Word of mouth and loyal customers are crucial for any successful local business. E-gift cards are a simple yet effective way to inspire customer loyalty and turn regular customers into brand advocates.
While physical gift cards hold sentimental value, digital gift cards are more convenient for modern consumers. They are easy to create using a gift card management system and offer various opportunities to further engage with your community.
In this article, we will explain how to manage gift cards for your local business using gift card program software and highlight its key features to help you improve the customer experience.
Let’s get started!
What is gift card program software?
There are diverse methods for implementing gift card programs. For instance, you can start with custom app building or use gift card management software, a simple, cost-effective solution with zero coding.
Gift card software allows you to develop, design, and manage your gift cards online. It also connects you with customers through an app or digital wallet, creating a smooth experience for both parties.
Additionally, some loyalty platform providers, such as PassKit, offer seamless integration with your POS and CRM, making it easy to track your customer data and behavior in one place.
How gift card program software works
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Small businesses must leverage a modern solution, such as a gift voucher management system, to design loyalty programs that effectively boost customer retention.
Here’s how it works:
- Select the gift card program software you want to use
- Set up your digital gift card and add relevant details
- Include branding in your card design
- Integrate software with your existing POS system
- Enable customers to redeem rewards effortlessly
- Start a loyalty marketing campaign using a multichannel approach
- Enable gift certificate management by checking the balance after each transaction
- Track customer data and behavior to optimize your program
To further benefit from customer loyalty analytics and make data-driven decisions, you can also integrate your CRM to overview the performance of your program.
Benefits and challenges of online gift card software
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Online gift card software helps you boost customer retention and engagement. You can attract new customers and keep existing ones returning by offering a convenient way to purchase and redeem gift cards using digital channels.
Tracking and analyzing gift card usage allows you to create a personalized customer experience, tailoring each gift card promotion based on individual purchasing behaviors.
Key benefits:
- Smooth user experience
- Increased cash flow
- Reduced costs for market research and analysis
- Opportunity to increase sales with referral programs
- Cost-effective marketing
- Increased customer acquisition
- Increased foot traffic
Key challenges:
- Security and fraud protection
- Set up costs and maintenance
- Complex technical integrations
- Management complexity
- Regulatory compliance
- Redemption tracking
When choosing software to set up your gift card incentive program, you must look for a partner with a safe and reliable solution.
With PassKit, you can create gift cards for free during a 45-day trial period and test them without an initial setup cost.
You can benefit from seamless integrations with your company’s technology stack, marketing automation tools, and Google and Apple wallets, saving hundreds of dollars on hiring developers.
Types of gift card program software
You can use three main types of gift card software to implement your customer incentive program.
Standalone gift card software
This software functions independently and helps you manage gift card programs. It offers comprehensive features for creating, selling, and redeeming gift cards without requiring integration with other systems.
Integrated solutions with POS systems
These solutions smoothly integrate into your current point-of-sale (POS) system, allowing you to manage gift cards alongside customer transactions easily.
This integration ensures the efficient synchronization of gift card data with the sales system, streamlining operations and reducing human errors.
Cloud-based vs. on-premises solutions
Cloud-based solutions are hosted on remote servers, allowing automatic updates and lower upfront costs. On the other hand, on-premises solutions in the gift card industry are installed on local servers within your business. They offer greater control and security over your gift vouchers.
However, they require a significant upfront investment and ongoing maintenance.
Key features to look for in gift card program software
When selecting gift card software for your business, consider several key features to simplify processes and create the perfect gift card program.
User-friendly interface
When choosing gift card management software, prioritize a well-designed interface that caters to both you as the business owner and your customers.
Look for a modern, intuitive platform that is easy to navigate. Ensure that all the necessary admin tools are readily accessible without any hassle.
It will improve the overall user experience and contribute to the seamless management of your gift card program.
Customer management
The gift voucher management system is not just about tracking and onboarding. It’s about creating a personal connection with your customers. You can send personalized messages and offer gift cards that are tailored to their needs, making them feel valued and appreciated.
Additionally, you can use customer segmentation to make customized gift cards for different target groups on special occasions. For example, you could create gift cards for Mother’s Day beauty treatments for young mothers.
Mobile wallet integration
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Unlike plastic cards, you can easily integrate digital gift cards with mobile wallets like Apple or Google Wallet. It saves time creating and printing gift certificates and makes it more convenient for customers to use gift cards at your business, helping you improve cash flows.
Customization and branding
Branded gift cards are critical visual means for your business to communicate with customers. Customization features are essential components of good gift card program software.
Here are the key elements you should be able to customize easily:
- Company logo
- Brand colors
- Customer spending dashboard
- Reward catalog
- Terms of service and essential info
- Social media links
Multi-channel support
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Consider using multichannel distribution to increase sales through diverse brand touchpoints. Sell gift cards at physical and virtual locations to ensure accessibility for all customers.
Allowing customers to use gift cards in-store, online, and via mobile devices can increase gift voucher revenue and improve customer satisfaction.
For instance, if you run a local gym and want to implement a gift card system for your community, enable customers to purchase gift cards through your website. This way, people can surprise their friends or partners with a gift card without visiting the gym.
Real-time tracking and reporting
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Reliable gift card software should allow you to track digital gift cards, helping you understand customer preferences and monitor gift card sales.
Reporting is essential for digital teams to allocate marketing resources effectively. For instance, you can discover that sending gift cards via email with a personalized message leads to increased sales, while offering volume discounts on a profitable product may result in unnecessary costs with no real benefits.
These metrics can help you determine the value of your gift card system and increase revenue by reallocating your investments.
Easy redemption and reload
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Simplifying the digital gift card redemption and reload process makes things easier for customers and your employees. Quick and straightforward redemption encourages customers to use their gift cards more frequently, driving repeat business.
Additionally, the ability to reload cards easily allows customers to support their favorite businesses continuously.
Security features
Robust security features are crucial in gift card software to prevent fraud and unauthorized use. Secure encryption and validation protocols ensure that transactions are safe, maintaining customer trust and safeguarding sensitive data.
By preventing fraudulent activities,you can avoid financial losses related to gift voucher sales, such as fake transaction fees, and maintain the integrity of your gift card program. It fosters a secure and reliable customer experience.
Advanced integration capabilities
When integrating with CRM, POS, and similar tools, advanced integration capabilities enable process automation by allowing seamless data flow between different systems.
It means you can automatically sync and update information across platforms, reducing the need for manual data entry and minimizing errors.
This type of integration benefits efficiency, productivity, and decision-making through access to real-time, accurate data. It also improves customer experience by ensuring consistent and up-to-date information across all touchpoints.
Customer support and training
Having sufficient training resources enables staff to use the gift card software efficiently, from offering gift cards to assisting customers in using them. Dependable customer support ensures that any issues or questions can be promptly addressed, minimizing downtime and improving user satisfaction.
Implementing gift card program software with PassKit
PassKit is a customer loyalty software solution designed to help businesses increase customer retention, engagement, and sales by leveraging digital loyalty, membership and gift card programs for mobile wallets.
Here’s how it works.
First, go to the PassKit website and start a 45-day free trial. It will grant you access to the platform and its features. After finishing the signup process and logging in, name your project based on your business type and specific requirements.
Visit the Pass Designer and choose a gift card template for Apple and Google Wallets. You can tailor the loyalty card design to match your brand’s identity. Add the customer’s details to personalize the card, include information about your offer and set the expiry date.
Add a point balance to track customer spending, and select a QR code or a barcode to enable customers to scan gift cards at your POS system.
Remember to include important details such as terms and conditions and links to your social media profiles to help customers connect with your business.
After finalizing your design, click the save button. PassKit will generate a digital gift card that your customers can save and use with Apple or Google Wallet.
Promote your gift card program with PassKit
With a multichannel distribution feature, PassKit enables you to promote, distribute and track digital gift cards on traditional and digital channels, creating a unified customer experience.
Here are some of the examples to get customers on board:
- Upload your existing customer email list to PassKit, create a personalized email and attach the customer’s unique digital gift card. Schedule and automate these emails using email management tools to ensure they are delivered on time.
- Share the PassKit enrollment link prominently on your website. It could be on your homepage, in the footer, or on a dedicated gift program page. Clear calls-to-action (CTAs) such as “Join Our Gift Card Program” or “Sign Up for Rewards” can attract more sign-ups.
- Leverage your social media platforms to promote your gift card program. Post engaging content that explains the benefits of joining and includes the PassKit enrollment link. Use eye-catching graphics, videos, and customer testimonials to improve the appeal.
- Consider running targeted social media ads to reach a broader audience. These ads can direct users to the PassKit enrollment page, encouraging new customers to sign up.
- PassKit provides QR codes to print and display in your physical store. Place these QR codes at strategic locations such as the checkout counter, entrance, or customer service desk.
- Send location-based alerts and push notifications to increase foot traffic. For example, if a user enters a geofence around your store, you might send a notification about a special in-store promotion.
These are just some examples of how to share your digital gift cards. Sign up for Passkit and start reaping the benefits.
Integrate PassKit with existing systems using Zapier and Make
Automation tools like Zapier and Make help you streamline operations and improve customer engagement by connecting PassKit with various applications you already use.
Zapier is a popular automation tool that connects over 3,000 apps, enabling you to automate repetitive tasks without coding. Follow the authorization prompts to connect to PassKit.
Create a “Zap” by selecting a trigger event from PassKit, such as “New Gift Card Issued,” and choose an action in another app, like adding a new customer to your CRM or sending a welcome email.
Customize the details and test your Zap to ensure it works as expected before turning it on.
Make offers advanced automation features and supports complex workflows. Create a new Scenario, add PassKit as the first module, and configure the trigger event.
Then, add modules for the other apps you want to integrate with PassKit. Use Make’s visual editor to define the workflow, adding filters and conditions as needed.
This setup allows for sophisticated data mapping and multi-step processes, ensuring a smooth integration with your existing systems.
Monitor gift card program performance with PassKit
Effectively monitoring the performance of your gift card program is crucial for optimizing its success and ensuring a high return on investment (ROI). PassKit provides robust tools and analytics to help you track loyalty program KPIs and make informed decisions.
Monitor various aspects of your gift card program as they happen. It includes tracking the number of gift cards issued, redeemed, and remaining balances. Real-time data helps you quickly identify trends and respond to changes in customer behavior.
PassKit provides detailed insights into customer engagement, such as the frequency of gift card usage, average spend per transaction, and redemption rates. These metrics help you gauge the effectiveness of your promotions.
Set up automated alerts to notify you of important events, such as low gift card balances or high redemption rates. It ensures you stay informed about critical aspects of your program without constantly checking the dashboard.
You can integrate PassKit with other business tools and systems, such as CRM and POS systems, for a more holistic view of your gift card program. It allows you to correlate gift card data with other business metrics, offering deeper insights into customer behavior and program performance.
Start a 45-day free trial now.
Final words about gift card program software
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Implementing a robust gift card program software can be a transformative move for your business. It improves customer engagement and loyalty and provides a flexible and convenient way for customers to interact with your brand.
With the right software, you can streamline gift card issuance, redemption, and management, making the process seamless for your business and customers.
A comprehensive gift card management system offers numerous benefits, including real-time tracking of gift card balances and usage, detailed analytics for performance monitoring, and integration capabilities with other business tools. These features enable you to make data-driven decisions, optimize your marketing strategies, and drive sales growth.
Modern gift card software solutions, like PassKit, have advanced features like mobile wallet integration, customer segmentation, automated alerts, customizable reports, and customer engagement metrics.
These tools help you manage your gift card program, ensuring it runs efficiently and meets your business objectives.
Investing in a high-quality gift card program software is a strategic decision that can yield significant returns. It simplifies the management of gift cards and improves the overall customer experience, fostering loyalty and boosting your bottom line.
FAQs about gift card program software
What software is used to create gift cards?
Different gift card software like PassKit enables you to create and manage your gift card programs.
How do you set up a gift card program?
Start with an idea for gift cards and implement it with the help of online gift card software, such as PassKit.
How to create digital gift cards?
You can create digital gift cards with simple, no-code software like PassKit. Design and brand the cards customers love.
Can you make a gift card digital?
Yes. You can make a digital gift card with simple software that helps you create, design, and manage your gift cards online.
