The Big Salad is making improvements to its new loyalty program in hopes of building customer engagement as the restaurant chain seeks to expand across the country. The program has already built a membership of 12,000, and continues to grow at a steady pace.
The program has received tweaks to the rate at which points are earned, and the conversion is now simply one point per dollar spent.
Additionally, the program now makes use of a tiered rewards level that will allow members to earn points more quickly based on their program activity. This level also provides diners with additional topping and beverage rewards, further leveraging the program to offer added value to loyal customers.
As more loyalty programs move into mobile apps, The Big Salad is following suit and engaging its audience on the mobile platform that has proven to be immensely popular as a means of brand messaging. By building an app, the company is also granted informative data about program enrollment, redemption rates, and purchasing habits.
"In addition to our point program, our new tier status provides freebies on every visit for those that reach certain status levels," John Bornoty, President of The Big Salad, told Loyalty360. "Imagine never having to spend that extra $2 for a fountain drink at every meal; our Platinum and Diamond members get such a reward. We intend to continue promoting our tier level rewards for several rewards including things outside of just products offered at our restaurants. With so many restaurant choices which consumer have today, traditional loyalty programs don't work. Customers want to be treated with respect, rewarded for their spending, and made to feel special. Our program provides all of this and thus will increase our average visit."
The switch won’t inconvenience members of the previous loyalty program; all points will automatically roll over to the new app, and these guests can seamlessly continue to earn points with the restaurant.
The Big Salad is taking a focused approach to its locations, limiting itself to six stores in Michigan. The brand is planning to expand soon, however, and hopes to open 100 stores nationwide within the next 10 years. Next up in the company’s expansion plans are locations in Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.