Loyalty programs come in different shapes and sizes. In the blog ‘Loyalty programs work'  I explained how you can choose a program that fits within your organization. The better the match between your brand and the loyalty program, the better the distinctive experience, and thus the unique customer loyalty you want to create.

Ready for the start

Once you have a clear idea of what your loyalty program should look like and which objectives you want to achieve with it, it’s time to build the loyalty platform. It is possible that you have access to internal developers, or that your organization works with an external developer. Whatever the case, I recommend that you have the process overseen by a specialist, who has experience with loyalty programs. Building loyalty platforms requires specific knowledge and expertise. A specialist can help you make the difference

There are a number of things that make sense to do before you start building your loyalty platform. These must-dos ensure that you put the internal or external developers on the right track, and that the development process runs quickly and smoothly. Here are my four must-dos to be well prepared to build a loyalty platform.

Must-do 1: determine the most important data for your loyalty program
A loyalty program is usually based around a primary piece of information with which the points or rewards are determined. In one program this is the start date, for example, while in another it is the turnover in a certain period.

Why is this important? It ensures that you and the developers know that this data (and the application that generates it) must be made available as a high priority.

Must-do 2: identify which existing applications the loyalty program should be linked to

The loyalty program will have its own platform but will almost always work with existing applications, such as CRM applications or payment systems.

Why is this important? This gives developers a good idea of what features are already available and what features still need to be built.

Must-do 3: make a list of company rules and other important policies that the loyalty program must also comply with

Every organization has rules or policies that determine what systems and processes must comply with. These are probably also applicable to the new loyalty program. This can include rules on security, privacy, and auditing, for example.

Why is this important? When it comes to these kinds of important preconditions, you don’t want any nasty surprises. Surprises can result in a lot of extra work, costs, and possible fines at a later stage.

Must-do 4: consider how the loyalty program will be used

Put yourself in the shoes of the various users. Including the internal employees! What functions need to be built for these users?

Why is this important? These user stories (as developers often call them) enable you to specify what the loyalty platform should do. And by putting yourself in the users' shoes, you can create a user experience that is unique and fits your brand.

Download our white paper ‘Building a strong platform for your loyalty platform’.

Are you curious about what other steps you, together with your developers, will take in building your loyalty platform? We explain this in our white paper, which you can download here.