EPOS and Payment Processing Specialist | Haven Systems Haven Systems in an established software development house specialising in Electronic Point of Sale, Payment Processing and Management Information Systems.

How can digital rewards benefit your business?

Digital Loyalty card for hospitality

If you were to open your purse or wallet right now, it is highly likely you would find some form of branded reward scheme for a large business. It is also likely that you use it. With just the right amount of information and exposure to your brand, loyal customers will form.

The hospitality sector is increasingly turning to loyalty programs to expand and retain its customer base. But if a plastic card that will get lost in a handbag isn’t for you… why not consider digital rewards?

What are digital rewards?

Digital rewards programs work in a very similar way to traditional loyalty schemes, they just take place online.

A loyalty program is created in the EPOS back-office, the details of which are decided by you, the business owner. A digital reward stamp is awarded for each qualifying purchase.

For example, you may create a ‘buy 5 coffees and have one on us!’. In this case, digital stamps are displayed in the Vine web app and may be used for a free coffee.

What are the benefits of having a loyalty scheme?

Loyalty schemes are popular for a reason. They provide a lot of benefits for a potentially low cost, and they put the business in control. Some benefits include:

  • It can set you ahead of other businesses.

Your competitors may also be running a loyalty scheme of some form, but that doesn’t mean your own knowledge of your customer base, your own unique brand, and your own creativity can’t differentiate you from them and set you ahead.

It is this unique creativity that makes loyalty programs exciting, they are filled with the personality of your brand, which results in a reason to pick your brand. It’s a great way to utilise your business strengths and showcase them.

  • You can connect directly with customers.

Connecting to customers directly can be a huge challenge for every business, but a loyalty scheme makes your business a continuous factor in someone’s daily life. Be it a traditional card or a digital rewards web app, the presence of your business on that person’s device, or on their person is a consistent reminder that you exist.

With digital rewards, customers who access your web app will be able to register, giving you an additional opportunity to gain consent for email marketing or SMS alerts.

  • Customer satisfaction will increase

Now more than ever, customers are looking for value, but that doesn’t mean you need to undercut your competitors.

A good loyalty scheme will provide your customers with value, making them happier which means they are likely to spend more money. One of the most widely used loyalty programs, the free coffee after a purchase of a certain amount; provides customers with an incentive to come back to your business. When they are able to redeem their free coffee, it puts a smile on their face, and they’ll wish to do the same again, a cycle that will continue to repeat.

  • Loyalty programs provide a great return on investment.

One of the best things about modern loyalty schemes is how little they cost your business, with digital loyalty linking directly to your EPOS.

The best advice for a business considering a new loyalty scheme is to start small, it will be easy to see how popular it is with your existing customers, let alone any new customers. Something made especially easy with the built-in analytics tools of digital rewards programs.

If just these few benefits have got you thinking about the possibilities within your own business, you can read more about the Haven Systems Vine Plus Loyalty web app. Or you can contact us to discuss how digital loyalty will fit with your business.