Punchqrd
A multi-faceted platform for customers to accumulate and spend loyalty points from all businesses they frequent while giving businesses the digital tools needed to allocate customers the appropriate points using mobile cameras.
Introduction
As a college student who frequented many small cafes, I had started noticing and acquainting myself with their loyalty point systems. The idea of rewarding myself with a free drink or sweet in return for consistent expenditure is attractive and clearly effective as most small businesses have started implementing some form of similar system in way or another.
Although powerful in theory, most who have gone through the process may appreciate that sensitive information is difficult to offer-up, especially during the checkout process. Further more, the steps are repeated for every unique businesses. This prompted me to explore certain platforms that made the onboarding process private and convenient while offering a simple way to aggregate points when checking out.
I had started developing Punchqrd as a result of understanding the power of convenience, while also understanding the annoyance of repetition. Rather than downloading an app per business, a simple solution is to create an interface that allows a customer the same experience for each business they frequent, acting as a 'digital wallet' where all accumulated points can be viewed, tracked, and aggregated.
Product Overview
What makes Punchqrd convenient:
- A single customer interface
- An enterprise dashboard
- An employee point allocation mechanism
Customer Interface
A customer can search and add businesses to their list of businesses, much like a subscription to a podcast or the action of following a Twitter account. When a customer has that business on their list, they can track their points, view business promotions, and see a display of a business's details. The customer also has access to a dynamic QR code, scannable from a businesses/employee's camera.
Enterprise Dashboard
The enterprise dashboard is there for a business to conveniently keep track of events around the store, customer demographic information, and employee statistics. This dashboard also serves as an administrative portal where updates on business operations or business promotions could be posted for all followers/customers to see.
Employee Point Allocation System
The employee dashboard provided a mechanism where employees could login and utilize their mobile cameras to scan customer QR codes. The login system is geolocated so that employees can only login if within the premise of their respective business.
Business Use Case
The platform was tested by local businesses in a smaller town near upstate New York. Beta trials where successful and had a positive overall impact.