Who among us doesn’t hate the long security lines at airports and stadiums that make travel and watching games and concerts an ordeal? What if there was a way for people to skip to the front of the line without compromising public security?
Enter CLEAR. The New York-based biometric identity service CLEAR offers its members expedited access to the front of the security line at airports and stadiums. From two airports in 2010, the company has grown to offer services at more than 30 airports and stadiums across the country.
CLEAR uses biometrics to create a unique ID that unlocks any experience powered by their technology. In airports, this means you confirm your identity with just the touch of a finger or blink of an eye, allowing you to skip the document check and move to the front of the line for screening. If you’re enrolled in TSA’s PreCheck program, CLEAR will provide you with fast access to PreCheck screening for eligible flights.
Members span the gamut of people who travel, from business travelers to retirees. “Anyone who values their time and who travels can use CLEAR. Having the ability to sleep in and not having to go to the airport stressed out is truly game-changing. Our customers love the speed, the predictability, and the service that we give them through the airport experience,” says Ken Cornick, President, Cofounder, and CFO of CLEAR.
An annual membership costs $179 ($15/month), and one family member can be added on for $50. The company also provides membership options for corporate clients. “CLEAR is a very logical subscription business model and we never really considered anything else. I don’t want anyone to have to think about using CLEAR. It should be a part of your everyday life,” says Cornick.
The company is strategic in its experiments with the length of their trials, price points for initial and renewal terms, and offers various pricing combinations to its members. Cornick explains that “the best way to educate a member is to let them try it. We have a unique business in that we have this physical presence in the airport and also have digital touchpoints, so we call ourselves “phygital” i.e. physical and digital. You can learn about us and enroll online but we also have trained ambassadors on the ground to help you to enroll at the airport and try the service immediately. Our acquisition strategy is really to let people try it, and to try CLEAR is to love it. Once you experience traveling without waiting in line, you never want to wait in line again. “
Like most successful subscription businesses, CLEAR is singularly focused on their customers. “We are completely obsessed with the end-to-end customer experience — a seamless sign-up experience, a seamless payment experience, a seamless on-the ground experience — are all really important. Being able to really tend to our members’ needs, no matter what, and having a flexible backend that allows us to do so is really important as well,” says Cornick.
So, where does the company go from here? “The best thing we can do for our members is to add new touch points to our network and deliver additional value. From a future growth perspective, we have several priorities. One is to complete our airport network domestically and we are also exploring international expansion. There are growth opportunities for biometrics around the world and we have an entire strategy for building a biometric ecosystem. We want to create a frictionless consumer experience any time that identity matters, whether it’s healthcare, payments, or building access. There are a number of use cases that we’re looking at and trying to develop,” says Cornick.
The future looks bright and clear.
Watch Ken Cornick, President, Co-founder, and CFO of CLEAR explains the company’s vision, customer-centric focus, and how Zuora’s subscription management hub helped with pricing flexibility, payments, and scale.
And continue reading other how sector after sector is joining the Subscription Economy in the latest issue of Subscribed Magazine!