While your customers may love your rewards program, they still need to receive a positive overall experience with your business/brand consistently to make the relationship work. Your loyalty program should complement your customer experience, not try to replace it.
Here are a few must-haves when trying to ensure a great customer experience:
- Friendly staff who are helpful and knowledgeable
- Hassle-free returns
- Good product selection / in-stock items
- Seamless website experience (easy to navigate, quick check-out process, etc)
- Go above and beyond by adding personalization and make your customers feel special (this is where your loyalty program comes in)
When it comes to your loyalty program, don’t rely purely on transactional perks – make it personal! Use the data you collect from your program to identify shopping trends and preferences for each of your customers. For example, a pet retailer may wish to track the type of dog a customer has plus the pet's name so if Joe has a Chihuahua, they can send him relevant and personalized messages to cater to his needs: "Hi Joe, as the weather cools down, we thought Fido may like to try on one of our new doggie sweaters that just arrived – we’ve got his size (extra small) in stock now. Plus, you’ll earn 50 bonus points on all sweaters until the end of the month!"
Check your reports to identify which rewards your customers love the most. If you’re thinking about adding some different reward items but are unsure what to offer, ask your loyalty members through a quick survey. They’ll be happy to provide insight to help further tailor their rewards program to their preferences. Don’t forget to add special perks that are only attainable to your loyal members through the program. How is your program different from your competitors? Try to revisit your program regularly to ensure it’s unique, fresh, and exciting for your VIPs. Showcase your top members monthly on your website or social channels and think about other ways you can engage them and make them feel special.