Why service and trade businesses should consider a loyalty programme

Customer loyalty programmes are not just for retail and hospitality. Here’s why your service or trade businesses should consider it.

Let’s start with a basic question: Does your business have customers?

Of course you do. Accountants. Lawyers. Plumbers. Electricians. Cleaning companies. Auto repair. HVAC technicians. Every service business has customers. Real people who use their services and pay for them.

Here’s the next question: Do those customers make repeat purchases?

A homeowner who calls a plumber for a burst pipe this year will need another service in the next couple of years. A salon client coming in every six weeks is a repeat customer. A business booking a cleaning service monthly is making regular purchases. A homeowner who had gutters cleaned in spring might need it again in autumn.

Repeat customers are everywhere in service businesses.

So, here’s the real question: Are you doing anything to keep those customers coming back to you instead of calling someone else?

It’s a tough competitive environment today – and this is a potential blind spot for service or trade businesses

You might think: “We’re not retail. Loyalty programmes are for shops and restaurants. We don’t need that stuff.”

But that thinking is outdated in today’s competitive environment. And your business may be missing out.

Loyalty isn’t just about points for buying shampoo. It’s about customers choosing your service, returning regularly, and spending more with your business. It’s about staying top-of-mind when they need your service. It’s about building relationships instead of just transactions.

Service or trade businesses have something retail or hospitality don’t always have: customers with real, ongoing needs. People need repairs and maintenance. Businesses need regular cleaning. People need accounting or tax advice.  These aren’t one-time purchases. They’re ongoing needs.

So, if your customers are already coming back, why not engage with them in a different way?  Remind them about services they might need?  Thank them for their business? Even reward them!

Could your customers use additional services you offer?

Think about a plumber.  They get called out for emergencies. But they also can offer ‘warrant of fitness’ preventative maintenance, new installations, and upgrades. Engaging with customers makes sure they know about other services.

Or a cleaning company doing basic office cleaning. They could offer carpet cleaning, window cleaning, or deep cleaning. Most customers will stick with the business know and trust.

If customers don’t know about your full range of services, they won’t buy them. That’s lost revenue your business should be making.

Would you like a simple way to stay connected with your customers?

Many service or trade businesses may not be engaging with their customers between jobs. They’re not reminding them about seasonal needs. They’re not telling them about new services. Maybe they are waiting for the phone to ring.  And when it rings, it might be a competitor’s customer instead of theirs.

The four pillars for franchises of all sorts

You don’t need complicated systems. You need four simple things working together.

Engage: Stay connected after each job. Send a thank you. Ask for feedback. Show you appreciate their business.

Interact: Remind customers about services they might need. Tell them about offers or seasonal maintenance. Make it easy to book their next appointment.

Communicate: Reach customers through email, text, or app – whatever works for them. Keep messages consistent. Make sure they know all your services.

Transact: When customers are engaged and know what you offer, they book more jobs. They use more services. They spend more money.

Simple ways to issue rewards. Simple ways to surprise and delight. Simple ways to stay in touch and incentivise return trade and promote other services.

Why your business should want this

You are competing for customers – every day. You are spending money on advertising to find new customers when you should also focus on getting more business from existing ones.

A simple customer engagement platform changes that. Existing customers book more jobs. They use more services. They spend more.  You can maximise your advertising spend.

Better margins. Better profitability. Happy business!

Competition is fierce! Stay ahead of the game

Technology is not the barrier: Whether you are operating trade-to-trade or trade-to-consumer, Tranxactor can provide a loyalty solution through any EFTPOS terminal, point-of-sale system, or integrated into websites; back office; or our own mobile solution for businesses on the go. No tricky technology. No complex integration.

Your next step: Talk to Tranxactor about a simple, cost-effective customer engagement platform that gives your business the tools to easily manage a professional loyalty programme.

Ready to engage more with customers and grow your business? Contact Tranxactor today to see how a simple four-pillar customer engagement approach can work for your business: +64 9 369 5832 or [email protected]