Loyalty programs are a great way for retailers to retain customers and encourage them to return to their business. These programs run reward initiatives, offering special discounts and deals to customers for choosing that particular retailer. To create good attractive programs and manage them efficiently , businesses also need the right technology . This is why it is important for them to choose a suitable loyalty program software with the right set of features.

Check for smooth integration with all business channels
Retail businesses that operate and sell online work on various channels. Some of the most common channels that customers use to interact with online retailers include the business’s website, app, and social media page. Businesses may struggle to manage these multiple channels. So, its loyalty program software should have the ability to integrate with all the channels being used. This will significantly improve the user experience and benefit the business. Customers also use different devices to access these channels, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. So, it is crucial to make sure that the rewards program software works seamlessly for all devices.

Ensure the software integrates with all current systems
Along with all the channels, the new loyalty program software should also integrate seamlessly with other systems being used by the business. For instance, retailers commonly use technologies such as Content Management Systems (CMS ), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, and online marketing tools. If a loyalty program software integrates with these systems, it will ensure a smooth workflow in the company. Moreover, with proper integration, the customer data present in CRM can be effectively read and used by the loyalty program software. Likewise, it would ensure easy data access among all teams and systems within the company.

Determine if the software provides transparency
It is crucial for a business to determine if the new system they have implemented is achieving the set targets. This is why choosing a loyalty program software that offers analytics and insights into this is essential. A lot of loyalty rewards management systems provide a dashboard, which presents important data about the performance of the loyalty campaign and the customer pain points. With this information, businesses can make informed decisions about altering and creating new loyalty programs and campaigns.

Choose an easy-to-use software
One of the most important features a loyalty program platform should have is ease of use. When this new system is introduced in the company, the personnel working with it should face no issues. Navigating the functions and using the features of the system should be easy for the employees. This helps save a lot of the company’s resources and time that would otherwise be spent on training for the new system. Further, the loyalty program system should be easy to use for customers as well . If the customers have no trouble using the system to explore, earn, and redeem reward points, it will greatly enhance their experience. This way, they are more likely to return to the business and engage with the company.

Take note of what marketing tools the program offers
Before choosing a loyalty program software, businesses must take note of all the marketing tools that the system offers. These tools encourage personalized communication with customers, increasing their chances of engaging with the business . For instance, the loyalty program software can use SMS, emails, and push notifications to reach out to customers about new offers and discounts. Even social media is an effective marketing tool that the systems can use to interact with customers about the latest personalized offers.

Make sure the system offers scalability
It is important for retail businesses to choose a flexible system that offers scalability. This means that, as the business grows over time, the loyalty program software should be capable of adjusting to that growth. Once the business starts growing, it will attract more customers, which will increase the amount of customer data to process for creating loyalty programs. In such cases, the company must not have to switch platforms and change its processes to adjust to this growth, as it would significantly impact its efficiency.

Top 5 loyalty program software to consider

TapMango
With an easy installation process and a quick setup time of just 30 minutes, TapMango is a popular loyalty program software to consider. This system includes impressive features such as auto-sending referral codes to customers and easy social media integration.

Yotpo
Some key features that make Yotpo a great loyalty program software are its integration option with e-commerce websites and easy social media integration. This system also enables businesses to integrate product reviews on their product pages.

Fivestars
With an integrated payment processing system for customers , Fivestars is another top loyalty program software . This system is ideal for businesses that wish to set up an in-store loyalty program that can integrate with their point-of-sale (POS) terminal.

Smile
This system is highly regarded for being mostly automated, which reduces the requirement for constant oversight. Moreover, because of this key feature, Smile does not even require as much maintenance.

Zinrelo
Equipped with data science practice, Zinrelo offers important data insights that can help businesses make personalized loyalty programs for customers . It has also been appreciated for offering an easy-to-use merchant interface.