Guide
What is a digital loyalty programme?
A digital loyalty programme replaces the paper stamp card with a card that lives on the guest’s phone. The guest joins with a phone number, the card saves to their phone wallet, and every visit adds a stamp or points until they earn a reward. The business, in turn, finally sees who its regulars are — and who has quietly stopped coming.
How it works, step by step
1. Set your reward
Choose stamps (for example, 8 coffees for a free one) or points (for example, 10 points per rial, 500 points for a free dessert).
2. Put the QR by the counter
Guests scan once, enter their phone number, and the card is on their phone. No app download.
3. Award at the counter
Staff find the guest by phone number or card and award the stamp or points in one tap.
4. Bring back the quiet ones
The system spots guests who are overdue and helps you send a message that brings them back.
Digital vs paper, in one table
| Digital programme | Paper stamp card | |
|---|---|---|
| Can be lost or forged | No | Yes |
| You know who your regulars are | Yes | No |
| You can message lapsed guests | Yes, with consent | No |
| Works in Arabic and English | Yes | Whatever you print |
What makes a programme work
Keep the first reward reachable within six to eight weeks of normal visits. Reward with something guests already want — a free drink of the kind they buy, not a discount they have to calculate. And act on the data: the value of a digital programme is not the stamp, it is knowing who stopped coming while there is still time to invite them back.
Frequently asked questions
- Do guests need to download an app?
- No. Guests join with their phone number and the card is saved to their phone wallet or opened as a web page. There is nothing to install.
- How long until it shows results?
- Most businesses see a measurable change in repeat visits within 60 to 90 days, provided the reward is reachable within about six to eight weeks of normal visits.
- Is it “loyalty program” or “loyalty programme”?
- Both are correct: “program” is the American spelling and “programme” the British one used widely in Oman and the Gulf. They mean the same thing.