10 Signs That You Need to Invest in a Loyalty Program
We’ve all been there. You’re in the checkout line ready to use your loyalty card to collect points for your purchase. You rummage through your purse or wallet and ... you can’t find it.
As a shopper, keeping track of all those loyalty cards, coupons and gift cards from multiple brands is a hassle. You lose the cards, coupons expire, points go unredeemed. It's very frustrating! And it's a missed opportunity for the retailer.
When you give consumers unique, personalized offers or make it convenient for them to collect and redeem points with their mobile devices, they’ll keep coming back and buying again. They’ll also feel like the retailer wants and appreciates their business.
Too many brands aren’t taking advantage of the benefits of a rewards management program. Is yours one of them? If you’ve considered investing in a loyalty program but aren’t sure whether it's right for your business, there are certain things you need to look for. Here are 10 telltale signs that a loyalty program could help your store.
1. When a shopper walks into your store, you know very little about their past purchase history or what products they're interested in.
2. Consumers seem to be using your store as a showroom.
3. Your customers have a hard time figuring out how to use their rewards or, just as bad, they’re not using the rewards you’re offering them.
4. By the time a consumer walks into your store, most of their shopping is already done.
5. It’s the shopper’s birthday, and your store didn’t acknowledge it with some kind of special perk.
6. Your shoppers' mind-sets have changed, but your omnichannel strategy has stayed the same.
7. Your shopper’s online experience feels more personal than your in-store experience.
8. A lot of shoppers seem to walk out of your store without buying anything.
9. There's no buzz on social media channels about the great rewards your brand offers.
10. Your company sent a customer a special offer on diapers, and that shopper doesn’t have children.
Of course, a loyalty program can’t make all of the scenarios above better by itself. However, a well-designed, unique loyalty program that's part of a holistic omnichannel experience can make customers happier and feel valued. They will come back to your store again and again, and encourage their friends and family to join your rewards program too.
Most consumers don’t think in terms of channels, they just shop using the option that’s most convenient to them at the time – be it online, in-store or on their phone. Delivering a seamless experience is therefore critical. And that goes for loyalty programs too. Give customers the option to earn and use rewards in the most convenient way to them. Instead of leaving the checkout frustrated, it’s more likely they’ll walk out of your store with a smile on their face.
Tim Barton is director, strategic accounts for iVend Retail, a provider of fully integrated retail business management softwares.
