To measure returning customers, track a handful of numbers and look at them regularly: how many customers are active, what share comes back, how often, and how many rewards are earned. Always compare with an equivalent period, otherwise the season will distort the picture.
Here is what counts, what the Fidelia dashboard shows, what it does not tell you, and how to turn it into simple decisions.
Which numbers should a small shop track?
Four measures are enough to start.
| Measure | What it tells you | Pitfall |
|---|---|---|
| Active customers | How many customers visited recently | Depends on the period you choose |
| Return rate | The share of customers who come back | Wait enough weeks before concluding |
| Visit frequency | How often your regulars come | A lunch spot and a salon have different rhythms |
| Rewards earned | How many cards get completed | A card that is never finished is not necessarily a failure |
The return rate is the most telling: the share of customers who come back at least once. It answers the real question about a loyalty programme: does it make people return?
What does the Fidelia dashboard show?
The dashboard home page shows:
- today’s stamps,
- rewards earned,
- active customers,
- the return rate,
- your most loyal customers, ranked by the number of completed cards.
Dates and numbers follow your shop’s language and time zone. For card types other than stamp cards, the home page counts visits for all card types, with figures specific to each type.
A few rules worth knowing:
- An Apple Wallet or Google Wallet customer is only counted from the moment the card is added to their phone.
- A stamp removed through a correction does not count as a visit.
- A manual correction made by a manager (for example adjusting a number of stamps) does not count as a visit.
The Pro plan adds detailed statistics and data export, see the pricing page.
How do you read these numbers?
A single number says little. What matters is the trend.
- Compare equivalent periods. A school holiday week is not comparable to a normal week. Check the seasonal calendar for Belgian retailers.
- Change one thing at a time. If you change the reward and launch an offer at the same time, you will not know which one worked.
- Give it time. A few weeks at the very least before concluding.
- Look at your regulars. Your most loyal customers show you what people like and who deserves a small gesture.
What decisions can you draw from them?
- The return rate is low. The reward may be too far away. A shorter card or a welcome stamp can help: see launching a loyalty programme in a week.
- Few active customers. Remind your sign-ups that you exist: a message or a newsletter, as in this guide.
- A few very loyal customers. Reward them with VIP levels.
- Quiet spells during the week. Work on your slow days.
How do you compare with the cost of the programme?
Look at what the rewards earned cost and set that against the margin your returning customers bring in. The method is detailed in the real cost of a reward.
In short
Track four numbers: active customers, return rate, frequency and rewards earned. Compare equivalent periods, change one thing at a time and allow a few weeks. The numbers show whether customers come back, not why: it is up to you to decide the next move.