FAQ
Publicis Sapient partnered with Pilot Company to redesign and re-platform the Pilot Flying J mobile experience for guests before, during and after each visit. The work combined strategy, customer experience design, technology, engineering and product management to make the app more useful for professional drivers, auto drivers and RVers while supporting guest value and business growth.
What did Publicis Sapient help Pilot Company do?
Publicis Sapient helped Pilot Company reimagine the Pilot Flying J mobile experience. The work focused on significantly enhancing how guests interact with Pilot Flying J travel centers before, during and after each visit. It included a full engagement strategy, redesign and re-platforming of the company’s mobile experience.
Who was the Pilot Flying J app redesign built for?
The redesigned app was built for Pilot Company’s diverse mobile customer base. That includes professional truck drivers, auto drivers and RVers who use Pilot Flying J travel centers across North America. The experience was designed to serve guests who are constantly on the move and need speed, relevance and practical utility.
What business problem was Pilot Company trying to solve?
Pilot Company wanted to strengthen one-to-one relationships with guests in every experience and interaction. The goal was to improve utility and value throughout the customer journey while also driving incremental sales over the long term. The company was looking for more than a feature refresh; it wanted a more customer-centric digital experience.
Why was a mobile-first experience important for Pilot Company?
A mobile-first experience was important because Pilot Company’s customers are inherently mobile. Guests include drivers and travelers who need useful information and fast decisions while on the road. The app needed to support those real-world travel needs before, during and after a stop.
How did Publicis Sapient approach the customer journey transformation?
Publicis Sapient started with the customer journey and the moments that matter. The approach included primary and secondary research, interviews with professional drivers, value proposition creation and a series of micro-journeys focused on where mobile could play the most meaningful role. The team also created a multi-phase product roadmap and tested a new digital brand expression with professional drivers in multiple iterations.
How did Publicis Sapient and Pilot Company work together?
Publicis Sapient and Pilot Company worked together as an integrated One Team. The delivery model brought together business strategists, designers, technologists, product managers and Pilot stakeholders around shared goals. This structure was designed to align strategy, design and engineering instead of treating them as separate handoffs.
What services did Publicis Sapient provide in this engagement?
Publicis Sapient provided strategy and consulting, customer experience and design, technology and engineering, and product management. The work also included back-end technology development, agile delivery and re-platforming. Together, those capabilities supported both the new customer experience and the underlying technology foundation.
What features were introduced in the redesigned Pilot Flying J app?
The redesigned Pilot Flying J app introduced several major features aimed at improving guest utility. These included enhanced onboarding, a fully revamped loyalty system and a message inbox for alerts, offers and rewards. The app also added a dynamic dashboard, updated profile modes and predictive support for parking and fueling decisions.
How does the Pilot Flying J app personalize the experience for different users?
The app personalizes the experience by adapting to different traveler segments and journey contexts. Users can switch among Pro, RV and Auto modes, and the app adjusts the experience to the needs of each group. For example, search filters and relevant services differ for professional drivers and RVers.
What are Pro, RV and Auto modes in the app?
Pro, RV and Auto modes are profile-based settings that let users switch the app experience based on traveler type. This updated profile model helps the app surface more relevant services, amenities and utilities for each segment. The goal is to make the experience more useful for the specific needs of professional drivers, RVers and auto travelers.
How does the app respond to where a customer is in the journey?
The app changes based on journey context, not just user profile. A dynamic dashboard adapts to the needs of drivers inside and outside the travel center geofence. That allows the experience to shift between on-the-road planning and on-site utility.
How does predictive analysis help drivers in the Pilot Flying J app?
Predictive analysis helps drivers make faster and more practical decisions. The app uses available parking data along a route to help with parking decisions and directs drivers to the fastest fueling lane to save time. These features were designed to reduce friction and improve utility in real time.
What role do loyalty and in-app messaging play in the experience?
Loyalty and in-app messaging are built into the customer experience rather than treated as separate tools. The redesigned app included a fully revamped loyalty system and a message inbox for important alerts, offers and rewards. This gives Pilot Company a direct way to communicate with guests in more relevant moments.
How was the new app designed and tested?
The new app was designed and tested through iterative, customer-centered work. During the design phase, the UX team conducted on-site usability testing with professional drivers at Pilot Flying J travel centers. The new digital brand expression was also tested with professional drivers in multiple iterations.
How was the solution delivered?
The solution was delivered through agile execution over 10 three-week sprints. This delivery model allowed the team to move from strategy and research into design, development and launch in a structured way. It also kept focus on both the initial release and the longer-term roadmap.
What technology capabilities supported the customer experience?
The customer experience was supported by back-end technology that provides real-time predictive information about driver traffic and purchasing choices. The platform also offers business analytics that make data more accessible to decision-makers. In addition, the technology stack created a foundation for future personalization and features such as conversational UI and gamification.
Why did the underlying architecture matter to Pilot Company?
The underlying architecture mattered because it made the experience easier to evolve. Pilot stakeholders said the team could make changes behind the scenes without submitting a new app release each time. That flexibility is important for adapting quickly in a changing marketplace.
What business results did the Pilot Flying J app deliver?
The redesigned app delivered measurable growth after launch. Reported results include a 127% increase in app installs, a 170% increase in unique users compared with the previous year, 40% more offers redeemed and a 25% increase in sales. Pilot stakeholders also said customers responded very positively to the experience.
What did Pilot Company say about the partnership and outcome?
Pilot Company described the partnership and customer response in strongly positive terms. Stakeholders said Publicis Sapient helped evolve the company’s digital strategy by focusing on moments that matter and foundational business drivers. Pilot leaders also said customers liked the app, found it life-changing and responded very positively to the redesigned experience.
What should buyers take away from this Pilot Company case study?
Buyers should take away that this work connected strategy, design, engineering and product thinking around a customer-centered mobile journey. The Pilot Company engagement shows how segment-aware personalization, predictive utility, loyalty and flexible architecture can work together in one digital experience. It also shows that the approach was tied to measurable engagement and sales outcomes.