Loyalty Program: the habits and the choices of the consumers

The benefits and the advantages perceived by the consumers make now people subscribe an even bigger amount of loyalty programs: the average is between 2 and 4 (44%), or also between 5 and 9 (25%). 
In the meantime, in the Retail sector there is an increasing awareness of the key role of mobile technologies, both in the interaction between brands and consumers and in the creation of experiences customized and focused on the user.

According to a study made by Apptentive, among the retailers that last year registered a decrease in the loyalty of their own customers, the 66% don't have a mobile application among their touchpoints.
And, as showed, what makes the difference is this missing tool. From a second report (Vibes) we learn that the 33% of the interviewed consumers would have an extremely positive opinion about the loyalty program, if this was accessible via smartphone.
What about the perceived advantages? The immediate accessibility and the simplification of the shopping experience.

Loyalty Apps

According to this data, the creation of omni-channel loyalty programs, accessible through an app, is a winning choice for retailers, because it's in line with the new habits and choices of consumers.
It does not only positively influence the opinion about loyalty programs (66%), but the perception of the brand too (62%). It's for this reason that the 73% of the users replace their physical loyalty cards with digital ones.

Custom, together with Netrising, a company belonging to the Group, designs apps to meet this need. They are iOS and Android? applications, customized and developed following the needs of the retailer: the projects can fully dematerialize the loyalty cards, or integrate the software of the active Loyalty program.

Mobile technologies

But the role of mobile technologies goes over Loyalty cards. The importance of the in-store experience is becoming strategic to stand up and ensure the consumer the even more increasing need for a customized and real time service. 
The Customer-First transformation of the Retail 4.0 is coming thanks to the investments in suitable technologies made by the biggest retailers that, in 2016, preferred these kinds of front-end investments:

- Innovative payment solutions (22%);
- Couponing and Loyalty activities and accepting systems (19%);
- Evolved cash points and mobile pos (15%), but also in kiosks, totems and touchpoints (15%);
- digital signage or smart windows (13%).

Which are the Custom products that meet these needs?

Custom has being designing since 25 years advanced solutions focused on the real needs of the market. Among the most recent and innovative ones, dedicated to the Retail sector, you can find:

K3 con Multi Scan

The latest innovation about wireless and contactless communication for the spaces dedicated to the retail. It's a portable device (powered with rechargeable batteries in wireless mode), extremely compact, able to complete 4 kinds of scanning: 1D and 2D (QR-Code) barcodes; NFC and RFID sensors; OCR-B codes and images.
The flexibility of this system allows to over an innovative in-store service.

VISUAL T

VISUAL T is the most recent multimedia solution introduced by Custom. It's a touchscreen kiosk with integrated PC: a digital signage tool with high performances and a simple but elegant design, suitable for any kind of location.