SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--FiveStars (www.fivestars.com), a loyalty automation platform for local businesses, today announced the official launch of AutoPilot, a mobile marketing automation tool for merchants that provides real-time, targeted promotions to customers based on their individual purchase behavior. Part of the FiveStars Loyalty Automation Platform, AutoPilot has logged strong results in pre-release field testing and is ideal for any local business seeking to increase visits, spend and customer retention.

Over a multiple-month test, AutoPilot gained penetration in over 2,000 small businesses across the U.S. Results were outstanding, with some merchants seeing up to a 45% increase in in-store visits per month, a 20% increase in spend-per-visit, and up to an 80% increase in customer retention.

AutoPilot lets local merchants automatically communicate with customers’ mobile devices via SMS, push notifications and email. The tool uses segmentation technology to put customers into “loyalty buckets” and sends messages triggered by events such as in-store visits, customer birthdays, specific purchases, or if a regular customer hasn’t visited a store recently. AutoPilot automatically sends the right message to the right customer over the right channel.

In addition to its messaging capability, AutoPilot offers sophisticated features that are valuable for multi-location chains and franchise groups. The tool’s capabilities include A/B testing, reminders, SKU triggers, and smart multi-channel message delivery. AutoPilot is available as part of the FiveStars package, available on all point-of-sale systems.

“10% of all FiveStars AutoPilot promotions result in an in-store sale - this tool has proven to be up to ten times more effective than traditional marketing activities such as email blasts,” said Victor Ho, CEO and co-founder of FiveStars. “More importantly, AutoPilot frees merchants from setting up targeted sales campaigns or promotions. With AutoPilot, messages are created, targeted, and delivered automatically for maximum effectiveness.”

Company Growth Accelerating

AutoPilot’s debut adds further momentum to FiveStars’ surging popularity with local businesses and customers everywhere. Compared to the previous year, FiveStars has tripled revenue run-rate.

FiveStars currently drives over 1.5 million in-store visits per month for its merchants, and the average FiveStars business has four times more check-ins on FiveStars than on Facebook. The company has signed up over 3.2 million users, who have over 4 million memberships across the FiveStars merchant network of 5,000 active businesses.

AutoPilot Availability

AutoPilot is now available as part of the FiveStars Customer Loyalty Platform. Business owners can learn more at http://www.fivestars.com/businesses/.

About FiveStars

FiveStars’ mission is to help businesses and communities thrive by turning every transaction into a relationship. Using FiveStars technology, millions of people get rewarded at businesses they love, and thousands of local businesses use FiveStars’ loyalty automation platform to connect with their customers, getting them to come back more often and spend more when they do. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, FiveStars has raised funding from top-tier investors including Lightspeed, DCM, and Y-Combinator.Visit www.fivestars.com.