What you need to know about customer lifecycle loyalty *

With 2020 in the rearview mirror, the new normal is here to stay—and with it, many remaining challenges for brands. As so many guests pivoted to digital channels for contactless ordering, payment and pick up, restaurants have had to shift their focus from traditional marketing communications to new ways of connecting with their audiences.It’s no longer enough to send a mass email or text message. Consumers expect a brand to earn their trust by knowing who they are and what they want and by tailoring online ordering, offers and marketing communications to suit their personal preferences and buying histories.

What are restaurant customer expectations in 2021?

After over a year of dealing with pandemic conditions, consumers are prioritizing convenience and safety for on-premise and off-premise restaurant operations. Now, more than ever, they’re also looking for brands to deliver personalized experiences that provide even greater value. And they want the experiences to be consistent, whether they’re in-store or online.

Where should brands place their focus?

Overall, to deliver on these expectations, brands need to create customer-centric experiences that build loyalty by being able to do the following:

  • Identify a consumer who is making a purchase in-person or online.
  • Know (in real-time) who is going through the drive-thru, getting curbside pick-up or coming into the restaurant.
  • Understand a customer’s purchasing behaviors and preferences through data collection with integrations from all in-store and digital touchpoints.

How do brands deliver the new restaurant customer experience?

The key is to create a loyalty solution alongside transaction-based software like POS systems, payment providers and even mobile ordering. Brands then have the flexibility to meet today’s consumers’ expectations for safety, value and personalized experiences across all channels—earning transaction volume as a result.

What is customer lifecycle loyalty?

Customer lifecycle loyalty is the key to building rewarding relationships with guests as they move along on the journey from anonymous buyers to loyal superfans. To address consumers’ varying needs, marketers need to deliver dynamic offers and marketing campaigns that drive omnichannel engagement across the lifecycle.

Customer lifecycle loyalty helps restaurants do just that. As operators encounter anonymous guests who are starting their initial journey with the restaurant’s brand, restaurateurs need a platform that collects data at every consumer touchpoint to provide identity resolution and behavioral preferences. As customers travel through the loyalty lifecycle, operators can travel with them—with the kind of personalized marketing messaging and tailored engagement that converts them to repeat buyers and, eventually, valuable brand loyalists.

Through a data-driven approach, customers are nurtured and receive personalized communications and experiences that make them feel more important than simply being targeted via a mass campaign that doesn’t speak to their specific wants, desires or pain points.

Become a marketer that builds value into their brand by delivering personalization that enhances a customer’s perception and increases their engagement. The Punchh Loyalty, Offers & Engagement Platform provides brands a scalable solution to create 1:1 incentives executed through automated marketing campaigns and delivered over customers’ preferred channels at the best times. Learn more about the Punchh Platform today.

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