Loyalty program: frequently asked questions

The most frequently asked questions about the loyalty program.

General

Does the loyalty program cost extra?

No. The loyalty program is included at no extra charge on licensed accounts. BenimPOS sends the customers' number verification SMS messages; you are not charged for SMS.

Does the customer need to download an app or carry a card?

No. Saying their mobile number at the till is enough. If they want to see their points, they open benimpos.com/rewards.

Can points earned at one business be used at another?

No. Points can only be used at the business where they were earned (and, if "Shared across branches" is on, at all branches of that business). The customer sees their cards from different businesses separately on the same page.

Do my branches share points?

If the Shared across branches option in the settings is on, points earned at one branch can be used at all branches. If it's off, each branch has its own card. Once customers start earning points, this option can't be changed.

What happens if my license expires?

The program is frozen: during that time points can't be earned or used, and balances are not deleted. When you renew the license, the program continues where it left off; the validity of points is extended by the number of days it was frozen.

At the till

Does an SMS code go to the customer's phone when using points?

No. To use points and rewards, the customer opens benimpos.com/rewards on their phone and shows the checkout code; the cashier scans the barcode or types the 6-digit code. The code limit is set in the "When the number is typed manually, no checkout code is asked up to ... points" option in the settings.

Can a customer with a foreign number join?

Yes. At the till, type the number with + and the country code (e.g. +994 50 123 45 67). Numbers without a country code are read according to the Default phone country code in Profile > Other Settings (Turkey by default). The customer verifies their number on benimpos.com/rewards by choosing their country and using WhatsApp; SMS is only sent to Turkish numbers. Since points are used with the checkout code, it works the same way for foreign numbers.

I added points to the wrong number.

Move them to the correct number with Transfer points to another number on the Loyalty card in the sale details. If you forgot to enter a number on the sale, you can enter the number from the same place and add the points, or add points manually from the member card.

What happens to points when a sale is cancelled or returned?

Points and stamps earned from the sale are taken back, and points and stamp rewards used in the sale are given back to the customer. On a partial return, only the points for the returned part are deducted.

If a receipt is paid entirely with points, is it sent to the fiscal cash register?

If points or a reward cover the whole receipt, the receipt becomes 0 ₺ and is not sent to the fiscal cash register automatically; a message appears on screen. If needed, you can send it manually from the sale details or the last sale card.

What happens to the points a customer used if a sale is deleted on the desktop app before it reaches the server?

If points were used on the desktop app but the sale hasn't reached the server within 7 days, the used points are given back to the customer automatically. If the sale arrives later, the points are deducted again.

Does loyalty work on older versions of the desktop and mobile apps?

Older versions have no number field. If the If no number is entered on the sale, the customer account's mobile number earns option in the settings is on, the mobile number on the customer card earns points on sales made by selecting a customer. Using points and stamp rewards requires the latest version of the app.

Points and validity

What happens to old points if I change the validity period?

When extending the period, if you tick Apply to previously earned points too, old points that haven't expired are extended too. If you don't tick it, the change only applies to points earned from now on. If you shorten the period, old points keep the period they were given with.

Which points are spent first?

The points that expire soonest (the oldest) are spent first. Points expiring within 30 days are shown separately on the customer's page.

How is a group-specific points rate calculated?

Each product is calculated with its own group's rate; if the group has no rate, the nearest parent group's rate is used, and if that has none either, the general rate. If the receipt has products from different groups, each line is calculated separately and added up. Example: a 100 ₺ product at 5% and a 50 ₺ product at 2% give 6 points in total.

Why are the points of a customer with an unverified number "pending"?

Verification isn't needed to earn points, but points become usable once the number is verified. When the customer verifies their number on benimpos.com/rewards, the pending points move to their balance.

Security and permissions

Can staff add points to their own number?

Not if the Staff and branch manager numbers do not earn points option in the settings is on. You can also limit how many sales a number can earn on per day, and keep an eye on it in the Numbers to check section on the Actions tab.

Which staff can do what?

The Loyalty Permissions section of the staff card has two permissions: Can change loyalty settings (points rate, stamp card, payment types and limits) and Can add and deduct points manually (including transferring points). Sales permission is enough to give and use points.

Can a customer delete their loyalty record?

Yes. The customer deletes their record permanently with benimpos.com/rewards › My Details › Delete my account; their cards and balances at all businesses are closed.

Common situations

I made a sale with my own number and didn't get points.

If Staff and branch manager numbers do not earn points is on in the settings, numbers registered on a staff card or on the account don't earn points. Test with a number that isn't registered as staff.

The message "The code limit for this number today has been reached" appears.

A number can receive at most 10 verification codes per day. The limit resets the next day. The customer doesn't have to wait: they can show the checkout code from benimpos.com/rewards; no code is asked with the checkout code.

When are welcome points given?

Once, on the customer's first loyalty purchase at your business. If you turn on welcome points later, customers who already shopped with their number don't get them.

The customer opened benimpos.com/rewards but can't see my store.

Your business's card appears when the customer earns their first points with their number. If no number was entered on the sale, or the number is a staff number, no card is created.

Which message is sent to the customer on WhatsApp?

When the customer presses Verify with WhatsApp on the rewards page, their own WhatsApp opens with a message like "Loyalty card verification code: 1234". The customer sends this message and their number is verified. They should not change the code in the message.

Why does the loyalty card come up automatically when I select a customer?

If the customer card has a mobile number, the loyalty card of that number is linked to the receipt; you can remove it from the receipt or enter another number if you like. This doesn't turn the customer card into a loyalty membership; they are separate records. The other way round, when you enter a number for the loyalty card, the customer with the same number is selected; if there is more than one, you choose from the list or press Skip. If the customer card has no mobile number, no loyalty card comes up; before the sale, check that the number is shown on the Loyalty button. It works the same way on web, desktop and mobile.

Are loyalty members the same as my customer list?

No. A loyalty member is identified by their mobile number and kept separate from your customer cards. A customer card is a record only in your business; loyalty membership is tied to the number. This way the customer can earn and spend points with the same number at all your branches and see their cards at different BenimPOS businesses on one page.

The list shows "Unnamed member". How do I change the name?

The business can't change a member's first name, last name or birthday; only the member can enter them in the My Details section after verifying their number on benimpos.com/rewards. You can ask your customer to open this page and enter their name. Once entered, the name appears on their cards at all businesses.

Can my customer use their points at another BenimPOS business?

No. Points can only be used at the business where they were earned and, if Shared across branches is on, at that business's branches. The customer sees their cards at different businesses separately on benimpos.com/rewards with the same number; each business's points are on its own card.

Why do I have to accept an agreement when turning on the program?

The loyalty program is your business's own campaign; points are a discount you promise your customers. The agreement explains these responsibilities and the obligations regarding personal data and campaign messages. Approval is given once on behalf of the business; you can read the text at any time at benimpos.com/loyalty-terms.

The Loyalty button doesn't appear in the desktop app.

The program must be turned on in the web panel and the desktop app must be up to date. If the server can't be reached, the button is hidden and sales continue as usual. Its shortcut is F8.