Shoppers call for seamless omnichannel loyalty scheme experiences

71% of UK consumers disappointed are frustrated at a lack of omnichannel integration between online and in-store loyalty experiences, according to research by Vodat, involving over 1,000 people. Its report - ‘How To Build Loyalty With Social WiFi’ - suggests that customers are falling out of love with loyalty programmes that don’t match their expectations around personalisation, relevance and the channel in which they can collect or claim rewards.

65% stated that they don’t get sufficiently targeted offers in-store. And, with technological advancements in bricks and mortar, a third now expect in-store experiences and marketing communications to be tailored based on their previous visits in order to give them more relevant encounters – and offers.

Omnichannel capabilities also proved a key consideration when it came to loyalty scheme adoption, with 81% of shoppers wanting apps that would let them collect and redeem points in the store and online. 72% want to receive an immediate discount sent to their smartphone upon entering a store. Indeed, a third said that mobile connectivity was now an essential part of their in-store visit, while a further third expected to be rewarded for using their mobile within the store when logged on to in-store Wi-Fi. 

Paul Leybourne, Head of Sales at Vodat International, comments: “In the same way that consumers move fluidly across channels when shopping, they want the same seamless experience when using a retailer’s loyalty scheme. Incentive programmes need to blend the physical and digital, allowing each channel plays to its own strength to create a better standard of customer service and rewards; and this is where retailers can create value within their loyalty schemes. It’s true that mobile technology has long disrupted traditional retail, and this influence is only likely to intensify.”