Circle K Ireland, part of the global fuel and convenience store brand Circle K, has announced a partnership with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven personalisation platform specialist Intouch.com, aimed at re-inventing in-store customer experience.

Intouch.com will install self-service kiosks in Circle K stores nationwide with 30 sites being deployed initially, including high-footfall motorway sites Gorey, Athlone and Kill North. Intouch.com’s platform is designed to increase the customer experience by automating the process for customers to provide feedback on their shopping journey and register for a Fuel Card or for the Play Or Park loyalty program.

Additional technology will allow Circle K to use AI to recommend relevant products and promotions in real-time to their customers as they shop. The system will be enabled with self-learning capabilities, allowing it to self-improve from successful recommendations.

Dr Sameh Abdalla, Intouch’s CEO, said: “Machine learning is the fastest way forward to a strong ROI. It allows retailers to harness the value of the data that is happening in their stores every day in order to greatly extend their current targeting capabilities and enhance their bottom line .”

Tim Arits, Intouch’s COO, stated: “Customers now expect a more seamless shopping journey. If a retailer can personalise the shopping experience for their customers then this leads to happier shoppers who become more loyal and shop in their stores more often. Circle K is a brand that puts customer care at the centre of its ethos and the Intouch platform will allow it to deliver on this in a more automated way.”.

Paul Dixon, senior director of Retail Sales and Operations at Circle K Ireland, added: “At Circle K, we continue to invest in the development and implementation of this innovative new technology to make our customers in store experience that bit easier. We are delighted to partner with leading technology provider, Intouch.com, to bring a new experience to sites across the country, making Circle K fuel card registration or playing your points easier than ever in store.”

Intouch.com has developed an AI-driven personalisation platform for retailers to engage in real-time with their consumers in-store. The platform enables retailers to influence shoppers buying decisions through automated recommendations that increase sales and drive loyalty. They deploy AI, Machine Learning and IoT to bring in-store personalisation to the centre of the connected store.

Circle K Ireland, part of the global fuel and convenience store brand Circle K, is the leading fuel and convenience retailer in Ireland. Its retail network is made up of 410 service stations across the island of Ireland. Of these stations, 160 are owned by Circle K and 250 are owned by independent retail partners. The company also operates a large commercial fuels business, with over 20 depots and two owned terminals across the country.