Acquiring a new client costs a business several times more than retaining an existing one. This is exactly where loyalty programs deliver the greatest effect. In this article, you’ll find an overview of all loyalty tools available in Altegio and examples of how businesses use them to increase visit frequency, average ticket size, and revenue.
Altegio offers bonus cashback programs, discount programs, tiered accumulation systems, promotions for new clients, and referral programs. All settings are centralized and can work across all company branches at once.
Why loyalty programs directly affect revenue #
For most service businesses, the main growth comes not from new clients, but from repeat visits. A client who comes once every two months generates half as much revenue as one who comes once a month, even with the same average ticket.
When a client knows that after several visits their discount will increase or they will accumulate bonuses, they choose you instead of a competitor nearby. This affects visit frequency, average ticket size, and customer lifetime value, without additional advertising costs.
Bonus program: cashback that brings clients back #
The client earns bonuses for paying for services or products and uses them on the next visit. Accumulated bonuses create a reason to return to you specifically, instead of trying another salon.
For example, a client pays €100 for a service and receives €5 in bonuses. On the next visit, they see that the bonuses are waiting in their account. This gives the client a clear incentive not to postpone booking.
A bonus program can work in several ways:
Fixed cashback — the client receives the same percentage of bonuses on every visit regardless of the amount spent.
Tiered cashback based on amount spent — the more the client spends during a visit, the more bonuses they receive. This encourages choosing higher-value services.
Tiered cashback based on number of visits — the more often the client comes, the higher the bonus percentage. This works well for retaining loyal clients.
Tiered cashback within a single visit — the bonus amount depends on the total of that specific visit. The more the client spends during one appointment, the higher the bonus percentage. This encourages adding services or products during the visit to earn more bonuses.
Discount cards: the discount grows with loyalty #
Discount programs automatically apply personalized discounts based on the client’s history. A new client gets a basic discount, while a loyal client receives a higher one. The client sees that the longer they stay with you, the more выгодно it becomes to remain.
For example: a new client gets a 5% discount on the first visit, after 5 visits — 10%, after 10 visits — 15%. Each next visit brings them closer to a new level, and leaving for a competitor means starting over.
Available formats:
Fixed discount — for loyal clients or specific categories such as VIPs. The client knows they have a privilege, and that alone creates a reason to return to you.
Tiered discount based on total spending — the discount grows as the client’s cumulative spending increases. The client understands that the more they spend with you, the more beneficial future visits become. Going to a competitor means losing the accumulated level.
Tiered discount based on visits — the discount level increases with each new visit. It works like a progress program: the client sees how many visits are left until the next level, which motivates them not to skip appointments.
Discount based on number of services — for example, every fifth service is free or discounted. This works especially well for services with a regular cycle: manicures, haircuts, massages. The client knows in advance that by coming back again, they are moving toward a free visit.
Referral program: clients bring in new clients #
A satisfied client is the best source of new bookings. A referral program makes this process manageable: the client receives bonuses for each invited friend, and the new client gets a discount on their first visit.
For example, a regular client invites a friend. The friend receives a 10% discount on the first visit, and the referring client gets bonuses credited to their account. Both sides benefit, and the business gains a new client without advertising costs.
Automatic discounts for online booking #
Clients who book through the online form or mobile app can automatically receive a discount or bonuses. The discount can be set for the first online booking or for every booking.
A discount on the first online booking lowers the barrier for new clients. For example, a 7% discount for the first online booking can prompt a client who was browsing your Instagram profile to make a booking right away instead of postponing it.
A discount on every online booking gradually shifts clients from phone calls to self-service booking. This reduces the workload for administrators, while increasing the conversion of website and social media visitors into actual appointments.
Notifications that bring clients back at the right moment #
The system automatically sends clients messages about changes in the loyalty program: an increase in personal discount, bonus accruals, reminders that bonuses are about to expire, or that a discount is ending.
A message saying that bonuses will expire in a week arrives at exactly the right moment, and a client who was not planning to book opens your online booking page and looks for an available slot. This is one of the most effective return triggers without extra discounts or additional costs.
Analytics: does the loyalty program actually work? #
Launching a promotion is easy. Understanding whether it brings real results is harder. Altegio provides a report on discount promotions that shows: how many new clients a promotion brought in and how many of them returned, how much revenue clients acquired through the promotion generated, and which specialists work best with promotional clients.
For example, a promotion attracted 100 new clients, but only 10 returned. This is a signal that the offer attracts one-time visitors rather than loyal clients. The report provides specific data to help adjust the conditions and improve results.
Setting up loyalty programs #
To create and configure loyalty programs, use the instructions in these sections. Each tool is described separately, so you can set them up step by step or go directly to the section you need.
