Custom Loyalty Program Design for Your Customers

Our programs offer more than a “do this, get that” loyalty incentive to your customers. They also increase receptivity for your key messages. In fact, we like to call customer incentive programs “communications campaigns with teeth.”

Once the custom approach has been determined and put into place, we apply all our other robust capabilities to ensure program success, including:

• Program management through our sophisticated IncenTrac® online system
• A dedicated account management team
• Thousands of unique reward items
• Expertly handled rewards fulfillment
• In‐house customer care

Rewards that we recommend include popular lifestyle merchandise, travel opportunities, exclusive experiences, and concierge shopping services. Trusted brands such as Apple, Cuisinart, Samsung, Sony, DeWalt, Dyson, and many more are often part of our offerings.

We can work with your team to develop a plan of approach and determine which types of rewards would be most desirable to your customer base. For more information, please visit our rewards page.

Many organizations fall into the trap of thinking that customers should be pleased as punch by any token of appreciation. The truth is, everyone – including the competition – seems to be doing some form of incentive or loyalty marketing to attract and retain customers. So it takes a really unique effort to stand out.

At QIC, we’ve seen customer loyalty platforms evolve over the decades, and there are a few key fundamentals that make programs exceptional. We believe doing the following delivers the best results:

• Being clear on the objectives – This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many customer loyalty companies want to launch a program with only the goal being to “boost sales.” Not a bad idea, but it’s not specific enough.
• Targeting the right folks – It’s important to resist the urge to target every customer. Focusing on high‐value and already‐frequent customers allows you to put more of an investment in those who will yield the most return.
• Considering your company’s branding and culture – Your customer loyalty program is truly a key component of your business strategy, and it needs to reflect your values and culture, while being relevant to your business focus.
• Ensuring everyone in your organization has a stake in the program – You don’t want to silo the program as a sales or marketing project. It is a key part of your business strategy and should be shaped by input from across the organization.
• Defining rules and processes clearly – It’s best to take the time to think through how a program can and should work. We help you plan out every step of a custom customer loyalty program, and test the process with people in different parts of the organization.
• Offering meaningful rewards at a range of levels – Consider the demographics, particularly if you are in a B2B organization. The rewards you offer need to mesh with the audience you’re trying to engage.
• Allocating a realistic reward budget – A good rule of thumb is that reward costs should run between 1‐3% of sales revenue. Be sure to allocate a sufficient budget for program reward redemption.
• Communicating effectively – You’ll want to get the marketing team to develop a solid communications plan to launch your customer loyalty platform. Make full use of “sticky” program‐related communications.
• Tracking progress – Ideally, the program will be implemented on a robust technology platform that generates a wide range of customizable reports. Your data should include as much information as you can gather.
• Measuring and getting feedback – Because building customer loyalty programs requires the documentation of specific actions and outcomes, the return on investment can be clearer than other types of marketing. Using a combination of data from the program platform, CRM and other business systems, and subjective information from tried-and-true participant surveys can help you better understand program effectiveness.

As you develop your sales loyalty program for your customers you will want to consider the 5 P’s of customer satisfaction, especially if you are in the business-to-business space.

• Product – Your business should supply a product or service that customers need, and you should find ways to differentiate yourself through functionality, product design, features, and other attributes. Doing so can ensure customers are drawn to your business rather than a competitor’s.
• Place – When a customer needs a product or service, they want to be able to access it quickly. Having an efficient system in place for orders and delivery will create satisfied customers and foster the loyalty you’re seeking.
• Price – Be mindful of price, because while you will want to ensure profitability goals are attainable, you also want to ensure you’re appealing to the frugality of consumers.
• Promotion – Promoting your products and services effectively helps your customers know what they can expect from your company, leading to satisfaction when you deliver. Promoting customer incentive programs alongside your offerings can also serve as a great motivator for purchases since customers will see they are valued.
• People – It’s people that make the difference, and even if you have amazing products and rewarding loyalty incentive programs in place, customers will remember their interactions, both good and bad. Cater to your customers’ needs and treat them with respect and you’ll be well on your way to securing a long-term business relationship.