Optimizing Loyalty Platform Migration for a Specialty Retailer

When CapTech’s client, a Fortune 500 specialty retailer, wanted to migrate a homegrown loyalty platform to a specialized loyalty platform vendor or SaaS application, the company enlisted CapTech to assist in the identification and selection of a new loyalty platform provider and help take its program to the next level.

This Fortune 500 specialty retailer was operating its loyalty program on a homegrown platform during its initial pilot phase. After several years of lessons learned and testing program features and functionality, the decision was made to transition to a specialized vendor or SaaS application that would allow for scalability and technical stability, enable a more personalized experience, and provide robust financial and customer data reporting. CapTech not only provided RFP support, but also provided a program management team of product analysts, organizational change management consultants, and program managers to support the implementation of the advanced platform that took this brand’s program from a limited pilot to a nationwide launch.

To advise the client on a new platform, CapTech gathered business requirements across technology, marketing, and operations teams, reviewed the supplier set, and completed scoring process activities such as reviewing written proposals, pitch decks, and building executive briefings for leaders to make an informed decision on vendor selection.

Once the vendor was selected, the CapTech team supported the implementation by establishing and maintaining program plans, leading data migration activities, execution of cutover plans, and supporting the program transition from a pilot project to a product model.

CapTech assisted the business with making key decisions on a phased rollout approach of the new platform or “big bang” approach, evaluating customer-facing impacts, as well as holiday and promotion activities. With this platform implementation, CapTech worked across channels, marketing teams, and finance to transition the program point structure from 1 to 10x per dollar within this platform migration. Lastly, CapTech collaborated with application owners to identify integration points between upstream and downstream systems and the new loyalty platform to limit any business process or customer-facing interruptions.

Among the highlights:

• The technical migration led to a highly rated, customer-facing program.
• The successful technical migration led to a more scalable and technically stable loyalty platform.
• The client now boasts a nationwide program comprised of 30M+ members.
• The program has increased brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.
• Expanded data and reporting are now available through the new platform.