x
across Europe
Customer Satisfaction Index
including Poland, Spain, and Germany
in annual revenue as Pepco Group
daily transactions
Pepco needed a partner who could see the bigger picture, and Future Mind delivered, creating a mobile loyalty ecosystem in just six months. The app was designed to reflect our customers' habits and values, and Future Mind's ability to support us across mobile strategy, design, and development was key to one of the most significant transformations in Pepco's history.
Although a market leader, Pepco was yet to launch a mobile-first touchpoint.
Faced with the ambitious challenge of executing one of Europe’s largest retail digital transformations, the company approached Future Mind to define a roadmap and deliver a robust software solution that would bridge the gap between their physical stores and digital consumers.
The goal was clear: to launch a comprehensive, data-driven loyalty mobile app capable of sustaining long-term growth and customer engagement across all 18 Pepco markets.
Before the actual app development began, we conducted extensive market research, user research, and competitive benchmarking to establish a robust product roadmap. This strategic phase involved deep-diving into customer behaviors to determine optimal registration flows and application purposes.
In our partnership with Pepco, we took on responsibility beyond delivering the app. We helped the client prepare for a long-term push into digital retail, advising on team structure and digital transformation goals to ensure the mobile initiative would drive significant business growth and customer retention.
With the strategic foundation laid, we moved rapidly into the design and development of the brand’s first-ever mobile application.
Our team created a comprehensive design system that balances modern UI with Pepco’s established branding, focusing on intuitiveness to maximize user acquisition. We grounded our design decisions in extensive user research, testing specific elements like the layout of the loyalty card, bottom navigation menus, and onboarding flows to determine what resonated best with Pepco’s diverse customer base.
This research was critical in optimizing the registration process – we analyzed the trade-offs between SMS and email verification to implement a streamlined, fast sign-up flow that maximizes conversion rates and grows the user base efficiently.
We developed a Python backend and used native technologies for iOS and Android frontend layers, engineering the infrastructure to withstand massive traffic volumes. Our focus was on delivering core loyalty features – including the digital club card, weekly "Tap the Heart" game, and personalized discount vouchers – while orchestrating rapid integrations with complex systems.
We led the direct implementation of Synerise for marketing automation and Shopify for product data, while supporting Pepco and partner vendors in implementing other external solutions like the PIM and CMS.
We also provided strategic guidance in selecting the optimal technology stack, specifically focusing on Customer Data Platform (CDP) and marketing automation tools to facilitate real-time data analytics. Thanks to the integrations, the app enables rapid user segmentation and personalization, ensuring the ecosystem remains responsive to user behavior. This approach ensured a cohesive system where data flows seamlessly between the app, physical stores, and backend systems.
The solution allows customers to scan their phones at checkout to unlock exclusive benefits. We embedded gamification mechanics like the weekly "Tap the Heart" game directly into the experience to foster daily engagement habits.
Meanwhile, the distribution of personalized discount vouchers acts as a direct revenue driver by incentivizing repeat visits and higher basket values. The app further enhances this ecosystem with a rich product catalog, wishlist functionality, and inspirational features designed to encourage the users to maintain a close, active relationship with the brand.
This approach transforms the mobile app from a simple utility into an essential lifestyle tool that bridges Pepco’s vast retail network with the individual needs of millions of shoppers.
Recognizing that staff buy-in is crucial for success, we devised a gamified leaderboard for store employees. By leveraging Synerise to track unique QR codes and referral links, we created a mechanism to monitor which employees were driving the most installations.
This solution encourages staff to promote the app actively without the need for a separate, costly platform, turning Pepco’s workforce into a powerful marketing channel.
Our scope extended to creating the visual design for the new Pepco website, ensuring a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints without cannibalizing mobile traffic. We continue to support the product with ongoing operational assistance, including SLA maintenance and content management.
Furthermore, our design team produced investor-facing materials to communicate the transformation's success. This holistic support ensures that Pepco not only launched an app but sustained a high-quality digital experience that continues to evolve with its user base.
