With the ever-increasing number of restaurants on offer, and the rise of home delivery, customers are increasingly flitting from one chain to another. Customer loyalty is therefore a key part of the marketing strategy and, through a range of offers and privileges, enables us to leave a lasting impression on consumers and build customer loyalty. DOOD tells you more.
What is customer loyalty?
Customer loyalty is one of the marketing techniques used to create a lasting relationship with customers. Customer loyalty is then assessed according to the repetitiveness of purchases made from the same brand. The idea is to create a relationship of trust and a certain attachment to the brand, encouraging consumers to repeat their purchasing experience on a regular basis, rather than turning to the competition. Customer loyalty is achieved more or less consciously on the part of the buyer, through various loyalty strategies.
The challenges of customer loyalty
The importance of building customer loyalty is well known to all restaurateurs and convenience store managers. First and foremost, it’s a powerful strategy for increasing profitability. Indeed, investing in a loyalty tool is a much less costly and less uncertain long-term investment than implementing a new customer acquisition plan. In addition, a loyal customer has an average ticket 30% higher than a non-loyal customer. So it’s clear that a loyalty strategy increases profitability.
Beyond the financial aspect, successful customer loyalty conveys a positive image of the brand. If a loyal customer has a quality customer experience over and over again, he or she will recommend it to friends and family, like an ambassador extolling the virtues of a brand. We all know how powerful word-of-mouth can be in marketing.
The different loyalty programs
There are a multitude of loyalty programs to choose from, all of which need to be adapted to the company and, above all, to the clientele it caters to. So there are plenty of choices:
- A points system (e.g. one point earned for every €10 spent on products or services);
- A referral system to facilitate word-of-mouth and increase the customer base;
- A customer tiering system (e.g. bronze, silver, gold…);
- A personalized reward system (e.g. offering a vegan product to vegan customers);
- A wallet system, on which customers can credit money to make direct-payment purchases, and which will earn them cashback (e.g.: if customers credit €30 to their wallet, they will receive €35 that they can use in the store);
- A promotional code system, by SMS or e-mail, for a special event (birthday, Christmas…);
- A competition system that encourages sales and considerably increases the average basket;
- A subscription system to reward loyal customers (e.g.: from €50 a month, a dessert is free)…
Using automated communication to build customer loyalty
Beyond loyalty programs, there are other ways to attract customers and keep them coming back. To achieve this, automated communication is an effective strategy for making a regular, personalized impression on the consumer’s mind. Several types of automated communications can then be envisaged:
- An e-mail or SMS on the customer’s birthday;
- A welcome e-mail to the loyalty program;
- Reservation reminder;
- An invitation to leave a review on the establishment’s Google My Business page after X visits;
- A revival after a long time without a visit…
DOOD and Como: a unique loyalty strategy
DOOD joins forces with Como to offer a customer loyalty solution. Particularly interesting for restaurants, dark kitchens and convenience stores, this solution is based on advanced data analysis.
The importance of DATA in building customer loyalty
To be able to offer a personalized service, customer data is essential. The more information an establishment has about its customers, the more it can offer tailor-made services that will appeal to them, and inevitably have an impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Como then uses DATA as a powerful loyalty lever, enabling us to create a loyalty program perfectly tailored to the target.
From their date of birth to their favorite dessert, all data is of interest to address the customer in the most personalized way possible.
Como’s strengths
Thanks to its customer engagement solution, Como enables restaurateurs to better understand their customers, so they can take personalized action to build loyalty. To achieve this, Como relies on 4 key areas of expertise:
- Data analysis ;
- Setting up a tailor-made loyalty program;
- Using Artificial Intelligence to better target the population ;
- Automated marketing (SMS, emailing, etc.).
DOOD is now a partner of Como. Together we offer comprehensive customer loyalty solutions through a personalized marketing strategy. Feel free to experiment with our integrated tools to analyze your data, launch your loyalty programs, and automate your marketing campaigns.