For consumers, mobile apps and responsive sites aren’t an added bonus for businesses—they’re expected. Whether a brand has its own loyalty app or simply has a mobile-friendly website, customers anticipate some kind of digital interaction when they decide to spend their money.
According to a study from Deloitte, Americans collectively look at their smartphones upwards of eight billion times a day, which comes down to an average of 46 phone checks per person. That means franchises have the opportunity to get their brand name in front of their individual customers dozens of times every single day.
Franchises are already taking advantage of that exposure. Smoothie King knows that its customers can be found on their smartphones, so they created a digital rewards app to tap into that market.
“It’s important for brands to be where their guests are. For Smoothie King, our guests are increasingly on their mobile devices. More than 70 percent open their Smoothie King emails on a mobile device and mobile access of our website is at all-time highs,” said Smoothie King’s Marketing and Communications Manager Katherine LeBlanc.
When consumers have easy access to rewards programs via apps, they’re more likely to come into stores and use them. It also allows customers to engage with the brand in a way that wouldn’t be possible otherwise—push notifications and in-app messages open up the lines of communication between franchises and their consumers. In addition, mobile apps and responsive sites help franchises make their customers’ lives a little easier by simplifying the rewards experience. Pita Pit Canada’s MORE! app is an example of that convenience at work— customers have the option to pay, reload their account and check on their rewards progress all at the same time.
Mobile apps and sites also help franchises build brand loyalty. MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes uses its app to track its customers’ orders, enabling them to create unique promos and ads based on their interests. When consumers know a brand is making an effort to connect on a personal level, it elevates the entire experience.
“Because our app is integrated with our point of sale system, we can engage our guests directly on their smartphones with targeted offers and bonus point opportunities based on their purchase history at MOOYAH. It was created to be a relationship-building tool that will help us increase engagement and loyalty so we had to build it based on what our guests would want,” said Natalie Anderson Liu, MOOYAH’s director of marketing.
At the end of the day, mobile apps and responsive sites make better customer experiences. And when consumers are happy with their experience at a franchise, they’re more likely to come back again—or maybe even consider becoming a franchisee.
