#digital loyalty programs

Enda Tamweel, a leading microfinance institution in Tunisia, has announced the launch of a new digital loyalty program in collaboration with the Hashgraph Association, a Swiss-based non-profit organization focused on digital empowerment and innovation through the Hedera ecosystem. The program introduces a new approach to customer engagement by rewarding clients who repay loans on time, while also…

Strange as it may sound, in an age where literally everything is getting digitized, from payments to supply chains, most manufacturers are treating Digital Loyalty Platforms with cautious optimism. While retailers and eCommerce brands have embraced digital loyalty programs quickly, manufacturers often take a slower, more hesitant approach.

So, what’s holding them back?

Let's take a closer look at the real reasons behind such hesitation—and why it's time to rethink them.

Manufacturing-The Traditional Mindset

For years, many manufacturers have trusted manual or semi-digital loyalty models. Paper coupons, WhatsApp-based schemes, or distributor-managed rewards are familiar and “safe." The concept of moving to Digital Loyalty Platforms seems complex or riskier for businesses that have been operating in a certain way since their founding.

There is often a belief that channel partners or dealers will not adopt digital tools. This is a very rapidly outdated assumption; smartphones and apps are a part of doing everyday business.

Concerns about Adoption and Training

One of the main concerns with digital loyalty schemes is their adoption. The question would be:

Can a digital loyalty app be utilized by dealers, contractors, or retailers?

Will it be time-consuming to train anyone?

Will it disrupt existing workflows?

In practice, modern digital loyalty software is designed to be intuitive, mobile-first, and easy to use. Most of today's digital loyalty programs require little to no onboarding whatsoever and work just as seamlessly with non-tech users as they do with tech-savvy ones.

Fear of Cost and Return on Investment

Another reservation is around the cost. Manufacturers' general assumption is that Digital Loyalty Platforms are expensive and hard to justify. The fear of not seeing immediate ROI can slow down decision-making.

Compared to leakage, manual errors, fake claims, and lack of visibility, digital platforms actually reduce long-term costs in traditional loyalty programs. In addition, loyalty programs for manufacturers become more efficient and measurable with real-time tracking and automation.

Invisibility of Data in Classic Programs

So it shouldn't come as a shock that many manufacturers don't know how much data they are leaving on the table. Manual loyalty systems have little to no insight in partner behavior or redemption patterns, nor do they have insight into campaign effectiveness.

By contrast, Digital Loyalty Platforms offer detailed dashboards and analytics. These insights drive better manufacturer customer loyalty, reward personalization, and campaign design for dealers and distributors.

Complex Channel Structures

Manufacturers often operate through various layers that include distributors, dealers, retailers, and influencers. Since it is hard to manage that manually, it creates much trepidation toward digital adoption.

But this is exactly where B2B loyalty programs and channel loyalty programs powered by a loyalty management software excel: they allow brands to run structured, tier-based programs for different partner types—without confusion.

Why the Shift is Now Irreversible

The market is moving fast. Channel partners are now looking for transparency, instant visibility of reward earnings, and ease of redemption. The longer a brand waits to upgrade to a Digital Loyalty Platform, the farther behind it falls from competition offering smarter, faster loyalty experiences.

With a modern digital loyalty app, manufacturers are empowered to:

Launch schemes quicker

Prevent reward leakage

Track real performance

Improve channel relationships

Final Thoughts

Digital loyalty programs are fast replacing traditional loyalty programs due to their wide range of benefits. They are not only fast, efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly, but they are extremely useful in the digital age where a majority of customers would like to engage with loyalty programs using their smartphones, as confirmed by a CodeBroker study.

With more than 659 million smartphone users, India ranks second in the world when it comes to smartphone usage. With so many people using smartphones in the country, businesses of all sizes and types must digitize their B2C and B2B loyalty programs.

By leveraging digital reward programs, some brands made transferring and redeeming loyalty points much easier for their customers and channel partners. This blog post discusses the eight best digital loyalty programs in India that have resulted in higher engagement and retention.

Best Digital Reward Programs in India

1. PVR Privilege

Launched by PVR Cinemas in 2017, PVR Privilege is publicized as India’s first fully digital loyalty program. The digital rewards program offers the members of the PVR Cinemas loyalty program a wide range of enhanced benefits and best-in-class redemption opportunities.

Members are rewarded on every transaction they make at PVR Cinemas or the company’s website. They get free Privilege salted popcorn and five percent of PVR Privilege Points for every Rs. 100 they spend on tickets as well as food and drinks. Apart from that they also get vouchers and invitations to special screenings.

2. TimesPoints

When it comes to one of the best digital reward programs in India, TimesPoints is extremely well-known. The digital loyalty program of Mumbai-based media conglomerate The Times Group rewards customers when they spend time on its digital partners’ platforms such as The Times of India, NewsPoint, The Economic Times, Maharashtra Times, Navbharat Times, and many others.

Customers earn points for the time they spend on Times Group’s apps or websites. TimesPoints credits points in customers’ digital wallets, which they can trade to avail of benefits such as discounts, gifts, and deals. They can get benefits by reading articles as well as watching, liking, commenting, and sharing photos and videos. Customers can redeem the points across more than 200 brands such as Amazon, Paytm, Myntra, Shoppers Stop, and more.

3. PAYBACK 

PAYBACK is among India’s largest multi-brand digital loyalty programs with more than 100 partner brands including affiliate brands such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and more. The unique coalition digital loyalty program is designed to engage members and provide their reward points on online shopping, vouchers, coupons, as well as on digital payments.

The wide range portfolio of partner brands covers more than 80 percent of popular consumer spending areas with its partners being some leading brands in various sectors ranging from entertainment, financial services, hospitality, payment cards, retail, travel, and more. With a such broad range of partners, the program is accepted at more than 12,000 Points of Sale (POS) across over 100 cities.

4. HDFC Platinum Times Card

HDFC Platinum Times Card is a co-branded loyalty program card by the HDFC Bank and Times Internet. The co-branded initiative comes with several entertainment and lifestyle benefits related to dining, movies, and shopping. The digital reward program is extremely popular in the basic category. With an affordable fee, it offers a wide range of benefits across different categories, including dining, shopping, entertainment, etc.

Members get ten reward points for each spend of Rs 150 on dining during the weekdays and three reward points for every dining spend of Rs 150 on weekends. They can redeem the digital loyalty points through the product catalog by logging in to their net banking account. The card offers several additional benefits as well.

5. Citi Rewards 

Citi Rewards is a digital reward program from Citibank India. Under the program, customers can earn loyalty points for every payment they make using a Citi credit card at online shopping sites, retail outlets, hotels, and travel bookings, paying fuel bills at gas stations, and more. Customers can also transfer their reward points to frequent flyer programs and avail of benefits for premium merchandise.

For every payment made with Citi Credit Card at petrol stations, customers earn rewards points. They can then attractive travel options, and much more.

6. InterMiles 

InterMiles program, formerly known as JetPrivilege, is a co-branded digital reward program of New Delhi-based airline Jet Airways and Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways. The digital loyalty program rewards its customers for flying with the airlines, booking hotel rooms across the globe, shopping in select stores, and more.

Under the program, members can collect InterMiles that are saved in their account and redeem the points for exclusive deals, free travel, lounge access, free stays, free fuel, and more than 2500 merchandise options.

7. Digisol Cash Karo

Digisol Cash Karo is the digital loyalty program of Digisol Systems Ltd, a reputable provider of IT networking solutions. The Bangalore-based company launched the digital reward program to increase sales and build transparency and trust with its channel partners.

By using the Digisol Cash Karo app, Digisol’s channel partners and influencers can scan the QR code on select Digisol products and the loyalty points will be credited to their digital wallet. Apart from retaining channel partners, the digital loyalty program empowers electricians and technicians as well.

Suggested Read: Robust, Fully Automated, And Cost-Effective Loyalty Program For Digisol

8. Berger Paints’ eSambandh

Berger Paints’ eSambandh loyalty program is a digital loyalty program for its contractors. The digital reward program consists of a wide range of benefits and incentives. The program provides a high degree of price transparency and gains contractors’ confidence.

The paint maker provides additional discounts and benefits as well as credit facilities. The B2B loyalty program also enables contractors to order various paints, coatings, and paint tools and get the items delivered to their preferred location.

Summing up,

Contemporary customers are extremely tech-savvy and prefer doing transactions over their smartphones over any other mode of communication. Digital loyalty programs are extremely helpful for present-day businesses in engaging and retaining customers.

Brandmovers provides receipt processing with a full legal compliance team to create safe loyalty program implementation. Learn more about our online promotions!

This is a guest post from our It solutions firm TechnologyAdvice. You can find more tidbits of their recent research over on our loyalty stats and millennial loyalty stats collections. 

According to recent research from Bridge.Over, 70 percent of Millennials believe their generation is less brand loyal than previous generations. Information firm Nielson meanwhile has found that up 78 percent of…