Case Study: A Successful Loyalty Programme for an Italian Restaurant Chain

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An Italian restaurant chain has launched a successful loyalty programme to keep its customers coming back for more. The programme, which offers rewards such as free pizza and a Pizzaiolo Masterclass trip to Italy, has increased customer retention and engagement.

Increasing restaurant customer loyalty with a reward scheme

“A loyalty programme was on our roadmap from the start,” says a member of the restaurant’s team. “From our history as sales consultants, we know that you have to do something to turn your fan base into returning customers.”

The restaurant chain partnered with Reward-It to create a programme that is easy to use and offers meaningful rewards. Customers who join the programme earn points for each purchase they make at any of the chain’s locations, and these points can be redeemed for rewards such as free food, exclusive promotions, and a chance to win a trip to Italy for a Pizzaiolo Masterclass.

Rolling out a restaurant loyalty program effectively

Marketing is an essential step when setting up a loyalty programme. The Italian chain’s loyalty programme has been launched with a clear explanation of its benefits to customers. The restaurant chain made sure that the programme is easy to understand and that customers know what they can expect to receive in return for their loyalty. This clear communication encourages participation, and therefore the scheme quickly gained popularity.

Over the course of the first year, the loyalty programme rewarded customers with over 87,000 points, and there were over 2,500 loyalty transactions in return. The programme’s success is due to a combination of clear communication, an easy-to-use platform, and valuable rewards.

How to use loyalty software effectively

In addition to increasing customer retention, the loyalty scheme has also helped the restaurant chain to build a customer database. By collecting information on their loyal customers, the restaurant chain can better understand their preferences and habits. This information can be used to create more targeted promotions and offers, which can help to drive even more customer engagement.

The loyalty software allows the business to easily gain information about customers such as their birthdate, the last time they visited, and more – which comes with many benefits. For example, using the software’s built-in email marketing platform to automated and personalised ‘Happy Birthday’ emails, welcome emails, or offers to entice them back, the marketing team can effortlessly encourage repeat visits.

Conclusion

“If you make it clear to people what the benefits are, everyone thinks it’s a lot of fun to participate in the savings,” says the owner of the restaurant chain. “We haven’t been operating for very long, but we already see that people are coming back more often.”

The programme has had a positive impact on customer retention. The restaurant chain noticed that customers who are part of the loyalty scheme are more likely to return to their restaurants than those who do not sign up, and the programme has created a sense of loyalty and connection between the customers and the business, which has led to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Overall, the loyalty programme has been and continues to be a great success for the restaurant chain. By offering valuable rewards and creating a sense of community and loyalty among its customers, the programme has helped to increase customer retention and engagement. For any restaurant looking to create a successful loyalty scheme, clear communication, easy-to-use technology, and valuable rewards are key.