It seems there is an app for everything now, even a loyalty card app. Going the way of paper for everything is no longer the norm. In today’s modern digital age, it’s all about going paperless and going “convenient”, right?
I mean, let’s be real: who doesn’t love that there is an app for everything now? Who doesn’t love that so much of our lives can be monitored and managed now as opposed to only a few short years ago when everything had to be done manually/physically?
All the things that once were considered something for “nerds” are now a fashion statement in many ways! A way to keep up with everything that is happening in the world. A way for your customers to shop!!!
Online shopping has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 8-10 years. It has also grown from the traditional PC platform that was required not too long ago to digital apps that we can access from anywhere on our smartphones!
The increase in security measures and the ingenuity in design and format to make our customers’ experience that much more user-friendly is a big reason for that increase in online shopping.
If you are a business owner, chances are you’ve heard of loyalty programs before. Heck, maybe you’ve even been a part of one before. Traditionally, (and this applies mostly to small businesses) customers would be given a small paper punch card when they came into a store and made a purchase.
These punch cards had a certain number of punches the customer would need to attain every time they came back into that store. Once they had filled their punch card, they would receive a reward!
Small coffee shops or cafes usually offer a free drink after a certain amount of purchases or a special deal on particular items in the store.
These and other such loyalty programs gives the customer added incentive to keep coming back! In many cases, it inspires them to come back more regularly. The quicker they fill up their punch card, the sooner they get their reward!
The number one problem with this type of paper punch card is that it is highly susceptible to fraud. Unscrupulous fraudsters can simply make their own “punches” in the paper card at home and cheat the system, effectively jumping to the rewards before they’ve actually earned it.
This can be a potentially damaging factor and small businesses see a hit to their revenue over time. There are only so many ways you can prevent fraud with physical paper punch cards.
Paper punch cards are also easy to lose.
But not to fear!
The digital age is here to save the day!
But seriously, it is. With the advent of “an app for that” technology, you have the option to make your customer loyalty and rewards programs digital!
No more money spent on paper cards, no more lost revenue by fraudsters trying to cheat the system, no more worrying about how to provide incentives for your customers without being susceptible to fraud at the same time!
There are a few noteworthy loyalty card apps available that have some very unique features for both customers and business owners.
FiveStars is one of the most popular loyalty apps out there. And for good reason. They have a very easy-to-use interface for your customers and it is relatively affordable for businesses.
Customers need only give their phone number to sign up. They will be given the option to add their email, date of birth, etc. but it is not required to join.
The “look” of it is fairly simple, with big bold looking buttons with easy to read labels. This adds to its overall ease of use.
Their tiered pricing is fairly simple to understand, although they do require a minimum 6 month contract. If you decide you don’t like it a month or 2 into your contract and opt out, they still require the full 6 month payment.
Thankfully there are no additional fees for cancelling, but you will still have to absorb that leftover amount on your contract.
Setting it up only requires a USB that FiveStars sends you. Simply plug into your computer and follow the prompts on your screen. They also provide an instructions guide and customer support if you have any issues with installation.
FiveStars had very humble beginnings (basically 2 dudes laboring for hours on end with very little money but a lot of ingenuity and creativity), but they’ve achieved a substantial amount of success since then and it shows!
Other loyalty card apps like Belly share a lot of the same basic principles as FiveStars.
Belly users have the choice of using a card or a loyalty card app they can download for free. The loyalty app tracks their purchases and the points they accumulate as they make their purchases. They have had a lot of success reaching over 4,000 different merchants across multiple states.
They have a very easy to use interface as well. When customers view the app on their phones or tablets, they can clearly see their purchase history and how many points they have accumulated.
As they make their purchase, the app tells them how many points they just gained and adds it to their total. They can also see promotions being offered by your business!
There are multiple marketing tools provided with the Belly loyalty program. Being able to see when new customers have joined your program and setting up special deals specifically with your customers’ needs in mind is a very valuable tool to have for any business.
With Belly, you can start an email marketing campaign to “Bring ‘Em Back.” It allows you to send email notifications to each of your customers and segment your offers to be sent to either new or long-standing customers.
You’re probably going to want to offer “special” pricing to your longstanding customers while still offering enticing deals to new customers, right? This marketing campaign allows you to do just that.
Belly’s pricing is decent. They have month-to-month pricing starting with their basic package that, quite honestly, doesn’t give you much beyond the very basic essentials. There is an extra monthly “service fee” charge and installation charge with the basic pricing package.
The “Complete” package is the best option because it gives you everything at one price. There is no ongoing “service fee” or an installation fee with this pricing package. At $209/mo., I would recommend going for the full package, if you can fit it into your budget.
There is flexibility to upgrade at any time, however, if you do decide you like it.
If you have need of extra Belly iPads, they charge $50 per tablet regardless of your pricing package.
Pirq is a digital rewards program that literally does everything (both tangible and intangible) that a paper punch card program does, PLUS SO MUCH MORE!
Pirq is an app for smartphones. Your customer needs only download the app and login using their Facebook profile. No forms to fill out… none of that.
Once they have downloaded and logged in to Pirq, they are immediately ready to start using the app! The next time they are in your store, all they need do is scan your promo code at the register during their purchase and a “punch” is recorded on their digital punch card.
Pirq keeps track of each of your customers’ purchases and lets them know when they are close to reaching their goal a.k.a. their reward!
Here are a few more features that benefit both you and your customer:
- Free to download and use by your customer!
- Notifies them of upcoming special deals and incentives for their browsing pleasure.
- Has a built-in mini website that they can explore
- You can text or email your customers when you have a special deal or sale upcoming
- With the premium package you will have a VIP program that notifies your customer of special deals designed with their buying habits in mind. Also includes a deal “timer” for added incentive for them to visit soon!
- You receive a free marketing kit to help you connect with your customers in the most effective ways
- Allows you to track and keep a record of your customer’s purchases
- Enables you the ability to create customized special VIP deals and incentives based on customer data
- No need for a separate tablet or POS integration (everything is app based)
- NO long-term contract!
- NO setup fees!
- Through RedFynn, you can get the premium package FREE for life… (888) 510-9871
Those last three features on the list are great news for small businesses! Every small business owner appreciates the opportunity to save some pennies, right?
Pirq is virtually FREE to set up and the fees are very modest for use. The REWARDS, however, are unbelievable, as are they endless!
Pirq takes all of the features of a traditional loyalty program and enhances it! And then puts all of that buying power in the palm of your customer’s hands.
We’d would love to talk to you about any and all of this stuff with on the phone. Our specialty is helping business owners such as yourself fine tune their business so they run smoother, more efficiently and at less cost while simultaneously increasing your bottom dollar. It’s a huge boost for most businesses.
If you have any questions about these and other loyalty card apps, give us a call over here at RedFynn. No obligation, of course. Anything you’d like to talk about… merchant services, payment processing, business loans, POS, loyalty programs… you name it!
We do this literally every day. Like it’s our job. Because that is exactly what it is! We hope to hear from you soon. (888) 510-9871
