A new platform can help improve brand perception, retain relevance, and offer accurate personalization to participants.
As a business owner, board member, or administrator, you might have a basic idea about crucial aspects of technology migration. From registering and onboarding participants to delivering benefits, the new loyalty program solution introduces end-to-end changes. As a result, your IT team may end up facing challenges despite a well-documented migration plan in place. No worries. Here\’re quick ways to ensure your project remains safe from migration pitfalls.
#1. The intent
Even the best-in-class platform won’t save your affinity program if you don’t have the right strategy. Thus, it’s crucial to answer some questions before planning the re-platforming project with your teams.
- What\’s the goal for the loyalty program? Is it driving cross-selling, improving customer retention, or growing brand advocates?
- Which aspects of competitor’s loyalty programs offer value to their participants?
- What are the drawbacks of the current program structure?
- Are there sufficient differences between the points program and the referral program?
- Does the organization have sufficient high-profile customers to introduce VIP tiers?
- Is earning reward points too easy or too difficult?
- Do customers seek changes in redemption thresholds?
- Are you sure your affinity program\’s name perfectly represents your brand identity?
#2. Consider using the opportunity to introduce structural changes in loyalty programs
Consumer shopping behaviors and needs have constantly changed during the last two years. So, quarterly evaluation of loyalty program’s rewards, function, and structure is crucial. Migration allows you to make small or extensive structural changes. Who knows? Introducing changes can result in the most significant positive impact.
#3. Project communication plan
Knowingly or unknowingly, top-level and middle-level managers often keep first-level employees in the dark while rolling out new software. Yet, these employees face customers daily, and they get trained at the last moment. Not surprisingly, such organizations struggle because employees take time to accept change.
The most appreciated way to overcome such last-minute rush and poor training is by planning ahead of the transition. Create a project communication plan and share it with all the stakeholders. Employees should have an idea about various project phases, timing, and expectations from them.
#4. Divisions that will be affected by migration
No doubt, loyalty programs are often treated as a part of a firm\’s overall marketing strategy. However, introducing a new platform affects your customer care, front-line operations, social media, website, and mobile app teams. Put simply, loyalty platform migration triggers many changes across various departments.
Operations managers handling these aspects can ensure a smooth transition by training employees well in advance.
#5. Need to consistently document dependencies
One of the vital tasks performed by developers during loyalty solution upgradation is the migration of software dependencies. Therefore, consistently documenting dependencies and creating their comprehensive inventory is absolutely crucial.
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#6. Data migration strategy
As a loyalty program member, what would be your reaction if you lose access to the profile, rewards, referral codes, and points balances? Such disruption would result in an entirely negative experience. Hence, it\’s advisable to let experts retrieve data from the current platform and format it into the new app.
Just to summarize, data migration involves moving data from one app to another. Depending on the project type, data migration can also include changing the format. Companies that have moved from on-premise infrastructure to cloud-based storage are undoubtedly familiar with the process.
It\’s no secret that data retrieved from loyalty program platforms is of utmost importance. So, preparing the data set for migration and preserving a backup is essential. Experts recommend that clients sort out application and data complexities by assigning during the initial stage itself.
In most cases, developers will create a . CSV file with customer details. The spreadsheet makes the job easy. And after successful completion of the procedure, members will get access to their data on the new platform.
#7. Use the opportunity to relaunch your campaign
It\’s highly likely that certain members didn\’t renew their membership due to issues with redemption, ease of earning points, or the absence of a mobile app. You would certainly like to inform them about the new platform and changes, won\’t you?
Digital promotions can ensure your customers understand your loyalty program\’s changes, new policies, and features. In addition, a relaunch campaign can offer the opportunity to create a unique first impression.
#8. Keeping customers in the loop
Customers use your web or app to redeem points or accumulated rewards. So it’s apparent that they will feel confused after introducing the new user-interface post tech migration.
You can reduce migration-related challenges faced by customers with a few simple steps. First, keep your affinity program members well-informed about the new system. Second, publish how-to guides and videos covering various procedures. Third, launch an email campaign to share the benefits of the latest software. Finally, train your front-line staff to help non-tech savvy consumers.
#9. Remain open for customer feedback on UX
Almost every project ends up facing unexpected UX problems. You can quickly reduce the probability of issues by performing user experience testing. Plus, the initial customer feedback will help you and your technology partner correct errors.
#10. Get the best out of your technology partner’s expertise
The line of communication between you, your technology partners, and customers should remain open and clear throughout.
Depending on the company’s size and user-base, loyalty program migration might involve anywhere between 50-200 integration vendors. And yet again, your loyalty technology partner steps in. Such firms have ample experience from a technology and marketing strategy standpoint.
You won’t have to involve resources in due diligence if you have a strong loyalty platform provider by your side. Such vendors ensure seamless, on-time launch, whether it’s a small or large project.
The Endnote:
Firms plan migration or loyalty platform upgradation to save cost, cut down on IT resources, make the system secure, or add new functions.
Do you wish to move on from your legacy loyalty platform? Then, get in touch with LoyaltyXpert. Let our team assess your requirements, recommend the best software, and create a technology migration plan.