Pacific Northwest grocery retailer Haggen is launching an omnichannel loyalty program which users can access through a mobile application to increase the amount of faithful customers, a secure method of retaining and increasing sales.

Haggen is seeking a more personal connection to its customer through any platform consumers spend time on, so it is extending a loyalty program to all forms of digital access. Rewards customers will have access to a wide range of features for discounts, relative product recommendations and product organization.

“The mobile aspect of Haggen’s program is a big point of differentiation for us,” Beth Walsh, vice president of consumer insights at Haggen. “When our customers engage with us using their mobile devices, they will have the ability to select from the entire range of offerings from Haggen, from in-store notifications and flash deals to personalized recommendations, list-making capabilities and more.

“Although all of our customers will be able to enjoy benefits of the new loyalty program in some way, our customers have told us that most of them are engaged mobile users, and are eager to participate in this program,” she said. “We have designed our program with these guests in mind.”

Information overload
Most consumers today are constantly connected and susceptible for marketing and commerce tactics. Grocery shoppers are usually on their mobile devices while in bricks-and-mortar locations, for varied reasons including purchasing information.

These customers are searching shopping prices, product information, deals and other decision-making information. This can make or break a retailer — consumers have more information to take their business elsewhere for a better or cheaper product.

Today’s connected experience means that retailers such as Haggen need to do more to retain their customers, but also have the tools to draw in more.

Outdated loyalty programs using a card lacking a digital presence can really harm a retailer. This may not necessarily cause customers to leave, but it is not reaching the potential that a loyalty program can attain.

On consumers’ most personal device, Haggen loyalty customers will be able to view products they are likely to buy and deals surrounding these products. Users will receive in-store notifications, access to flash deals and the ability to create and organize shopping lists.

Seeing these deals, on consumer’s most used platform, opens up many more possibilities for sales and keeps Haggen in its customer’s mind. Once users are apart of the program, they are more likely to keep returning to Haggen to increase the amount of deals they receive and information.

Rewarding with mobile
As retailers realize the potential of rewards program, many are cognizant of mobile’s effectiveness in the space and have rushed to introduce loyalty to mobile.

For instance Church’s Chicken moved deeper into mobile rewards by becoming the latest quick-service restaurant chain to let customers earn savings, offers and coupons through a mobile application (see more).

Also, Mobile rewards have become an alternative form of payment for frequent fliers who use their devices for in-store purchases at major retailers and earning miles for each dollar spent (see more).

“Customer loyalty is everything,” Ms. Walsh said. “The narratives our customers weave about their experiences with Haggen define our brand, and bring new traffic in our doors every day.

“After more than 80 years in the business, we have loyal customers of all ages and backgrounds telling their stories and advocating for Haggen,” she said. “But with the ever-increasing competition in this business, it is more important than ever to reach out in every way we can to reward that loyalty, and to give them more than one reason to shop at Haggen.”

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Commerce Daily