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Keller board relaunches Open Rewards; businesses praise outreach but report app and signage questions
Summary
Keller’s Economic Development Board on Nov. 17 detailed the city’s relaunch of the Open Rewards program, reporting strong interest from businesses but recurring questions about app workflows and visibility for storefronts along 377; staff said remaining packet deliveries will finish before the Saturday relaunch.
At the Nov. 17 meeting of the Keller Economic Development Board, staff and board members reviewed the city’s relaunch plan for the Open Rewards program and shared field feedback gathered during packet deliveries.
Staff member (Speaker 3) said the program’s printed materials and QR codes link to an FAQ landing page and app-download options, and that staff is completing remaining packet deliveries this week ahead of a Saturday relaunch. “The QR code on all the materials actually leads you first to our frequently asked questions online,” the staff member said, adding that the digital flow offers Apple and Google download choices.
Board members who made in-person deliveries reported two consistent issues. Several businesses were initially apprehensive about the legitimacy and cost of the program; one board member (Speaker 7) said she “had to sit down for about 20 minutes and convince the manager that it wasn't gonna cost an establishment anything,” and helped walk him through downloading and using the app. Staff and board members agreed to follow up directly with businesses that need extra assistance.
A second recurring question involved subscription-model businesses that do not issue standard point-of-sale receipts (for example, monthly memberships at an indoor golf facility or recurring art-studio fees). Staff and board members discussed technical workarounds, including email receipts and linking credit cards to the program account where plausible, and agreed to coordinate with the program vendor to document approved approaches for those edge cases.
Visibility and local identity also came up. One board member (Speaker 4) suggested creating a coordinated “Water Tower” district and standardized, city-approved signage to make businesses along Highway 377 more visible to passing traffic. “Maybe doing a Water Tower district” was offered as a concept to help struggling storefronts that are visually obscured by clutter and power poles.
Staff said the program’s points system has replaced the prior dollar-based rewards but that the change is largely cosmetic; for example, 3,750 points equates to $37.50 under the vendor’s new structure. Staff closed the discussion by thanking volunteers and reminding the board that remaining deliveries should be finished before the relaunch date.
Next steps: staff will continue direct follow-ups with businesses that reported confusion, finalize delivery completion, and provide an updated FAQ/workflow for subscription-model businesses before program launch.
