Why many loyalty programmes do not work

Most businesses try to build loyalty. Very few actually achieve it. And not because they lack intention, but because traditional systems — stamp cards, isolated coupons, standalone apps for each business — have become obsolete. They don’t scale, they don’t connect, and most importantly, they don’t create habit.

If you’ve ever felt that “nobody uses the loyalty card” or “customers don’t return even if they have a discount”, this article is for you.

1. Loyalty programs fail because they create friction

One of the most common reasons a loyalty program doesn’t work is friction. If the customer has to register multiple times, download a different app for each business, or remember a physical card, they stop participating.

Less friction = more engagement.

Promotty eliminates this problem by unifying all benefits in one place. The customer downloads nothing and doesn’t repeat registrations.

2. They’re not integrated into the real experience

A typical mistake is assuming loyalty happens “after paying.” If the program isn’t integrated into the buying experience, customers simply won’t interact.

The benefit must be visible, accessible, and present when the customer decides whether to return.

That’s why systems like visible QR codes, automatic rewards, or always-available digital cards work so well.

3. Businesses lack consistency

Many businesses launch a loyalty program… and abandon it a month later. No communication, no reminders, no active rewards.

A loyalty program needs minimal but consistent maintenance. Simple weekly actions (a reward, a visual reminder, a small incentive) multiply customer return rates.

4. Nothing is being measured

What isn’t measured, cannot be improved. Most businesses cannot answer basic questions such as:

• Recurring customers
• Time between visits
• Top repeated products
• Who is close to completing a card
• When recurrence drops

Without data, you can’t adjust your strategy. If you want to go deeper into this topic, read this other article: How to retain customers with an app.

5. Incentives are poorly designed

Many businesses offer discounts thinking that this builds loyalty. But a discount without strategy only trains the customer to wait for the next discount.

Rewards work better than discounts because they generate emotion, belonging, and habit.

A one-time invitation, a surprise perk, or a visual progress card is worth 10x more than a generic 10% discount.

6. There is no ecosystem only isolated actions

A common mistake is launching unconnected campaigns: one coupon here, a card there, a QR somewhere else.

Loyalty only works when everything is integrated into a single system.

This is why centralized platforms outperform isolated programs: the customer has a continuous experience, not a fragmented one.

7. There is not enough communication

Many businesses think: “If I already have a points program, customers will use it.”  This is not true.

Constant, subtle communication is what turns a program into a habit. A table sign, a visible QR, a message on social media, or a simple reward reinforces memory and drives customers back.

8. The moment of highest attention is wasted

The moment right after a purchase is the moment of maximum predisposition: the customer is satisfied and emotionally receptive.

If the loyalty program appears right there, engagement increases dramatically.

That’s why QR codes handed with the receipt or automatic rewards after validating a purchase work so well.

Here is a helpful external resource on this topic: [Why the post-purchase moment is key for loyalty](<<https://hbr.org/&#x29&#x3E&#x3E;;; — Harvard Business Review.

9. No identity or sense of belonging is created

Programs fail when they only offer points. Programs succeed when they build community.

Customers want to feel they belong to something, not just accumulate numbers.  When a customer thinks “I’m a regular at this place,” price becomes less important.

10. There is no personalization

Everyone receives the same thing.  Personalization massively increases conversion and repeat visits. Birthdays, segments, tailored rewards, behaviour-based messages… everything adds up.

Most programs fail because they are designed from the tool outward, instead of from human behaviour inward.

Real loyalty is built by removing friction, creating habit, measuring, surprising, and maintaining a continuous bond.

Promotty exists precisely to solve these problems: a complete ecosystem where loyalty happens naturally, seamlessly, and without effort for the business.