How to launch a loyalty program without changing your till

Yes, you can launch a loyalty program without changing your till. The card works alongside it: the team scans the customer’s card with an ordinary phone, with no software to install on the till. The flip side is that the system doesn’t read your till’s data: the scan and, for points, entering the amount remain a gesture for the team.

Here is how it goes at the counter, what you gain, and the cases where a till integration would be worth having.

How does it work at the counter?

1. The customer pays as usual, by Bancontact, Payconiq, cash or otherwise.
2. They show their card, in their Wallet or on the web.
3. The team scans it with the phone: a stamp is added, or, for points and cashback, the purchase amount is entered.
4. The customer’s card updates within seconds, with a notification when the reward is ready.

The scanner is a web app you add to the phone’s home screen, with no special equipment. One business can have several team members scanning. A mistake is corrected by the owner or a manager in the dashboard with “Adjust stamps”; the reason and the person are recorded.

What do you gain?

• No software change. Your till stays what it is, even if it is old or you don’t have one at all.
• No equipment to buy. A phone is enough, and the first QR stand is included.
• Quick start. You create the card, print the QR stand and test with real customers during the 14-day free trial.
• No dependency. If you change tills later, the card is untouched.

That independence suits small businesses well: cafés, chip shops, bakeries, hairdressers, which often don’t have a connected till or don’t want to change it for a loyalty card.

What are the limits?

Let’s be clear: without a link to the till, some things stay manual.

• The scan. The team has to remember to scan at every purchase. A few seconds, but it has to become a habit.
• The amount. For points, cashback or a balance, the amount is entered by hand. For simple stamps, no entry is needed.
• No pick-up of receipts. The system can’t see what is on the till receipt: it doesn’t know which products were sold.

Which card should you choose without an integration?

Stamps are the simplest: one scan, one stamp, no entry. It is a good start when counter time is tight. For varying amounts, points or cashback need the amount entered, which stays quick but adds a step. To choose, read about stamps, points or cashback. The stamp card is included in Essential, at €29 per month excl. VAT; points, cashback and the other card types are in Pro, at €59 per month excl. VAT.

When would an integration make sense?

A till integration is mainly worthwhile if you have high volumes, several points of sale with central management, or need to link loyalty to the products sold. In that case, compare your till provider’s solutions with an independent card. For most small businesses, the scan stays a light gesture and getting started is much quicker.

How do you get started?

1. Create the card and choose the type that suits your business.
2. Print the QR stand and put it at the till, where the customer waits.
3. Show the team the scan and run a trial with two people.
4. Offer the card to every customer during the first few weeks.
5. Review after a month: how many cards added, how much feedback.

If you still have paper cards, read about moving from paper to digital. For the cost, see what a digital loyalty card costs and the pricing page.