Yoko's new loyalty program, launched at Yoko Next, gives independent merchants something that big retailers have had for decades – a simple, built-in way to reward the customers who keep them alive.
Go to any major South African retailer and the loyalty pitch starts before you even arrive. Scan your card. Earn your points. download app. It's a smooth, well-oiled machine – and it's been the exclusive domain of big business for a very long time.
For the millions of independent traders who power South Africa's economy – café owners in Woodstock, boutiques in Melville, nail bars in Soweto – building the same kind of customer loyalty has historically meant keeping a drawer full of stamp cards, a spreadsheet that no one updates, or simply hoping that people get in the habit. The playing field has never been level.
That has changed now.
At the company's flagship product event, Yoko Next, held recently, Yoko announced the launch of its loyalty program – a fully integrated, no-hassle rewards system built directly into the Yoko point-of-sale experience. It is the simplest platform designed specifically for South African SMEs, offering loyalty as a basic feature. And the implications for small business owners are significant.
The problem with loyalty – so far
Loyalty programs work. The data is unambiguous. According to Yoko's own figures, 76% of South Africans actively participate in loyalty…