Instead of lost paper cards and unreliable stamping, choose a solution that’s easy for both your customers and staff to use. This guide will help you find the right loyalty scheme for small businesses to suit your day-to-day operations, and explain what to look out for when signing up, collecting stamps, redeeming rewards and selecting package options.
Key Points
Look for a loyalty scheme that suits your customers’ return habits and doesn’t get mixed up with the till or a general customer management system.
Check how easy it is to sign up: with stmpr, customers can save their digital loyalty card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet using a QR code, without having to download a separate app.
Before making your choice, check how stamping and redeeming rewards work, and how straightforward daily use is for your staff.
Check what team management and statistical features are available in each package, and whether these suit the way your business operates.
Before you start, set out simple, easy-to-follow rules for clocking in and claiming rewards, then make the sign-up QR code available to your guests.
Table of Contents
Which loyalty scheme is best suited to your guests as a small business?
How does a digital loyalty scheme work, from sign-up to redemption?
What features and package terms should you check before making a choice?
How can you get started with a loyalty scheme as a small business?
What sort of loyalty scheme is best suited to your customers as a small business?
A loyalty scheme offers rewards linked to repeat purchases or visits. Customers collect stamps and then redeem their rewards according to pre-defined conditions. This is a loyalty programme designed for a specific purpose; it is not a general CRM, till or payment solution. If you’d like to get an overview of the basics, do read our summary of loyalty programmes as well.
For which small businesses can a loyalty scheme be useful?
It can be useful for businesses where returning customers are valuable, but the frequency of purchases or visits varies. In a café, for example, a stamp might be awarded per purchase, whilst at a service provider it might be per visit. These are merely possible solutions, not mandatory industry rules. You decide how many stamps it takes to earn a reward, and what that reward should be. Choose conditions that are easy for customers to understand and that staff can apply consistently.
Digital or paper stamp card: what’s the difference in day-to-day use?
A paper card can get lost or left at home. A digital wallet card can be stored on the customer’s phone in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. stmpr’s digital loyalty card is built around these wallets: guests join by scanning a QR code, without needing to download a separate app. Staff can use the scanner app to record stamps and redeem rewards, or the business can use kiosk mode.
Tailor the stamp system to your guests’ behaviour: choose a ‘per purchase’ stamp if the number of purchases is the key factor, and a ‘per visit’ stamp if the number of visits to the shop matters. Make it clear what counts as a stamp and how rewards are redeemed. You can read about the details in the description of QR code stamping.
The aim of the loyalty scheme is to recognise repeat purchases or visits with transparent stamps and pre-determined rewards.
How does the digital loyalty scheme work, from signing up to redeeming rewards?
The process in brief: you create and publish the loyalty card, the guest joins using a QR code, the staff member adds a stamp, and then the guest redeems the reward. stmpr’s digital loyalty card can be used in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, so the guest doesn’t need to download a separate app.
The system is easy to manage when both the guest’s journey and the staff member’s tasks are clear. The business creates the card, sets the programme’s terms and conditions, and then publishes it. The published card comes with a public link and a QR code, which can be displayed at the counter, shared on social media or included on printed leaflets.
How do guests join the scheme and collect stamps?
The guest scans the sign-up QR code, joins the programme, and then saves the loyalty card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. The staff member then scans the QR code on the guest’s card using the scanner app and records the stamp. The card is updated via the Wallet service; the display may vary depending on the device.
If the QR code on the card is unreadable, the staff member can use the four-digit backup code in the scanner app. The app works offline, so it can be used even with a weak Wi-Fi signal or no internet connection. The details of QR code check-in help staff understand their role.
What happens with the reward, and what needs to be set up in advance?
You determine the number of stamps required, the reward and the conditions for redemption. Set out the rules simply so that guests know when they are eligible for the reward and staff can handle the redemption process consistently. Once the required number of stamps has been collected, the staff member records that the reward has been redeemed.
Before publishing the card, check its layout and the rules. Once published, visual elements such as the logo, colours and stamp icon can be modified, but the structural settings are locked. A summary of marketing tools for SMEs can help you consider what role a loyalty programme might play in your business’s communications.
If you’d like to try creating a digital card and onboarding guests, take a look at stmpr’s free package.
What features and package terms should you check before making your choice?
A loyalty scheme for small businesses will fit in with your day-to-day operations if guests can join easily, staff can manage stamping and redeeming points with ease, and you can keep track of the programme’s data. Don’t just look at the names of the features: think through how you would use the system on a busy day.
What should you look for in terms of the guest experience and staff workflow?
Connection: check whether guests need a separate app, and where they can scan the connection QR code.
Stamping and redemption: check how staff members apply the stamp and how they record the redemption of rewards.
Fallback solution: check what staff can use if a guest’s QR code cannot be scanned.
Team and location: compare the required staff permissions and locations with the terms of your chosen package.
The stmpr scanner app also works offline. If the QR code cannot be scanned, the staff member can use a four-digit backup code. Guests connect using a QR code, and can save their loyalty card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet without having to download a separate app.
What data, campaigns and statistics does the system manage?
Take a look at the data and reports you can access via the control panel. Basic statistics are available in every package, whilst detailed statistics and report exports are included in the Silver and Gold packages. The guest limit varies by package: the Free package is valid for up to 15 guests, the Start package for up to 100 guests, whilst the Bronze, Silver and Gold packages offer unlimited guest capacity subject to fair use. The number of venues that can be managed also depends on the package.
The monthly limit on push notifications also depends on the package. The Free and Bronze packages do not include push notifications; the Start package allows 1 per month, the Silver package 10, and the Gold package 50. Only send push notifications if you have marketing consent. The campaign selects the target audience and timing, whilst the push notification is one way of delivering the message. Assess the features and package terms against your business’s actual needs.
How can you get started with a loyalty scheme as a small business?
Start by clarifying your customers’ return habits and the purpose of the rewards scheme. Decide what kind of purchase or visit you want to reward. Next, choose a stamp count and a reward that customers will find easy to understand and that your staff can manage consistently.
How should you prepare the card and your team?
Prepare your business’s branding elements and a brief description of the reward. Also plan where guests will find the QR code used to sign up. Consider what guest data you’ll be collecting, why you need it, and how you’ll inform guests about this. Your business is the data controller for the guest data collected upon sign-up.
Before launch, show your staff how to stamp cards, redeem rewards and use the four-digit backup code. If you’re planning a self-service process, take a look at the description of kiosk mode. Features of the system include a waiting time, a daily limit, an activity log and PIN-protected logout. These restrictions can help manage the process, but do not provide complete protection against all forms of misuse.
How can you tell if the system is right for your business?
Try walking through the guest’s entire journey: connect to the card, add a stamp, then test redeeming the reward. Ask a colleague to test the process as well. This will reveal whether the steps are clear to your team and where clearer guidance might be needed.
Check that the necessary team and location settings, campaigns and statistics are available in your chosen package. With the Free plan, you can manage up to 15 guests. If you use the dashboard’s ROI calculator to produce an estimate, treat this as an indicative figure rather than a guaranteed promise of revenue or return on investment.
Sign up and create your trial cardChoose what’s right for you and try it out in practice
A good loyalty scheme for small businesses fits in with your guests’ habits and your team’s day-to-day work. Choose easy-to-understand stamp and reward rules, then check that signing up, collecting stamps and redeeming rewards are straightforward processes.
stmpr offers a digital loyalty card that works with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. Guests join via a QR code, without needing to download a separate app. The staff scanner app works offline, and a four-digit backup code can be used in the event of a QR code reading error. The Free package is available for up to 15 guests.
Try stmpr for freeStart by setting up a trial card, then test the entire process with your team. This way, you’ll find out how well the solution fits your business operations before you even get started.
Frequently asked questions about the digital loyalty card
Do guests need to download a separate app to use the digital loyalty card?
No, guests do not need to download a separate app. stmpr’s digital loyalty card can be used in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, and guests join by scanning a QR code. They can then save the Wallet card to their phone. You can, for example, display the QR code used for joining on the counter, so that guests can find out about the programme whilst they’re in the shop.
How can a member of staff add a stamp if the QR code is unreadable?
If the QR code on the guest’s Wallet card is unreadable, the staff member can use the four-digit backup code available on the card in the scanner app. This means there’s a way to stamp the card even if the QR code can’t be scanned. Show your team this option during the training so that every staff member knows how to handle this situation.
Can the loyalty scheme be used with a weak Wi-Fi signal?
Yes, the staff scanner app works offline, so it can be used for clocking in even with a weak Wi-Fi signal or no internet connection. When selecting a loyalty scheme for small businesses, you should therefore not only consider the customer’s connection but also how your team can carry out daily stamping under such circumstances.
Can the loyalty card be customised after it has been published?
Yes, but only the visual elements of the card can be modified, such as the logo, colour scheme and stamp icon. Structural settings, including the terms of the reward and the number of stamps required, are locked after publication. Therefore, please check the card’s structure and the reward rules thoroughly before publication.
What should I bear in mind when managing push notifications and guest data?
Only send push notifications if you have marketing consent, and check the monthly sending limit included in your package, as this varies by package. The campaign selects the target audience and timing, whilst the push notification is simply one method of delivering the message. Your business is the data controller for the guest data collected during the sign-up process. Consider what data you are requesting and inform guests about how it will be used.
