excited and motivated.

Speaker 2:

It's not about just a program to set and forget program. We need to have a program that motivates people and to make use of it all the time and all over the 24 hours. We have an edge over the competition that we are only the one, that having a 24-7 operation in the Egyptian market, for example. That's why we did this that by understanding the needs and the wants, because Egypt, for example, and Cairo specific, is a city that never sleeps. Accordingly, we tolerate the operation at the egyptian market to be 24 7 in order to fulfill the needs of the customers. That have a huge effect on the trust that we are offering, that we are aside with the end consumer whenever he need us and whenever he wants us excellent and you talked about, uh, keeping the program simple becoming a lifestyle hobby.

Speaker 1:

That can be a big challenge for many brands who have customer loyalty programs is making sure the program is simple and understands and, most importantly, resonates with the customer. How do you do that, especially with some of the macroeconomic challenges that are kind of current in today's environment?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's a good question. Well, one of the main thing because we believe in something, because we are still uh, from my side that we are still young in the loyalty, because we're just only four years in the egyptian market in the loyalty program. We're still young, but we believe in one thing that we have a great opportunity of growth and improvement in the egyptian market for the end consumer. So we focus on the things, or we pinpoint on the things that no other focus on it. For example, I give you an example one of the challenges that happen in the egyptian market for the end consumer is the health care. There is no health care. So, accordingly, when we as exomobile one of the strongest brand, we just joined an activity with with one of the main provider of health care projects with offering a discount of 70 percent for the loyal customer or mob mobile customers when they engage to our program, with discounts on the doctors and the medical treatments, this is one thing.

Speaker 2:

The other thing we are capitalizing on our merchants, because our program is built on accumulating points when the purchase of our product and redeem it in our merchants. According, we capitalize on our merchants as well to provide specific offers through deal of the month, for example, and one of the final things that we are just working on it nowadays is Fintech. The Fintech is now hugely expanding in Egypt. What I mean here in Fintech is purchase now and pay later Buy now and pay later concept. So it's being financed, not through the banks, but through small fintech solutions that enable the end consumer to purchase whatever their product.

Speaker 2:

Accordingly, we're providing with them with extra, for example, a cash back, lucrative cash back, in order to be engaged through our program. Accordingly, we are focusing on the things that no other people focusing on it, especially the health care part and the deal of the month that every time, as I said, need to be motivated and excited, making the customer motivated and excited. So, accordingly, every day there is something new. You have to get to the app and to understand what is going on in order to be able to be engaged. That's how to engage, because it's not about loops and fields only, it's a lifestyle, as I said, and you mentioned leveraging your promotional partners.

Speaker 1:

engage, because it's not about lubes and fuels only, it's a lifestyle, as I said. And you mentioned leveraging your promotional partners, your suppliers, your chip companies M&M, m&m, mars Lays, whatever it may be, coke, pepsi that there's a big push for value right now from the customer's perspective you talked about it earlier the rising prices and being able to help them afford fuel or lube opportunities with their vehicles right. So, when you look at this push to value, is that something you're seeing, and how does that shape the rewards and offers and the overall customer experience that you're putting forth to help your customers.

Speaker 2:

As I said, the main thing is to the customer see the value proposition and the lucidity of what he's earning. For example, being simple and easy by understanding the points that he accumulate and redeem is very important in order to understand how he can accumulate and how he can redeem. This is one thing thing. This is the the value proposition versus the competition. So everyone has to compare what is offering from this company versus the other companies. So we need ongoing to have a value proposition compared or the competition and above the competition mainly. So the value proposition here is through understanding again the need and the wants, what they love and what they recommend.

Speaker 2:

For example, in the Egyptian market, one of the top things that the customers accumulate, redeem their points, is a coffee, a cup of coffee, and we have in our store, in our convenience store on the run, best coffee in town with a 24-7 operation. Accordingly, whatever he redeemed in the product is more lucrative that when he redeemed one of the product, whether it's fuels or lubricant, he will be able to have a cup of coffee. This is one example. So we focus on how lucrativity it is for our end consumer and how it's convenient for him in order to redeem it in-house at our site. The other thing we are capitalizing and we are only the program that will offer this package. We are all in Egypt.

Speaker 2:

I mean here that you can with your points. You can't redeem free products or fueling, which is not well known here in the Egyptian market. So we are capitalizing on our assets for more than 400 service stations in the Egyptian market where they can redeem in-house with their products. Finally, and this is also considered to be a new thing in the Egyptian market, the online integration how to online integrate with Amazon using your points in order to integrate with Amazon or Amazon Prime in order to redeem these points in the purchase of whatever product that you need Amazon Prime in order to redeem these points in the purchase of whatever product that you need. So, the value proposition mainly, it's a value proposition of your program that being compared with other program and have to be revised because it's a dynamic market. Every day there is a new thing, so you need to update with whatever new and to understand the gaps and the needs and the wants of your end consumer and traders.

Speaker 1:

By the way, Excellent the ones of your end consumer and traders, by the way, excellent. Since launching the ExxonMobil Rewards Plus program, what have been some of the significant, most significant updates or enhancements that you've made to the program?

Speaker 2:

Well, as you know, we have two types of programs here loyalty program. We have one for the trader or loophole shop, and other for end consumer. I will talk here about the for the trader because it was one of the game changer, I believe, in the Egyptian market. Well, keeping our leading position as a number one loyalty program for traders in the Egyptian market, it was challenging because the competition start to see the importance of your program and how it's paying back in terms of volume and in terms of engagement. So it was time to take it to the next level. What I mean at the text level.

Speaker 2:

Here we implement or introduce the new thing in the egyptian market, which is the t-ring or the trader segmentation. The trader segmentation. It was a new and a game changer in the egyptian market which has a direct effect in the volume and the engagement for the Lube Oil Shop. Why? Because we focused on three main aspects. First was the look and feel. The look and feel of the app. We have to make it more user-friendly. Even the name of the tiers.

Speaker 2:

We have been reflecting titles of empowerment like the king or the legend, because this, in the Egyptian market, make them more competing with each other as a loop oil shop Also, as well, as in order to move from one tier to another, which have a different pointing system and different value proposition, you need to have a specific product mix and amount of purchase from our products in the Egyptian market.

Speaker 2:

So the second thing was the segmentation based on the NSR, which is the amount paid for the purchase of our products, and on the product mix. The more flagship products or more premium products, the more that you can lack money and you will be able to redeem, as well as having a different voucher type, an e-voucher type from strong merchants like electronics, because it's one of the things that's expanding here. Finally, revamping the experience, meaning revamping the experience that we facilitate on these loop oil shops or the traders to better understand how much they purchase and how much is remaining in order to maintain their level or to move to the next level. So, in summary, one of the things that have a direct effect or have increased our performance or something new in the market was the trader segmentation.

Speaker 1:

Okay, when you look at customer loyalty, we get the privilege of speaking with individuals like yourself who lead market leading programs across the world in customer loyalty, and we love to know how they define customer loyalty. So what does customer loyalty mean to you and to ExxonMobil?

Speaker 2:

Well, from my side, I believe loyalty is being. What I mean here is how to build the trust and understanding the customer. Because in the past, to be honest, five years ago, we didn't have any direct link with the end consumer or the traders. We didn't understand anything, we didn't see anything. We didn't see anything, we don't see where he purchased, what type of product he purchased. So, from my part, is building a long-term relationship with this customer, because if you are not close to your customer, you won't be able to build for them. So, not understanding what they are focusing or what they are looking for, or even telling their experience, you won't be able to have the trust. Accordingly, you won't be able to survive in this dynamic market and even the competitions offering versus what we are offering. So, from my side, I believe it's building trust and understanding customers. Partnership forever that's what I mean. It's partnership for life.

Speaker 1:

Excellent. When you look at emotional loyalty, it's uh very important for brands understanding if they have customers who are emotionally loyal. Uh, obviously, everyone knows the great benefits a higher share of wallet, less likely to leave. They're going to be advocates for the brands. Do you feel exxon mobil has emotionally loyal customers and, if so, you know how do you measure that emotional loyalty?

Speaker 2:

well, yeah, asia is a is a emotional market, mainly for, yeah, yes, we have it because, otherwise, because, um, as I said in the beginning that we have been 120 years under 20 years, built on trust and emotion.

Speaker 2:

Because, because the egyptian market is more emotionally to the purchase and it's being done through, it's a heritage I mean here from families that recommend mobile, go to a mobile service station, change mobile one, for example, oil and so forth. But, regarding how we measure it, I believe it's through studies. We have marketing studies that provide us with the number of engagement, how emotionally they're being changed or being linked. Also, as well, we measure regarding the advertising, because most of the ads that we have in the TV is regarding the emotion, how to reflect this on the customer, and being measured through the agencies and provide us how much engagement and it's being reflected on the success of the program. To be honest, about regarding how many, how many people being engaged to the program and how many people are being uh, uh trying our program versus the competition excellent, you know, very successful program uh, market leading winning awards.

Speaker 1:

What's next for your customer loyalty, customer experience efforts?

Speaker 2:

well, uh, as I said, we have a great opportunity for the customer because we still uh I believe we still uh having a great opportunity of growth in the customer loyalty program versus the trader one. So I believe we will start on the segmentation as well for the end consumer, by tailoring and personalizing the experience based on the purchase. So what we are working on, two projects mainly. First one is the segmentation for the end consumers I believe it will have a game changer in the Egyptian market and the second part is how to merge the Fintech inside our loyalty program, because we are just still in the first phase of testing the concept, the proof of concept, regarding the financing process. So we need to embed it inside our loyalty program to have more value proposition to our consumers.

Speaker 1:

Excellent when you look at your customer loyalty efforts, the program, the great success you have. What are two or three things that you're most proud of?

Speaker 2:

Well, first of all things, because our backbone for any program is controls.

Speaker 2:

So I'm sure one of the things that I'm proud of that we have very strong controls regarding the loyalty program, that being reviewed with our advisors and controllers on a weekly basis in order to avoid any frauds or any any theft regarding this program, which is one of the important things. So I'm very proud regarding this part. The second one was the the move from the sms based program to the app program, meaning that educating the market, which is one of the uh one of the uh, I believe, one of the milestones that being done in the Egyptian market to educate your traders to the digital era concept and to be linked to your program so you have understanding what they think of and look at the needs and the wants for these traders and consumers. And, finally, the trader segmentation. The trader segmentation is one of a kind project that I'm proud to be part of the team that implemented in the Egyptian market, because it has a super effect on everything on the performance in the engagement of the shelf share versus the competition and the sales volume as well. Excellent.

Speaker 1:

And last question, a little bit self-serving what can Loyalty360 do to help you and your team with your customer loyalty efforts?

Speaker 2:

Well, I believe a lot. One of the things to provide us with the industrial benchmark and insight, because I believe, as I said, we are just new in the loyalty era or loyalty program in Egypt, as ExxonMobil, as oil and gas loyalty program, so still, we have a lot of things to learn from your side. For sure, regarding this part. There is a lot to understand, as I said, the benchmark and insights regarding the industry of the loyalty, whether for the B2B or to B2C, to better understand and better improve our program going on. And what's new for sure, what's new in the market, how to improve the engagement for our end consumer mainly. What, what can be done more in order to improve and enhance?

Speaker 1:

excellent. Yeah, we actually are in the process of working on our third annual metric study. We had about 45 brands take it the first year, close to 80 last year. We're going to get 100 people to take it. It's a member only thing, but we'd love to get you guys involved in that because the lack of metrics is pretty consistent. It's very challenging. We worked hard the last year to define 24 different metrics. We worked with the advisory board and our committees to define what they actually mean and come up with a timeframe of comparison. But, yeah, we can definitely give you information about that and would love to get you and your team more involved. For sure, fair, fair, excellent.

Speaker 1:

Well, now we have our quick fire question segment, which we like to keep the responses to one word or a quick phrase. The first question we have is what's your least favorite word? Impossible. What's your favorite word when excellent? What excites you at work? Gross. What do you find tiresome at home or at work? Slow, okay. Is there a book that you have read, or you read once or maybe a number of times, that you'd like to recommend to your colleagues? Yeah, think Fast and Low. Oh, yeah, daniel Kahneman. What profession other than the one you currently have. Would you maybe like to try?

Speaker 2:

Political leader Okay.

Speaker 1:

What do you enjoy doing that often you don't get time to do? Playing football Soccer Perfect. Who inspired you to become the person you are today? My father. Okay, what do you typically think about at the end?

Speaker 2:

of the day. The accomplishments and the challenges that we overcome during the day?

Speaker 1:

Excellent, and how do you want to be remembered by your friends and family? A caring person, maybe? Okay, excellent. Well, karim, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us today. It was great getting to know you and, obviously, getting to know more about the ExxonMobil Reward Plus program and how you developed it and how you are looking into the future to make sure the program is going to continue to be a market leading program. So it was great getting that update. So, thank you very much.

Speaker 2:

Thank you. Thank you, Mark, for your time and thank you for giving me the chance to take you through the journey of our loyalty program in Egypt here.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely. It's definitely been a pleasure and thank you everyone else for taking the time to join us today and make sure you join us back every Thursday for additional episodes of our Leavers and Customers Multiseries. And until then, have a wonderful day, thank you, thank you.