As part of our continuing series on tech trends, we explore the growing trend towards mobile loyalty programs. These programs replace the traditional punch card or swipe card with a smartphone app that allows enterprises to become more familiar with their frequent guests and guests to collect their rewards on their phones. The advantages are plentiful for both.

Enterprise Benefits

1) Social media marketing
Full integration with social media. When guests share, post, and tweet, they help create online content and spread the word about your enterprise. The ease and fun of the app makes them even more likely to do so, according to Forbes.com expert Kelly Clay.

2) Enhanced guest analytics
Most programs use an online or mobile dashboard that instantly creates graphs, charts, and other analytics about the guests, the reward redemption, and guest feedback. This allows you to spend more time using data, rather than formatting it.

3) Integrated guest outreach
Through the dashboard, enterprises can create email marketing campaigns, post to Facebook and Twitter, and in some cases even send offers directly to guests’ mobile phones, eliminating the need for separate email marketing and contact programs.

The Guest Advantage

1) Convenient redemption of rewards
By replacing a handful of loyalty cards with one app on their smartphone, mobile loyalty programs make it easy for guests to earn and redeem rewards.

2) Fun
Mobile apps also make the loyalty program more game-like by using custom reward levels, graphics, and pop-up alerts.

3) Socially interactive
Guests can even see new offers on their Facebook and Twitter feeds right away and share their visits with friends.

Connect Your Enterprise Now

1) Know the requirements
Most programs require only a computer with Internet access to view the analytics dashboard and a POS system.

2) Pick a program that works with your operations
– Integrate with mobile payment systems, so guests can pay and earn rewards at the same time. Examples include Square and LevelUp.

– Scan guests’ phones using an in-store iPad or scanner provided by the program. Examples include Belly and Passbook.

– Print receipts with QR codes or other information that guests scan themselves. Examples include FrontFlip and Punchcard.

– Have staff push a button on guests’ phones to stamp a virtual representation of the traditional loyalty card. Examples include Perka.

Happy Rewards…TaraPaige Group