By Mario Toneguzzi

Montreal-based Lightspeed, a leading provider of cloud-based point-of-sale and eCommerce solutions for independent businesses, will launch in the new year its latest innovation in customer loyalty programs to help small businesses compete in the current retail landscape.

Omni Loyalty will build on the success of the Lightspeed Loyalty program the company launched for retailers in December 2018. The new initiative will allow retailers to build out their loyalty program which integrates their online shop with their brick-and-mortar store, offering customers seamless and personalized experiences.

The company says it is at the forefront of democratizing these tools, making them appealing for independent businesses still relying on legacy systems who have the potential to transition to the cloud. With this, merchants digitize for the digital age so they can expand to multiple locations and use data to grow their businesses.

During a beta phase, select customers have been using Omni Loyalty and retailers have seen the impact on their business.

For example, Loyal Tee Boutique owner Tori Erickson, in Clio, Michigan, opened her first brick-and-mortar shop 11 months ago and built a loyalty program with Omni Loyalty that not only increased sales - so much that she’s moving into a second, larger retail space already - but it gives her the insight into her customers that helps her strategize and out-perform.

“Lightspeed Loyalty is an awesome feature that we use for our walk-in customers as well as our website shoppers. If a customer is shopping online and earns rewards at checkout, they can also come in and use their points to redeem them as a reward. We offer our customers $5, $10, $15 off their totals along with a free graphic tee and a pair of jeans depending on their points earned. They love it and it’s super exciting to see how they react to their rewards,” says Erickson.

“Lightspeed Loyalty helps us stand out in a crowd with all competitive retailers. It allows us to build a strong relationship with our customers local or online. It definitely keeps them coming back to shop with Loyal Tee Boutique.”

Erickson says customers love earning rewards and retailers can reward them with discounts and special items. It’s something that sets a smaller retailer apart from big box stores that don’t use reward systems.

“It has helped us gain strong relationships with certain customers and it is a fun way to treat our guests in store and online,” she says.

“Our consumers can utilize their rewards however they choose… whether it be $5 off, $10 off, $15 off, a free graphic tee or they can save up and earn a free pair of denim. Our loyalty system is easy access to Loyal Tee Boutique with a never expiring coupon.”

Erickson says ease and use for everyone are the key factors in a successful loyalty program.

“It has been so easy in our boutique and our customers are just starting to use them on our website. It’s simple and fun,” she says.

“As a consumer, we love to save money. With Lightspeed Loyalty, we allow our consumers to do just that. Our benefit as a retailer is that they continue to shop with us because of it and it is a win win.”

In the New Year, Lightspeed’s new Omnichannel Loyalty platform will enable retailers to connect their online and in-store experience, allowing shoppers to easily move between the two.

Retailers will now be able to drive repeat business by:

Delivering targeted marketing offers: Determine whether you want to send a promo to those who bought online, in-store or everyone;
Rewarding ambassadors: Learn which customers are the most loyal to your business and target them with tailored offers; and
Connecting the online and offline experience: Regardless of where they made their purchase or signed up for the program, shoppers can earn and redeem points online or in-store. Retailers can now track their entire loyalty program from one dashboard.

A year ago, Lightspeed Loyalty introduced its Lightspeed Loyalty - a seamless integration of Lightspeed’s existing suite of products, enabling merchants to engage customers, reward repeat business and build a loyal following.

Lightspeed Loyalty gives retailers and restaurants the ability to create a dialogue so that first-time guests become regulars and existing customers become more engaged, all from a single platform that creates true brand ambassadors. Going beyond point and reward systems, Lightspeed Loyalty provides businesses with the tools to better communicate and target their customers in a personalized way.

"Retailers and restaurants have always aimed to offer customers a superior level of service, and Lightspeed Loyalty allows them to take that service to the next level," said Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO of Lightspeed, a year ago with the launch of the product.

"We're providing these businesses with the tools to break down barriers, thus fostering strong customer relationships, driving repeat visits and increasing revenues, no matter the season."

Lightspeed was founded in 2005 with global offices in Canada, USA, Europe, and Australia.

*Lightspeed is a valued Retail Insider Partner. To work with Retail Insider, email: craig@retail-insider.com

Mario Toneguzzi, based in Calgary has 37 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald covering sports, crime, politics, health, city and breaking news, and business. For 12 years as a business writer, his main beats were commercial and residential real estate, retail, small business and general economic news. He nows works on his own as a freelance writer and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Email: mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com

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