Top 8 Ingredients of a Great Loyalty App
For your loyalty app to be a success it needs to have these attributes:
1. Value
A loyalty app needs to offer something of real value to a customer in exchange for their continued custom. (Coffee cards are popular for a very good reason). Expecting that customers achieve unrealistic targets (eg thousands of ‘points’ to redeem anything at all) is more likely to engender distrust and ridicule than the surprise and delight that you’re aiming for.
2. Authenticity
An app is one off the most important places for your brand to shine. It should represent the core values of your brand in every aspect of its design. Get it right and your loyalty app will be one of your customers’ most frequent contacts with your brand - so it needs to be: on brand, on message and on target all the time.
3. Attractiveness
As your ‘spokesperson’ a loyalty app needs to look great. Check it out from every angle before you go public. Make sure that the app icon looks as good as the app that it represents. Remember screen real estate is at a premium, and there’s simply no room for ugly ducklings.
4. Functionality
This may seem obvious, but a loyalty app needs to do something that customers want. While a punch card is useful, it may not be enough to keep your app on a customer’s device. Alerts can be one way to set yours apart:- Local weather/ stock values /WiFi hotspots / utility functions, all are great as triggers to keep your app at top of mind and on the home screen.
5. Simplicity
Every unnecessary tap, input, and gesture needed to get into your loyalty app will reduce customer engagement and retention. Keeping it simple may seem obvious, but it’s surprisingly difficult to find the right balance and keep it simple to use without being simplistic.
6. Engagement
People should want to open your app. It should connect them to your brand in a meaningful way. Offering rewards for interaction and opinions and ensuring that communication is timely and requested by customers will go a long way to keeping customers loyal and reviews positive.
7. Universality
Your app needs to be available to every customer. While most will want to use an app on their preferred mobile device, it’s important not to forget those who don’t. Make sure your app works under Apple iOS, Google Android and html5. Don’t forget to ensure accessibility provisions are included (voiceover etc) for those with challenges like impaired vision or hearing.
8. Design
Design is so much more than the colour scheme and the shape of buttons you choose for your app. Design determines every aspect of your app.
Remember - User Experience (UX) is king.
Apps that offer too many options or are filled with confusing and inconsistent menus will not last long on a customer’s device. Every pixel counts - with mobile devices in arm’s reach 24/7 the slightest error in the display will be noticed.