What paper does well
A paper stamp card is cheap to start, familiar to everyone and needs no setup. For a business that only wants a simple thank-you for regulars, it works, and that is why it has lasted so long.
Where paper falls short
Cards are forgotten at home, lost in wallets and thrown away half full. Stamps are easy to copy. Most of all, a paper card gives you no information: you don’t know who your regulars are, who stopped coming or how many rewards you gave away.
What a digital card changes
A digital card lives on the customer’s phone, which they rarely forget. Every stamp is recorded with its time, so mistakes and copying stop. You can see how many members return, and send them a short message with an offer when they have been away for a while.
What customers have to do
With MIMO, a customer scans the QR code on your counter or taps a MIMO chip, enters a name and email, and the card is on their phone. There is no app to download, and it works on iPhone and Android.
Making the switch
Keep accepting paper cards for a few weeks. When a regular brings one, invite them to join the digital card and add the stamps they already have, so nobody loses progress. A small sign at the till explaining the change does most of the work.
When paper is still fine
If you have very few repeat customers, or you never want to contact them, paper may be enough. A digital card pays off when regulars matter to your business and you want to bring them back more often.
Product notes from the private MIMO build. Examples are illustrative, with current availability stated explicitly.
About the journal