Bike Retailer Turns to Data Driven Marketing to Build Stronger Connections
GOLDEN, COLO., Jan. 13, 2021—Ascent360 announced today that Boston’s Wheelworks Bicycle Stores have deployed the Ascent360 Data Driven Marketing platform. After decades of nurturing strong community ties through direct interactions, the COVID-19 pandemic compelled a shift in business strategy. Wheelworks will use the Ascent360 platform to stay better connected with customers by sending messages that matter.
Wheelworks opened in 1977 in a tiny Winchester, Massachusetts, storefront that could only accommodate 12 bikes. Today, the retail chain includes three full-service Boston-area shops, including Belmont Wheelworks, ACE Wheelworks and Wheelworks TOO. With one of its founders being a custom frame builder, Wheelworks has always emphasized proper bike fit. As part of its commitment to providing the right choices and a great shopping experience, it offers a complete stable of bikes, ranging from kids to cargo to electric to road and mountain bikes and everything in between.
With a long string of local and national awards, customers clearly appreciate the Wheelworks shopping experience. Once the pandemic hit, however, the shop struggled with sustaining strong relationships with customers who were spending more time online. “As the pandemic dragged on, we realized we needed new ways to connect with customers,” said Tom Cohen, Ecommerce Manager, Wheelworks. “Although our stores were open, our phone and email interactions skyrocketed, we felt like we were losing genuine connections with many in the community.”
Cohen says Wheelworks chose Ascent360 for its strong reputation in outdoor industry and with leading bike shops. “This is all new to us and Ascent360 felt like a good cultural fit,” explained Cohen. “Being able to keep customers updated on seasonal accessories and new items or bikes they might be interested in should help us do a better job of staying top of mind. And it’s nice that the revenue attribution feature makes it easy to track.”
Scott Buelter, CEO at Ascent360 noted that for shops that cater to a wide range of customers like Wheelworks, starting an effective digital marketing program can be daunting. “The advantage of the Ascent360 platform is that within a matter of weeks from integrating it with their Lightspeed POS, Wheelworks can use our proven automated campaigns to start easily sharing timely and highly relevant emails with customers. And that should be game changing throughout the remainder of the pandemic and beyond.”
About Ascent360:
Ascent360 is a leading Data Driven Marketing Platform for mid-market business-to-consumer (B2C) companies. Founded in 2013, Ascent360 helps businesses understand their customer base, nurture authentic lifelong relationships and drive sales by sending messages that matter. Today we manage over 150 databases for clients across brand, retail, e-commerce and resort segments. Ascent360 seamlessly integrates with over 100 data systems, and our sophisticated segmentation and data hygiene engine provides a clean, unified view of customers. Clients rely on our library of proven, automated marketing campaigns to easily send personalized 1:1 messages at scale.
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For more information, visit https://ascent360.com/ or contact Heather Knutson: 720.728.3362 or hknutson@ascent360.com.
