We launched a free loyalty app for our regulars — here is what actually happened after six months

Trying to get customers to install a standalone app is so 2015. Even massive chains struggle to pull that off with huge budgets nowadays. A small business's edge is speed; anything other than giving a phone number at the register just slows down the line and annoys the customer.

We tried the exact same thing at our coffee shop in Brooklyn. With the app, we were signing up maybe 80 people a month. Then we switched to a POS-integrated phone number system at the counter; 650 people dropped their numbers in the very first month. Our software cost is a flat 40 dollars a month with zero hidden limits.

tbh as a customer i never download an app for a coffee shop my phone is already packed then wallet passes or just asking for a phone number is a thousand times more practical imo ditch the app.

In the software world "free" doesn't mean free—it's just the first step of the sales funnel. An app capping you at 100 users was clearly never going to work for a growing business. You really need to read the contract terms and overage charts beforehand.

Cancel that monthly subscription immediately. Export the emails and phone numbers of your existing 420 customers. Then switch to physical punch cards or one-time license tools that generate passes directly for Google and Apple Wallet.

When choosing a new solution, look for these three criteria: 1) A browser-based sign-up flow that doesn't force the customer to visit an app store, 2) Flat-rate pricing per location rather than per user, 3) A mobile wallet infrastructure capable of sending push notifications without relying on SMS.

Two years ago we got caught up in the same hype and bought tablet-based loyalty software. Lines piled up at the register every time elderly customers forgot their passwords, and the staff was ready to riot. We ended up going back to old-school stamped cardstock, and honestly, both our revenue and customer satisfaction bounced right back.

Three different views emerged, they all complement each other. The first thing to break as you grow is communication, not the numbers.

If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

Here's how it went for us. Most time waste accumulates in tasks waiting for approval.

I went through the same thing two years ago. The reason for failure isn't one big mistake, but the accumulation of small decisions.

When you try to change everything at once, nothing settles. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd appreciate it if you shared the outcome. If the gap between accounts receivable and accounts payable turnover days is widening, revenue won't save you.

This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

The opposite happened to me, that's why I'm writing. If it's your first time, start small; scaling comes later.

Thanks a lot, I'll try it today.

I've been dealing with this for a long time. Mistaking revenue for cash is the most expensive illusion; trust the bank account.

Most time waste accumulates in tasks waiting for approval. Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

There's also a measurement aspect to this. Hasty decisions become decisions you have to fix six months later.

Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

We got stuck at the same point for a while. The moment you depend on a single client, you no longer set the price.

Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

The cheap-looking path usually ends up costing more later. Everything goes well for the first three months; problems arise in the fourth.

Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

I agree with this. Processes without records never improve because you don't know what to fix.

If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.