How to pick the right loyalty provider: four questions you have to ask yourself

Every ecommerce store is different. You may have similar issues you’re aiming to tackle using a loyalty program, but ultimately what you need is unique to your store.

And selecting a loyalty provider doesn’t need to be a daunting task — we’re here to help.

Read on and we’ll outline some of the key questions you need to ask yourself when choosing your loyalty provider.

Suite or standalone?

This will be one of the biggest decisions you make. Do you go for a provider that hosts a suite of tools or one that focuses solely on loyalty? Your decision will be determined by a range of factors, like are you already using some of the tools offered within that suite? And more importantly, are they performing well, and are you receiving a good level of customer service?

There are pros to choosing a loyalty solution that provides a suite of tools. Account management, streamlined billing, and communication with one team will mean a tidier inbox. Along with only one renewal process to worry about.

But, this does all depend on the tools you already have in place and whether or not they overlap with the suite of tools being offered to you. Having to migrate over numerous platforms will be more work than simply onboarding a new one. One account manager may also seem easier, but you may find that they have a very base-level understanding across all of the suite tools. So working with someone who has no in-depth, specialist knowledge of loyalty, may not work in your favor.

Although a standalone solution means managing another platform, your account manager will be a loyalty expert, meaning retention and acquisition is their bread and butter. You can also be assured that all investment is being channeled into loyalty, instead of across a range of different areas of the business. The convenience of a suite can’t be ignored, but when it comes to understanding the results of your loyalty program, the specialist approach is far more strategy-focused.

What are the available integrations?

There’s never been a better time to invest in loyalty. As the opt-out era continues, using your loyalty data and insights to determine your marketing tactics and tools will be incredibly beneficial.

Choosing a loyalty provider that hosts a suite of tools may facilitate a smooth process for integrating your program with other marketing strategies and channels, like email, reviews, and SMS. But, trying to manage all these tools under one provider may mean account managers have less time to respond efficiently to the changing industry requirements.

Standalone loyalty providers often have integrations with other tools that you’ll need, where data and insights can be passed through from one to the other. And though this may require more effort during setup, in the long run you’ll be dealing with subject matter experts and getting access to best-in-class tools that are updated with every industry change and development.

Integrating your standalone platforms will mean your tech stack is up to date, and constantly evolving to give you and your end shoppers the best service. Take a look at LoyaltyLion’s best-in-class integrations here.

Is your program an extension of your team?

The loyalty platform you choose should add value to your existing team. Loyalty marketing shouldn’t be seen as another complex item on your teams’ to-do list. Find a partner that you can work with to make sure this scenario doesn’t happen.

Customer support will almost always be accessible with all providers at some level. Whereas having access to an account manager often depends on your level of engagement. If your provider is dedicated to loyalty and the plan you choose provides a greater level of support, then the retention expertise added to your team will be invaluable.

You should ensure that your chosen platform has a detailed onboarding process. Things like help documentation should be immediately provided so that you can efficiently go through the launch process and create your loyalty program. You should also assess if they have different options of support that can cater to various levels of technical knowledge in your team.

Understanding new technology can be tedious. A good partner will ensure this process is as smooth as possible. LoyaltyLion currently sits at 8.5 out of 10 for quality of support and 8.1 out of 10 for ease of setup, according to our clients. Read more LoyaltyLion reviews on G2.

Is it safe and secure?

With loyalty comes trust. Consumers are becoming more sensitive with how their data is being used in marketing strategies, so it’s imperative that you’re happy with your provider’s security practices.

The best loyalty provider will support you in meeting the data regulations for the markets you sell and ship to. Make sure you review their security policies, terms of services, and all sub-processes they’re using — you need to be sure they can meet your security standards.

Check that your provider is SOC 2 authenticated. This confirms they have the required practices in place to handle customer data correctly. Read more about LoyaltyLion’s security here.

To summarize

No one knows your business better than you, so you’re the best person to choose your future loyalty partner. But take your time. Consider the above criteria when looking into your options and you can build a program that’ll bring long-term retention success, not just quick wins.

Take a look at the LoyaltyLion Hall of Fame to see some of the best loyalty programs of 2021.