Loyalty points have different values in different businesses. They are an old-school approach to shopper loyalty. Tired. Out of date. Of questionable value.

Everyone understands the value of cash and cash is at the heart of the discount vouchers offered through POS software from Tower Systems for local small business retailers. Supermarkets have ruined the understanding of value of loyalty points for sure.

Here at Tower Systems, we know years serving thousands of local independent retailers that a good loyalty program is key to business success. We see it in our work every day. In our software we serve the need with our Discount Voucher tools.

Discount vouchers can be setup in a minute or two. No additional tech is needed. No plastic cards are needed. No customer sign up is needed. This makes Discount Vouchers an easy, low cost, low overhead loyalty solution.

The Discount Voucher settings can be changed easily too, making this loyalty solution for small business retailers a breeze.

Retailers can call Discount Vouchers  what they want! We’ve got customers calling them “Thank You Gifts,” “Bonus Bucks,” or even “Customer Rewards.” The beauty is, it’s your program, your name!

One retailer saw a whopping 20% sales lift in the first quarter in which they offered vouchers, especially driving impulse near the sales counter purchases. Even years after implementation Discount Vouchers deliver bankable results for retailers.

Through the settings you can ensure that using the vouchers is P&L positive for the retail business.

Discount Vouchers are all about instant gratification for guys – they tend to use their vouchers straight away, while girls tend to save them for a later treat (but before they expire, of course!). Oh, and retailers control when these vouchers expire.

Setting up your voucher program is a breeze! Our retail-experienced support team can have you up and running in minutes, and making changes is just as easy. Plus, you get fantastic control over your program and clear reports to see how your customers are engaging.

Here’s why discount vouchers are a game-changer in our experience:

• You’re the boss! Name your vouchers anything you like, and change it whenever you fancy.
• Set the rules! Decide how much the voucher’s worth, what it can be used on, and when it expires.
• Transparency is key! Unlike confusing points systems, customers see the voucher as cash-in-hand. They love the simplicity and feel valued with a direct reward.

We’ve seen it work firsthand! In our own shops. Customers tell us they love the vouchers. We have seen them used. We see the impact in the business, the happiness experienced by customers.

With Tower Systems’ discount vouchers, you can:

• Get one time shoppers spending more in their one and only visit.
• Boost spending per visit – Customers love a good deal, and vouchers encourage them to splurge a little more.
• Bring back those loyal customers – Vouchers are a great way to entice customers to return sooner and keep them coming back for more.
• Attract new faces – Stand out from the crowd and grab the attention of new shoppers with enticing voucher offers.
• Spark impulse buys – Vouchers at the counter can turn a browse into a purchase easily.

Our discount voucher solution is exclusive to us, the settings opportunities, the control levers you have, the benefits you can leverage in your business.

Discount vouchers are one of the most recommended facilities in our small business retail POS software.

Forget everything you think you know about loyalty programs. This isn’t a story about points slowly accumulating towards a distant reward. This is about a small business owner who discovered the magic of front-ended customer appreciation, and how a simple $2 voucher turned into over $1,500 in sales.

Intrigued? Let’s dive in.

We own a shop. yes, this story is about one of our shops. It’s a newsagency, but it’s not really, it is so much more than that. We focus on high-quality, unique items that go beyond the daily newspaper. While most customers are regulars, a significant portion are passersby – folks who wouldn’t normally consider us a destination.

One day, a customer browsing our greeting cards made a small purchase. Little did they know, their receipt held the key to a much bigger discovery. It wasn’t a points reward, but a discount voucher for nearly $2.

This seemingly insignificant gesture had a profound impact. Here’s why:

• Location Advantage: Being situated near the parking lot meant foot traffic was already in our favor.
• Strategic Product Placement: The customer was drawn in by the greeting cards, a deliberate choice to showcase our offerings.
• The Power of the Voucher: The discount sparked curiosity, prompting them to explore beyond their initial purchase.

This unexpected $2 nudge led them to a locked glass cabinet filled with beautiful, collectible items (it doesn’t;t matter exactly what they are for this story) – what they were looking for as a special gift. The price wasn’t a barrier; they wanted something lasting. And just like that, a $500 item found a new home.

But the story doesn’t end there. Weeks later, the customer, who rarely visited the shopping centre, returned for another $500 purchase. This became a pattern, with them placing yet another $500 order shortly after. A single $2 voucher had directly influenced over $1,500 in sales!

The Secret Sauce?

It wasn’t magic. It was a structured, consistent approach to loyalty built on three pillars:

• Smart Software: Our system automatically generated vouchers based on pre-defined rules, ensuring a seamless experience.
• Engaged Staff: A brief, professional explanation of the voucher by the staff member added a personal touch.
• Strategic Product Placement: High-margin products, like the collectible items, were strategically positioned to capture attention.

This approach disrupted traditional loyalty programs. Instead of delayed rewards, we offered an immediate incentive to explore. And it worked. People responded in unexpected ways, ultimately leading to increased profitability.

Can This Work for You?

We think so. The key is to have:

• The Right Products: Offer unique, high-quality items that resonate with your target audience.
• Strategic Placement: Showcase these products prominently to entice exploration.
• A Winning Pitch: Train your staff to deliver a brief, professional explanation of the voucher program.
• A System That Works: Invest in software that automates voucher generation and tracks results.

By prioritising upfront appreciation, you can turn casual browsers into loyal customers, like we did in our own shop. Tower Systemscan help you achieve this with their flexible loyalty program software. From discount vouchers to other creative options,they empower you to craft the perfect strategy for your business.

So, ditch the traditional loyalty model. Embrace the power of up-front rewards and watch your sales soar!

For years, Australian shoppers have swiped their cards, collecting points with the promise of future discounts and rewards. But lately, that enthusiasm seems to be waning. In news stories and online forums, shoppers are talking down points based programs, often airing frustration at the lack of value and complexities using the programs.

Many retail programs have become stagnant. Plenty are same same. Here are some of the biggest culprits behind the decline of points-based loyalty:

• Too Many Programs, Not Enough Value: We’re bombarded with loyalty cards. Keeping track of them all is a chore, and if a program doesn’t offer significant rewards quickly, it gets relegated to the bottom of the wallet.
• Points that Disappear into the Abyss: Earning enough points for a decent reward can feel like an eternity. Opaque point structures and constantly changing redemption values leave shoppers feeling frustrated and undervalued.
• Discounts, Not Loyalty: Many programs feel like glorified discount cards. Sure, a discount at checkout is nice, but it doesn’t foster a true connection with the brand.

The big factor against points based loyalty programs is the confusion as to what a point is worth. In one shop, a point may be worth $1 when you choose to spend it while in another shop it may be worth a fraction of that. Points are not the same anywhere.

A table alternative is discount vouchers from Tower Systems. This approach to loyalty uses currency, real currency – something everyone understands.

Here’s why discount vouchers are the loyalty program upgrade worth considering:

• Immediate Gratification: Discount vouchers deliver instant value at checkout, keeping customers happy and coming back for more.
• Targeted and Relevant: Unlike generic points, vouchers can be tailored to specific customer segments or purchase behaviours.
• Flexibility is Your Friend: With Tower Systems, you have complete control over your voucher program.
• Design vouchers with your branding, set the discount percentage or amount, and choose which products or categories they apply to.
• Simple is Best: Unlike points that can be confusing to track and redeem, vouchers are delightfully straightforward.

Discount vouchers are a powerful tool to build customer loyalty. We have retailers in a range of channels using them with success today to encourage shoppers to purchase more per visit and to return sooner and more often to purchase again.

Discount vouchers offer instant value, cater to individual preferences, and provide valuable insights into customer behaviour. Tower Systems empowers you to create strategic voucher programs that drive sales, boost engagement, and leave the outdated points system in the dust.

People understand cash, far more so than they understand points. What’s a pint worth anyway?

Look at supermarket loyalty programs. It feels like you need to shop forever to get enough points for something basic. But cash as a loyalty reward, people know what cash is worth.

Our smart POS software supports point, but it’s our cash based loyalty offer that gets the real attention.

Simple. Fast to setup. Easy to offer. Easy for customers to engage with. And, if done right, it pays for itself many times over.

Better still, there are awesome reports that help you understand how shoppers are behaving, how they are engaging with and responding to the cash discount showing on their receipt. These reports help you pull levers in the software to drive business growth.

You can call them what you like. In the software, we call them discount vouchers.

Discount vouchers genuinely differentiate your business.

• You name the voucher anything you like and can change this at any time.
• You set the rules on how the value of the voucher is calculated.
• You set the rules on what the voucher can be redeemed for.
• You set the rules on expiry dates.

Male shoppers are more likely to spend the voucher immediately and many customers use the voucher to purchase items more expensive than the items in the initial purchase made. Customers see the voucher as cash, often commenting that they like the direct approach better than a points-based system. They like the transparency and simplicity.

In our own retail experience, which sees us competing against major retailers in a major shopping centre, several shoppers have stated they prefer Discount Vouchers over the rewards programs of our competitors.

I you compare the Tower Systems POS software with POS software from another company, look at the loyalty side and work out how it differentiates your business, how it brings shoppers back soon and how it gets shoppers spending more.

With many retail businesses running points based loyalty programs, differentiating is key for businesses that want to stand out. This is why our discount voucher loyalty program is loved by plenty of our local indie retail business POS software customers today.

There are loyalty offers from big retailers that are supported with expensive attractive marketing and then there are loyalty offers from local businesses that deliver real value, appreciated value.

While the big business loyalty program gets media attention, it is usually the local business loyalty program that delivers what customers love most.

With many retail businesses running points based loyalty programs, differentiating is key for businesses that want to stand out. This is why our Tower Systems discount voucher loyalty program is loved by plenty of our POS software customers.

Oh, and you can actually call it whatever you like. We have customers who call these receipt-based vouchers Our Thank You Gift or Bonus Bucks or Customer Reward..

Discount vouchers genuinely differentiate your business.

• You name the voucher anything you like and can change this at any time.
• You set the rules on how the value of the voucher is calculated.
• You set the rules on what the voucher can be redeemed for.
• You set the rules on expiry dates.

Male shoppers are more likely to spend the voucher immediately and many customers use the voucher to purchase items more expensive than the items in the initial purchase made. Customers see the voucher as cash, often commenting that they like the direct approach better than a points-based system. They like the transparency and simplicity.

In our own retail experience, shoppers tell us they prefer discount vouchers, they like how easily they are understood, they like the saving.

To us, shopper loyalty programs should reward loyalty with a genuine reward, and they should do this in a way that nurtures more engagement with the business.

The relationship between shopper, business and loyalty program is circular, mutually beneficial, appreciated and valuable. This is how our program works.

Now, for retailers who like to copy big business with a traditional points based program, we offer that. It’s easy to setup and run. You control how points are accrued and redeemed. We have this in the software because we do not want to restrict what our retailers can offer in terms of loyalty.

We are grateful to serve thousands of retailers with loyalty offerings that help local retailers thrive.

Loyalty points are hard to quantify. But cash, we all understand.

Think about it. When did you look at the loyalty points in a retailer or airline program and try and figure out how much they are worth. Confusion suits them. We think it dilutes the value significantly.

A customer recently spent $87.97 at a shop in suburban Melbourne. They were an infrequent shopper there, but they were given a $4.40 voucher on their receipt.

The customer looked at the voucher and then back into the shop. A few minutes later, they spent an additional $165.00 on products. They said they might as well get these things here and save money.

The customer lives an hour from the shop and was only shopping locally because they were visiting a friend. But the $4.40 voucher was enough to encourage them to spend more.

The Tower Systems POS software offers integrated loyalty marketing, including points-based and cash-back rewards. The cash-back rewards are popular with retailers because they are easy to implement and track.

Differentiating your loyalty program can encourage shoppers to spend more and come back more often. The Tower Systems loyalty platform also offers a way for retailers to engage with local community groups and raise funds.

We believe that cash-back rewards are a better way to build loyalty than points-based rewards. This approach is a differentiator for local indie retail businesses.

Too often, small businesses think that copying what big retailers do is the smart way to go. But it’s not. Big retailers have the resources to offer complex loyalty programs with lots of bells and whistles. But small businesses can’t afford to do that.

The Tower Systems loyalty platform is a simple and effective way for small businesses to build loyalty. It’s used by retailers in Australia and New Zealand, and it’s helped them to drive basket depth and bring shoppers back sooner.

This loyalty program is easy to setup, and to fine tune based on experience. With no overhead and no external people to deal with, it’s so easy for local retailers to leverage local opportunities and Leeds in how they execute their loyalty offer.

If you’re a small business owner, we encourage you to check out the Tower Systems loyalty platform. It’s a great way to differentiate your business and build customer loyalty.

Many small business retailers copy the loyalty programs of big retailers, too many in fact. Here at Tower Systems, based on years of experience working with retailers and running our own shops, we think this is a mistake.

Big retailers can afford to offer generic rewards like points, which mean what anyway (?), but small businesses need to be more creative and offer rewards that are relevant to and understood by their customers.

Here are a few tips for creating a loyalty program that will wow your customers:

• Make it personal. Don’t just offer generic rewards like points. Instead, offer rewards that are specific to your business and your customers.
• Make it easy to participate. Your loyalty program should be easy for customers to understand and participate in. The last thing you want is for customers to get confused or frustrated.
• Make it rewarding. The rewards you offer should be valuable enough to keep customers coming back. Don’t just offer small discounts or coupons. Instead, offer rewards that your customers will actually want, like free products, exclusive experiences, or early access to new products.
• Make it understood. Cash is what people understand the best. A dollar is worth a dollar.

If you follow these tips, you can create a loyalty program that will help you attract and retain customers.

Here are some specific examples of loyalty programs that small businesses can offer:

• Discount vouchers: This is a simple but effective way to reward customers. You can offer discount vouchers for a percentage off their next purchase, or for free shipping or other perks.
• VIP card: This is a great way to show your most loyal customers some extra love. VIP cardholders can enjoy exclusive rewards, like early access to new products or special discounts.
• Bundled package offerings: This is a great way to encourage customers to spend more money. You can offer bundled packages of products or services at a discounted price.

No matter what type of loyalty program you choose, make sure it’s something that your customers will actually want to participate in. If you do that, you’ll be well on your way to building a loyal customer base.

Here are more thoughts on loyalty programs for small businesses:

• Be creative. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your loyalty program. The more unique and interesting your program is, the more likely customers are to participate.
• Be flexible. Your loyalty program should be flexible enough to change as your business grows and evolves. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments to your program as needed.
• Be social. Promote your loyalty program on social media and other channels to reach a wider audience.

By following these tips, you can create a loyalty program that will help you grow your small business.

Now, our preference is discount vouchers because we know they work, we see it in business data from many hundreds of local small business retailers. Shoppers love them, and spend as a result.

There are loyalty programs and then there are loyalty programs that actually work for both shoppers and retailers. And, yes, we have a conflict because we offer this type of loyalty program in our small business focussed POS software.

But, first, we also offer the traditional points based loyalty. Yes, it’s what most have. It’s old. People love it. But, what’s a point really worth? No one knows.

In our small business focussed POS software we offer another loyalty program, in addition to points. This is a smart program, one that helps retailers and customers benefit through mutual support and assistance.

In the current economic situation with shrill news reports about interest, rent and inflation, our loyalty program alternative helps shoppers save money and retailers attract more shoppers than usual. It’s a money maker for both, a differentiator, and real win!

They key to the success of our loyalty program loved by shoppers and retailers is that the reward is shown in money, currency, the amount available for people to spend in the shop. You can look at the voucher and know immediately the amount you have available as a reward. If you see 150 points it is likely you have no idea what they are worth whereas when you see $4.50 you know it is worth $4.50.

Our smart POS software works out the reward amount based on what you tell it. You are in control at all times and can make immediate adjustments. Setup can be done in a couple of minutes. Then, you have access to excellent reports that show how shoppers are using the loyalty program. Nothing to spend. Nothing else to do other than engaged with shoppers.

Discount vouchers genuinely differentiate your business.

• You name the voucher anything you like and can change this at any time.
• You set the rules on how the value of the voucher is calculated.
• You set the rules on what the voucher can be redeemed for.
• You set the rules on expiry dates.

Male shoppers are more likely to spend the voucher immediately and many customers use the voucher to purchase items more expensive than the items in the initial purchase made. Customers see the voucher as cash, often commenting that they like the direct approach better than a points-based system. They like the transparency and simplicity.

This loyalty program can help you:

• Get customers spending more in a visit.
• Bring existing customers back sooner.
• Attract new shoppers to your business.
• Drive impulse purchases at the sales counter.

All of this is about a win win – for customers and for local retail business owners. Since 2013 this loyalty program has been in good and wide use, and loved.

While the majority of retailers run with loyalty programs that accrue points / charms and similar of dubious value, Tower Systems POS software customers can offer $$$ off.

Okay, we support loyalty points for those who want that. But, tons of our customers use our fresh approach to loyalty, and they love it for the  shopper engagement it nurtures.

The discount vouchers (that’s what we call it but you can call it what you like) from the Tower Systems POS software work. In garden centres, jewellers, bike shops, newsagents, toy shops, pet shops, produce stores, stockfeed businesses, firearms businesses and more, the vouchers are bringing shoppers back and guiding them to spend more.

The vouchers are a positive game changer for retailers, a differentiator that are making a terrific difference in businesses competing with others stuck in the world of old-school loyalty through points.

How do we know?

Retailers tell us. Retailers call and email us saying thank you for the voucher facilities in the software and the business implementation training that helps them leverage the vouchers to incremental revenue for the business.

Plus, we use this ourselves in busy shops that we run.

This fresh loyalty solution is a bankable facility, one that is adding genuine value to retail businesses.

Every retailer has the capacity, through the Tower Systems POS software, to set their own rules around how the discount vouchers work and are used. They can turn them on and off at will and immediately.

They can drive engagement by product type and even by customer type. The flexibility is tremendous and the levers in the POS software powerful and valuable.

Yes, this is business differentiating POS software. The results are bankable.

Using the vouchers small business retailers competing with big businesses can expect shopper loyalty to increase as they appreciate the value of an amount they understand. We hear about this regularly from customers.

Customers love that they do not have to download an app or sign up for an account to start accruing value on vouchers. They love the simplicity, ease and speed of how the vouchers work. These are keys to success for the business too.

The discount vouchers work across age groups too. Young and old love them and understand them. This is another key of their success.

If your retail business is in a challenging competitive situation, the discount vouchers could be the game changer you need to break out as the business people return to again and again for the way you appreciate their business.

Take a look for yourself, the Tower Systems POS software is packed with business building benefits you can leverage.

Having a plan for cultivating shopper loyalty is key to every retail business.

Too often, however, retailers are tricked into thinking points based programs cultivate shopper loyalty. We think shoppers see through opaque loyalty programs.

We think they want more, genuine appreciation and encouragement.

While the Tower systems POS software offers points based loyalty solutions, it is our Discount voucher approach to loyalty that retailers rave to us about. They tell us it if these facilities that are driving measurable growth in traffic and sales.

By giving our POS software retail business customers a choice in loyalty programs they get to make the assessment as to what is best for their business situation. This flexibility is a reactor on customer loyalty for us at Tower Systems.

In this video, our CEO we provide an update on the value and flexibility of our discount vouchers. He takes yo behind the scenes on reporting available as to the performance of the vouchers in the business.

The discount voucher facilities in the Tower Systems POS software are differentiating, valuable and loved … by shoppers and by retailers. We are grateful to the hundreds of local small business retailers who have made these discount voucher tools as good as they are. Collaborating with so many on this has been a joy.

17 years ago on this blog we wrote about loyalty. Our views then stack up today, we think.

In our Tower Systems POS software we offer retailers flexibility in terms of loyalty solutions: the old-school points approach, the coffee card type approach, discount vouchers that give shoppers off for genuine loyal engagement, and more. Core to our loyalty offer is flexibility.

A loyalty alternative in the Tower Systems POS software is loved by retailers and shoppers. While the POS software also manages points based loyalty, it is this other approach that retailers love as it offers them a pitch through which they can differentiate their business.

Here’s a 12 minute video we shot a few days ago about this: 

Loyalty is something through which local retailers can compete agains big business, yet too many play follow the leader and offer points based loyalty.

What is a point worth? Seriously, what is it worth? You can’t say as every business has their own currency, their own value for a loyalty point. Some are clear about it, while others keep the value in the shadows. This is why shoppers are skeptical about loyalty points. What are they worth anyway. Seriously.

Using the discount vouchers facility in the Tower Systems POS software, you can call it what you like bay the way, you can encourage more value from single visit shoppers as well as regulars. There are smart facilities embedded in this software to serve a variety of retail settings.

This is a perfect small business win, an easy and fast way to differentiate from big businesses that typically have a one-trick approach to loyalty – points that they can make look one way while they act another way. The dollar value showing on a receipt is understood and actionable. Points, well, what do they mean? How can you access them? How do they compare to other points? These are questions customers have.

It always surprises us to see how much money big businesses spend advertising their points based loyalty programs. it feels like they spend more than the programs themselves actually deliver.

By keeping loyalty simple and understandable you have a better opportunity for shopper engagement. This is a money in the bak opportunity that we have installed in many retail settings, with success.

Tower Systems serves specialty retailers with specialty POS software. The loyalty tools, points and discount vouchers, are available in all versions of our POS software.

We are grateful to our community of 3,000+ customers for their encouragement and guidance as we continue to evolve our software.

Here’s a video from Tower Systems on how its POS software helps local retail businesses encourage shoppers to shop more of the shop and return sooner.

The Tower Systems POS software offers  several proven loyalty software solutions for driving shopper engagement.

1. Thank you voucher. You set the rules and term. Tis works best for shoppers who shop with you infrequently.
2. Loyalty points. Tried and true. Old-school. But people love it. Data driven.
3. MultiBuy. Like the coffee card, but better.
4. Plus, a mixture of all 3 if you want. yes, the best of everything, easily setup in our POS software.

When it comes to delivering shopper loyalty solutions, our POS software has you covered, tailored to the needs of small business retailers.

For years, retailers, especially independent and small business retailers, have been told to follow retail giants and reward loyal shoppers with points that can be redeemed for gifts and discounts.

Dutifully, many small business retailers acted on this – but without a thought-through strategy to achieve the best outcome for the business.

Without a financially rewarding outcome for a business, a loyalty program is worthless.

This is why retailers, in any retail channel and in any retail situation – high street, shopping mall, rural and or regional – need options in terms of shopper loyalty rewards.

While a points based program is useful, it could be that the business will benefit from a different approach.

Good POS software will offer flexibility. This flexibility can add thousands of dollars to the bottom line performance of a retail business each year.

The Tower Systems Point of Sale software supports multiple loyalty options that include: a traditional points based approach, interfacing to the respected Vii Accumulate loyalty platform, interfacing to the equally respected Transactor loyalty platform, interfacing to Flybys NZ and offering a unique and flexible front end loyalty solution.

Having so many options available provides Tower Systems retail partners with commercially valuable flexibility.

The loyalty platform selected by a business depends on the needs of that business. A business that chooses POS software without broad flexibility will be limited in what they can achieve for their business with their software.

From a voucher to points to a free gift, our Tower Systems POS software helps small business retailers stand out, to bring shoppers back sooner and to guid them to spend more. This is good business for small business retailers and we are grateful to help.

Here’s a video of an online workshop last week where we talked loyalty solutions in our Point of Sale software. This session was one of several we ran last week.

Through the multi buy facility in the Tower Systems POS software, small business retailers, any type of retailer, can easily and quickly setup and run a coffee card type approach to loyalty, to bring shoppers back sooner for more purchases.