How are Apps Changing the World of Customer Loyalty Programs?
In
an industry driven by intense competition and new brands each day, customers
seek to be rewarded for their loyalty.
Customer loyalty programs offer benefits for customers, and also for
businesses, as they ensure customer data about purchase history and shopping
preferences is easier to collect. For game-changing insights, client loyalty
programs are a great level-playing field. But now, customers no longer want
paper punch-card systems or plastic reward cards creating clutter in the wallet
and taking space on the key-chain. Customer mobile loyalty apps are rapidly
changing the way customers are rewarded.
- Mobilising Customer Loyalty
Customer
loyalty mobile apps offer rich, contextual data and personal connections brands
could earlier only imagine. The value of loyalty program applications is
growing, because mobile ensures everything is in real-time. Brand loyalty has
moved past discounts, points accumulation or even in-store credit. The focus is
on creating new and innovative ways to make customers feel valued. Plastic
loyalty cards or follow up mails cannot elicit the same response as apps.
For
brands participating in the mobile revolution, apps are the key to the changing
face of customer loyalty. Mobile apps for customer loyalty even redefine the relationship
and reward loyalty with personalised offers. Mobile apps also serve as a useful
interface between customers and brands. One of the best ways to build
engagement, customer loyalty apps are being used by top brands.
Let’s
consider the global coffee chain, Starbucks, for example. The Starbucks app
offers a means of paying for orders by customers, finding the closest location,
ordering ahead and receiving discounts and rewards. This makes it easy to order
and eliminates the need to wait in a line. This improves not only customer
experience, but the operational efficiency of the brand as well.
- Gaining Valuable Insights
As
the competition between businesses for market share intensifies, with every
passing day, determining which rewards will bring the customer back to you is
crucial for success. Customers seek rewards and loyalty apps can help
businesses to engage valuable insight into consumer purchases and shopping
preferences. Instead of relying on customer loyalty programs, apps are the best choice, for the
latter can offer better insights into individual customer actions. It also
becomes easier to launch smartly targeted deals that are personalised. Using
the information stored on mobile applications has expanded the scope of loyalty
beyond discounts, in-store credits and even points systems.
According
to the Vibes Mobile Consumer Report for 2016, over 94 per cent of smartphone
users prefer personalised mobile wallet offers and coupons. Another 82 per cent
liked digital coupons more than paper or plastic ones. Reward systems from
membership cards to loyalty points redemptions have influenced how retailers
engage with customers. It has become even easier for brands to increase
engagement and customer loyalty programs cannot hope to match the level of
interaction loyalty apps offer.
- Adding Customer Value
To
add value to a customer’s purchase or subscription, you need to understand what
users seek and how your business can offer rewards in exchange for loyalty.
Apps ensure you reward your loyal customers with personalised apps. Ease of
access, real time offers and interaction offered by apps are changing the
loyalty game and raising the stakes for brands. To meet the customer loyalty
targets you set for your business, it is vital that you stay ahead of retention
trends and technologies. Mobilising your business through loyalty apps,
therefore, remains a critical step forward in your journey towards growth.