Loyalty – Tier Perks

Without good perks, tiers are just colored badges. This article walks through the five perk types Vendion supports, their mechanics, and how to design them so guests actually want to climb.

The five perk types

1. Earn multiplier

What: Guests earn more points per SEK on this tier.

Formula: Points = qualifying amount × points per krona × earn multiplier.

Common values:

• 1.0× = Silver (standard)
• 1.5× = Gold (50 % more)
• 2.0× = Platinum (double)
• 3.0× = VIP (triple, used sparingly)

Example:

• Silver: 500 SEK order = 500 points
• Gold: 500 SEK order = 750 points
• Platinum: 500 SEK order = 1,000 points

Psychology: Multipliers motivate more than linear additions. "Double points" sounds better than "200 extra points".

2. Flat discount

What: Auto-applied % discount on every order for members in this tier.

Common values:

• 0 % = Silver
• 5 % = Gold
• 10 % = Platinum

How it works in POS:

• When the order checks out and the guest is linked, the discount applies automatically
• Shown as "Gold member discount −5 %" on the receipt
• Discount is computed before point earning (so points earn on the discounted amount)

Warning: Flat discounts hit your margin every time the guest eats. A 10 % discount for a Platinum guest eating 50 times a year costs more than one-off campaigns. Do the math.

3. Birthday bonus

What: Extra points automatically granted on the guest's birthday.

Default: 0 (no bonus) Common value: 500–1,000 points for Gold/Platinum

Requirement: Guest must have a birthday in their customer profile.

Trigger: Runs during nightly tier-refresh. Points land on the birthday itself, not a week before.

Combined with automation: Create an automation to send SMS: "Happy birthday! You just got 1,000 bonus points (≈ 100 SEK). Enjoy dinner on us!"

4. Free item per visit

What: The tier can give the guest one free menu item per visit (max once per day). You pick the item in the tier's "Free item per visit" field.

How it works:

• When the guest is linked to the order in POS, a button appears in the loyalty sidebar: "Tier perk: free [item]"
• Staff clicks Hand out → the item is added free to the bill
• If the guest already took it today, it shows "already taken today" instead
• Also works in online ordering

Tip: Great as a Gold/Platinum perk ("free coffee with the meal", "amuse on the house"). To give a free item for points instead, use the reward catalog (the Rewards tab).

5. Free-text perks

What: Free-text list shown in the POS sidebar and on the public loyalty page. Describe perks that don't have automatic mechanics.

Example:

Gold:

• "Welcome drink for the party"
• "Priority for event bookings"
• "Free dessert on your birthday"

Platinum:

• "Annual dinner on the house (book via the owner)"
• "Exclusive wine tasting 2× per year"
• "Personal SMS contact with the owner"
• "VIP reservation with 24h notice"

Important: Free-text perks are not automation. The server must honor them when they see the tier in the loyalty sidebar. Train staff.

Designing a tier structure that works

Rule 1: Big jumps between tiers

If Silver is 0 SEK and Gold is 500 SEK, almost everyone becomes Gold within six months – then Gold stops being "special." Prefer:

• Silver: 0 SEK
• Gold: 5,000 SEK
• Platinum: 25,000 SEK

Rule 2: Perks must feel worth it

Just a 1.5× multiplier doesn't motivate anyone to come back. Combine: 1.5× + 5 % discount + event priority = "It's worth being Gold."

Rule 3: Top tier should be a dream

Platinum should feel like a club, not just "the next discount." Add free-text perks that make it unique: annual dinner, wine tasting, personal contact.

Rule 4: Communicate upgrades

Turn on the welcome automation to auto-send SMS when someone reaches the tier: "Congratulations! You're now a Gold member. Here are your perks: [link]." A critical retention trigger.

Effects and limitations

• Free items exist – both as a tier perk ("Free item per visit", above) and via the reward catalog (points → free item, the Rewards tab), plus stamp cards
• Point redemption always discounts the whole bill – not a single product (control the product via the free-item perk or the reward catalog instead)
• Free shipping online is not available (not relevant for restaurant)
• Booking priority is not active – tiers currently do not flag bookings in the booking system

More perk types may come later – check for updates or ask Vendion.