For decades, Walgreens has been one of the world’s leading drugstore chains. And it has always prided itself on excellent customer service and a loyal following.

Now, it is taking its customer loyalty efforts to a new level. According to Patricia Odell, writing for Promo: “Walgreens over a year ago began testing a few different concepts to encourage local customers to be more loyal. The concepts were tested and tweaked in three markets before Balance Rewards rolled in September 2012. ‘Balance Rewards is connected with the overall transformation of Walgreens from a traditional drugstore to a health, wellness, and living destination,’ Adam Holyk, group vice president, insights and analytics at Walgreens, said. ‘It’s about getting the customer experience right and the right assortment in the box, but also to build a complete loyalty program and to learn through that customer knowledge.’” In just two months, Balance Rewards has signed up 28 million shoppers!

Click the loyalty card to read more from Odell.