Professional drivers and motorists can now locate the nearest Pilot Travel Center anywhere in North America with a new free iPhone application introduced this month.
“We appreciate the fact that many loyal Pilot customers only look for Pilot Travel Centers when they are on the road, and this online tool makes it very easy to find the closest location,” said Lynsay Caylor, social media marketing manager Pilot Travel Centers, which operates more than 300 interstate locations in 41 states.
Pilot plans to add the Pilot Travel Center Locator service to Windows Mobile and Android platforms in the near future so that customers with those widely used handset platforms will have the same ability to find Pilot easily.
Pilot customers enter the city, state or zip code, and the nearest Pilot locations including interstate exit numbers will pop up on the handset screen. The information will include the traveler’s distance from the location, restaurant information, and the phone number. Locations can also be opened in Google maps to receive turn-by-turn directions to that store.
The new app has received very positive on-line reviews since it was introduced, and the company is using feedback to refine its application.
“We will refine the app and include changes in new versions in the future,” said Ken Parent, senior vice president of operations and marketing for Pilot. “We want to make it better for customers, so we encourage them to give us feedback.”
The app also will help travelers and professional drivers find Pilot franchise or network locations, including Road Ranger, Bosselman and Town Pump.
Pilot is marketing the service placing signs in travel centers to let customers know about the app, as well as through its facebook page.