Bob Holland describes Ideation's Powerpass Card. Powerpass is a loyalty card product targeted for use by small retailers with their customers.
Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Bob Holland | Ideation | Powerpass | Retail
In this 7 minute podcast (download ipod compatible, 38MB), Bob Holland and I continue our discussion of business and technology innovation by examining a company with which he is intimately familiar, Powerpass. Powerpass is an outgrowth of Ideation, a local Ann Arbor company, that made its original business 41 years ago by providing gift catalog services to small retailers. Bob has an ownership stake in Powerpass.
Powerpass is designed to help local retailers compete with national big box retailers like Walmart. It provides local retailers with a loyalty card that can be used at the retailer as well as with other retailers in the local area. Loyalty cards allow consumers who frequent stores to receive discounts as a reward for continuing to shop at the store. Most national chains offer them. However, small retailers are not in a measure, themselves, to create the infrastructure to support these cards. A challenge in creating Powerpass is developing a value proposition that appeals to a broad enough array of small retailers.
Powerpass seems to represent a case of innovation where the true value comes from blending technology with specific business opportunities. In a forthcoming interview, we'll speak with Tom Ungrodt, CEO of Ideation, and Jay Upell, leader of the Powerpass effort. They will provide an interesting operational perspective on working with small retailers.
