TEMPLE, Texas -- PDI, a global provider of enterprise software solutions to the convenience retail, wholesale petroleum and logistics industries, has acquired Dallas-based Excentus, a provider of loyalty and coalition marketing solutions for the U.S. retail, grocery, national brands and convenience-retail segments. This adjacency expansion complements PDI’s enterprise software solutions while broadening the company’s capabilities.
The acquisition will add more than 600 new customers to PDI’s roster and allow PDI to deliver enterprise software technology and data solutions—adding another facet to PDI’s suite of ERP and back-office solutions. The acquisition of Excentus is a continuation of PDI's growth; the company has doubled in size since 2015.
Excentus’ programs incorporate experiential benefits designed to drive deeper and more valuable customer relationships. Based on more than 20 years in the industry, Excentus works from the theory that the right loyalty currency can change consumer behavior; it has developed a full complement of technologies, marketing solutions, analytics and know-how to help companies build, manage and improve loyalty programs, offers and promotions across all customer channels, devices and touchpoints.
Excentus built its loyalty profile by owning and operating the Fuel Rewards program, the first in the United States and the largest multimerchant national coalition program. The Fuel Rewards program includes more than 14.5 million members and has saved its members more than $1 billion in fuel purchases since its launch in 2012. In addition to operating and growing the Fuel Rewards program, Excentus is working directly with convenience retailers to deploy its technology, services and knowledge to help them design, build, and operate effective loyalty programs.
“We are delighted to add Excentus’ leading software solutions, incredible customers, employees and world-class loyalty programs and expertise to our existing portfolio. This acquisition is an ideal complement to PDI’s existing business and one that supports our ongoing mission to help customers and employees thrive in a digital economy,” said Jimmy Frangis, CEO of PDI. “The portfolio expansion in the retail industry with Excentus’ customer relationship solutions deepens and extends our retail capabilities. It’s a perfect match to our existing enterprise software solutions and offerings that will help retail operators optimize and transform their business and provide customers with a more complete enterprise marketing solution.”
PDI will add Excentus’ software-as-a-service loyalty platform into its current portfolio and offerings. The full complement of loyalty solutions deliver analytics and expertise. Excentus’ solutions use data and analytics to help customers effectively manage consumer relationships and find new ways to increase engagement with more compelling and targeted offers. Excentus’ access to data supports consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies that sell goods and services through the convenience channel. Excentus’ solutions help CPG companies reach their end consumer directly, while providing offer content to its retail customers.
The Excentus brand will eventually be absorbed into PDI but will still retain elements of its branding and products. “In the coming months, we’ll complete a full assessment of Excentus’ company brand equity in the market to make an informed decision concerning the best time to transition to a unified brand identity and message under PDI. As for Excentus’ products, we plan to leverage some product names, such as Fuel Rewards, due to their wide recognition in the U.S. market. However, this is a process, and we’ll continue to evaluate our branding options and naming conventions with respect to both heritage and future product lines,” said a PDI spokesperson.
“Excentus has spent 20 years leveraging the power of cents-per-gallon discounts at the pump to drive the Fuel Rewards program and the loyalty programs of our convenience-retail and grocery customers. As the loyalty marketing and associated service provider capabilities mature, new opportunities exist to integrate seamlessly with the rest of a retailers’ ecosystem, and leverage data to grow store sales and deliver compelling offers from consumer packaged goods companies," said Brandon Logsdon, president and CEO of Excentus.
Temple, Texas-based PDI works with convenience-store retailers and petroleum wholesale marketers worldwide with enterprise management software.
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