Harnessing Data Collection to Boost Customer Loyalty in Hospitality

In today's competitive hospitality industry, building strong customer loyalty is more important than ever. One of the most powerful tools businesses can leverage is data collection. 

By gathering and analysing customer preferences, behaviours, and feedback, hospitality providers can deliver personalised experiences, improve services, and create targeted loyalty programs that keep customers coming back. 

With the right strategies in place, data can reveal key insights into what drives repeat business and customer satisfaction. From customising promotions to tailoring guest experiences, data collection opens up numerous opportunities to foster deeper connections with customers and stand out in a crowded market.

In this blog, we’ll dive into how data collection can be harnessed to improve customer loyalty, leading to greater guest satisfaction and long-term business success.

Understanding Customer Data in Hospitality

Customer data in hospitality refers to the information collected about guests that helps businesses understand who their customers are, how they behave, and what they need. 

This data typically falls into three main categories: demographic data (age, gender, location), behavioural data (how often they visit, what they order), and transactional data (spending habits, frequency of purchases). 

Gathering the right data is incredibly important in hospitality because it allows you to personalise experiences, boost customer satisfaction, and ultimately increase loyalty. 

The most common sources of customer data in hospitality include POS systems, loyalty programs, mobile apps, and surveys, all of which help paint a clearer picture of your customers and their preferences.

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• Demographic data helps you segment customers based on age, gender, and location for targeted marketing.
• Behavioural data tracks what customers do—how often they visit, their preferred dishes, etc.
• Transactional data provides insights into spending patterns and can identify your most valuable customers.
• POS systems and loyalty programs are key sources of data that provide insights into customer preferences.
• Surveys and mobile apps give you direct feedback and real-time behavioural insights from customers.

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All in all, the data you gather from customers informs future decisions surrounding your business, helping you to optimise operations and improve your guests’ experience.

The Role of Technology in Data Collection

Technology has transformed how hospitality businesses collect, manage, and analyse customer data, making it easier to gather relevant information and act on it quickly. 

From CRM systems to mobile apps, technology allows you to collect data from multiple touchpoints in real-time. These tools not only make data collection more efficient but also help organise and analyse the data to offer actionable insights. 

For instance, automated loyalty programs can track customer behaviour, while mobile apps can gather feedback and preferences on-the-go. With the right technology in place, businesses can provide more personalised services, improve operations, and make data-driven decisions to enhance customer satisfaction.

Modern Tools & Platforms for Data Collection

A few of the most common tools and platforms used for collecting customer data are: 

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• CRM Systems: Store and analyse customer interactions and preferences, enabling personalised communication.
• Mobile Apps: Allow for direct feedback and behavioural data collection while customers interact with your business.
• POS Systems: Track transactional data and purchasing patterns.
• Customer Feedback Tools: Collect real-time insights and satisfaction levels through surveys and online reviews.
• Loyalty Programs: Automatically gather data on customer preferences and reward patterns.

These tools often provide you with the exact insights you need to take the customer experience to new heights. 

For example, a restaurant can implement a CRM system in their loyalty program to personalise promotions and menu suggestions based on individual spending habits and preferences. In all likelihood, this will improve repeat business and customer loyalty. 

Analysing Data to Understand Customer Preferences

Once customer data is collected, analysing it is the key to uncovering valuable insights about your customers' preferences and behaviour patterns. One of the most effective methods is data segmentation, where you group customers based on common characteristics such as spending habits, visit frequency, or preferred services. 

By breaking down the data into segments, you can spot trends and patterns that may not be obvious at first glance. For example, you might find that weekday lunch customers prefer quick-service options, while weekend diners enjoy more leisurely, multi-course meals.

Understanding these preferences allows you to tailor your offerings and services to each segment. Personalising experiences based on data insights can significantly enhance customer satisfaction. 

For example, if a guest frequently orders a particular dish, offering a discount or recommending similar menu items can make them feel valued. Additionally, data analysis can help identify areas for improvement, such as optimising wait times or tweaking menu options, leading to a more streamlined and enjoyable customer experience.

Key Benefits of Analysing Customer Data:

• Analysis methods: Techniques such as segmentation, predictive analytics, and customer journey mapping help identify key trends and patterns.
• Segmentation: Grouping customers based on behaviours, demographics, or preferences enables more targeted marketing and service strategies.
• Personalisation: By understanding preferences, you can offer personalised recommendations, special offers, or tailored communication that resonates with customers.
• Driving loyalty: Personalised experiences create a stronger emotional connection, making customers more likely to return and remain loyal to your brand.
• Optimised offerings: Data-driven decisions can lead to menu refinements, promotional offers, or service adjustments that better align with what your customers want.

Implementing Data-Driven Strategies for Customer Loyalty

Data-driven strategies are at the heart of building strong customer loyalty in hospitality. By analysing customer data, businesses can create personalised offers that speak directly to individual preferences. 

For example, if a guest frequently orders vegetarian dishes, sending them a discount for a new plant-based item can show that you value their choices. 

Similarly, targeted marketing campaigns based on customer behaviour can bring them back through your doors by offering promotions that align with their interests or spending habits. Tailoring the guest experience, such as providing a customer’s preferred seating or recommending their favourite wine, also elevates the service and builds loyalty.

Real-time data empowers hospitality businesses to make immediate decisions that boost customer satisfaction. If a customer makes several high-value purchases during a visit, real-time data can trigger instant rewards or a special offer before they leave, enhancing their overall experience. 

Loyalty programs, when designed with data in mind, can be even more effective. By analysing purchase patterns and customer preferences, businesses can create loyalty schemes that offer rewards based on what the customer values most—whether it’s discounts on future purchases, exclusive access to events, or personalised rewards like free drinks or upgrades. This data-driven approach makes customers feel truly recognised and appreciated.

Key Data-Driven Strategies for Loyalty

• Personalised offers: Tailor discounts and promotions based on customer preferences, such as offering deals on favourite menu items or activities.
• Targeted marketing campaigns: Segment customers and deliver personalised content via email or SMS to keep them engaged and encourage repeat visits.
• Tailored guest experiences: Use data to offer personalised service, such as remembering a customer’s favourite table, dish, or drink.
• Real-time data insights: Act quickly on live customer data to provide instant perks or adjust service based on real-time customer actions.
• Effective loyalty programs: Use customer data to create reward programs that align with individual preferences, such as points for purchases, exclusive event invites, or special deals.

The Top Customer Loyalty Platforms in 2024 

Now, let’s briefly run through some of the best customer loyalty platforms available for hospitality businesses.

Stampede

Stampede is a customer loyalty platform designed specifically for the hospitality industry, helping businesses boost customer retention, engagement, and overall satisfaction. 

The platform integrates seamlessly with existing systems, allowing restaurants, bars, cafes, and other hospitality venues to capture and analyse customer data to develop personalised loyalty programs and targeted marketing campaigns.

At its core, Stampede provides an easy-to-use system for creating digital loyalty programs, replacing the traditional paper stamp cards with a more dynamic and data-driven approach. 

Customers can join loyalty programs through simple actions like scanning a QR code or registering via a mobile app. This streamlined experience makes it easier for businesses to gather essential customer data and for customers to engage with the brand.

Key Features of Stampede

• Digital loyalty programs: Allows businesses to set up customised rewards programs, offering points, discounts, or exclusive offers based on customer behaviour and preferences.
• Customer data insights: Captures valuable information on customer visits, spending habits, and preferences, providing businesses with insights to personalise services and offers.
• Targeted marketing: With built-in tools, Stampede allows businesses to create tailored marketing campaigns using the data collected, making it easier to send personalised promotions or re-engagement messages via email and SMS.
• Wi-Fi integration: Stampede integrates with venue Wi-Fi, allowing businesses to collect guest data when customers sign in, which can then be used to drive loyalty initiatives.
• Real-time data: Provides up-to-the-minute insights on customer activity, helping businesses make quick decisions to improve the guest experience or offer rewards in real-time.

Client Reviews/Success Stories

“We’ve been really pleased and amazed with the functionality and the way the product integrates all our needs in one easy-to-use platform. All for great value for money. Both the product and the team have exceeded all of our expectations by a long margin” - Nick Gregory – Co-Founder, Society Manchester

Redcat

Redcat is a comprehensive hospitality platform designed to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences in restaurants, cafes, and multi-venue chains. 

Known for its end-to-end functionality, Redcat integrates point-of-sale (POS) systems, loyalty programs, mobile ordering, and data analytics, offering a unified solution that caters to the dynamic needs of the hospitality industry. 

With a focus on improving efficiency and customer engagement, Redcat provides businesses with the tools to deliver personalised services, optimise operations, and build strong relationships with their customers.

One of the standout features of Redcat is its loyalty and CRM capabilities, which enable businesses to create data-driven customer loyalty programs. Through this platform, hospitality operators can gather valuable customer data—such as purchasing habits and frequency of visits—and use it to deliver targeted promotions and personalised offers. 

Redcat’s integration with mobile apps and online ordering systems further enhances customer convenience, enabling seamless interactions across multiple touchpoints.

Key Features of Redcat

• Integrated POS and loyalty system: Redcat offers a POS system that works hand-in-hand with its loyalty and CRM features, capturing customer transactions and turning them into actionable insights for loyalty programs.
• Customisable loyalty programs: Businesses can create tailored loyalty schemes, offering rewards, discounts, or promotions based on individual customer preferences and behaviour.
• Multi-venue management: Ideal for larger operations, Redcat allows businesses with multiple locations to centralise their data, ensuring consistent customer experiences and loyalty rewards across all venues.
• Mobile and online ordering: Redcat integrates with mobile apps and online ordering platforms, giving customers more ways to interact with your business while capturing valuable data to enhance loyalty initiatives.
• Data analytics and reporting: Redcat’s powerful analytics tools allow businesses to gain deep insights into customer behaviour, sales trends, and operational efficiency, enabling smarter decision-making and more effective loyalty strategies.

By leveraging Redcat’s comprehensive suite of tools, hospitality businesses can create personalised, data-driven customer experiences, enhancing customer satisfaction, driving repeat business, and fostering long-term loyalty.

Client Reviews/Success Stories 

“Redcat's platform ticks all the boxes. Not only is it a POS, but have a fully integrated Loyalty platform, integration with Delivery partners such as Uber Eats, Menulog, and DoorDash, Online ordering through your own mobile app, website, or even Google and Fixed cost delivery. They also provide customisation of the platform to suit your specific needs, and set-up for our multiple locations was seamless, including integration into our accounting system. Access to reporting and data has made decision-making much easier with Redcat. Highly recommended!” - Julivia Rocary, Manager

Piggy

Piggy is a customer loyalty and engagement platform designed to help businesses—especially in hospitality—build stronger relationships with their customers through personalised loyalty programs and effective marketing campaigns. 

Piggy's user-friendly platform focuses on turning customer interactions into long-term loyalty by offering businesses a suite of tools for creating reward systems, gathering customer insights, and engaging customers in meaningful ways.

Piggy stands out for its flexibility and scalability, allowing hospitality businesses to create customised loyalty programs that suit their unique brand and customer base. Whether it’s points-based rewards, special discounts, or exclusive promotions, Piggy makes it easy for businesses to incentivise repeat visits. 

Additionally, Piggy’s digital-first approach helps businesses move away from traditional punch cards or manual systems, allowing customers to track their rewards via a mobile app or online portal. 

The platform's integrated CRM captures valuable customer data, helping businesses better understand their customers' preferences and tailor communications and offers accordingly.

Key Features of Piggy

• Customisable loyalty programs: Businesses can design personalised loyalty schemes based on points, visits, or purchases, offering tailored rewards that reflect individual customer preferences.
• Omnichannel experience: Piggy integrates across multiple customer touchpoints, whether online or in-person, allowing customers to earn and redeem rewards through mobile apps, email, or even in-store.
• CRM and customer insights: Piggy’s integrated CRM captures key data such as purchasing behaviour, visit frequency, and customer preferences, helping businesses personalise marketing campaigns and loyalty offers.
• Marketing automation: The platform allows businesses to automate their marketing efforts by sending targeted offers and messages based on customer activity, such as birthdays, anniversaries, or long periods of inactivity.
• Real-time data and analytics: Piggy provides up-to-date insights into customer behaviour, helping businesses make data-driven decisions to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Through Piggy, hospitality businesses can easily create effective, data-driven loyalty programs that encourage repeat business and foster deeper customer engagement. 

With its focus on personalisation, automation, and real-time data, Piggy helps businesses maximise the value of each customer interaction, ultimately driving stronger brand loyalty.

Client Reviews/Success Stories 

“We were looking at various loyalty programs, but in the end we chose Piggy because it has a very good, technical foundation. It’s online, easy to use, and we get a lot of data from it. One of the important things for us was reaching our customers, and Piggy enables that with their email marketing tool.” - Harald Weitering, Restaurant Owner 

Pepper 

Pepper is a mobile-first platform tailored to the hospitality industry, offering a comprehensive solution that combines loyalty programs, mobile ordering, and digital engagement in one place. 

Designed to help businesses enhance customer interactions and drive repeat business, Pepper focuses on providing a seamless digital experience for both customers and operators. The platform empowers hospitality brands to build branded mobile apps and integrate loyalty features, enabling businesses to create customised, on-demand experiences for their guests.

Pepper excels in creating a branded, direct-to-customer channel, giving businesses complete control over customer interactions, data, and marketing efforts. With Pepper, hospitality operators can design loyalty programs that encourage repeat visits, such as points-based systems or special rewards for frequent purchases. 

The platform also supports mobile ordering and payment—allowing customers to place orders directly through the app—streamlining the ordering process while providing businesses with valuable data on purchasing behaviour.

Key Features of Pepper

• Branded mobile apps: Pepper allows businesses to create custom-branded apps that integrate loyalty programs, ordering, and promotions, offering a seamless digital experience for customers.
• Customisable loyalty programs: Businesses can design tailored loyalty schemes, such as points for purchases or exclusive rewards, encouraging customers to return and engage more frequently.
• Mobile ordering and payments: Pepper’s platform supports in-app ordering and payments, making it convenient for customers to order ahead or pay directly from their smartphones, improving the customer experience.
• Real-time data and insights: The platform provides businesses with real-time access to customer data, including order history and preferences, enabling personalised marketing and loyalty initiatives.
• Targeted marketing and push notifications: Pepper includes tools for sending targeted promotions, personalised offers, and push notifications directly to customers’ smartphones, driving engagement and loyalty.

Pepper’s all-in-one approach gives hospitality businesses the tools they need to create a direct connection with their customers, offering personalised loyalty programs, seamless mobile ordering, and data-driven marketing strategies. By leveraging these capabilities, businesses can increase customer satisfaction, streamline operations, and foster long-term loyalty.

Client Reviews/Success Stories 

“We’ve worked with Pepper for over five years now, I can only use the word exceptional” - David Kirby, IT Innovations Manager, 

Paytronix 

Paytronix is a powerful customer engagement and loyalty platform designed to help hospitality businesses build deeper relationships with their customers through data-driven insights, personalised loyalty programs, and marketing automation. 

With a focus on enhancing customer experiences and boosting retention, Paytronix offers a full suite of tools that allow restaurants, cafes, and other hospitality venues to create customised loyalty systems, manage digital ordering, and execute targeted marketing campaigns.

Paytronix stands out for its robust data analytics and AI-driven features, which allow businesses to not only gather valuable customer insights but also predict behaviour and personalise offers at scale. 

From simple point-based reward programs to more sophisticated tiered systems, Paytronix gives businesses the flexibility to design loyalty programs that fit their brand and customer base. 

The platform also integrates seamlessly with online ordering, mobile apps, and in-store systems, making it easy to track customer interactions and engage them across multiple touchpoints.

Key Features of Paytronix

• Customisable loyalty programs: Businesses can design a variety of loyalty programs, from points-based rewards to VIP tiers, incentivising customers to return frequently and engage with the brand.
• AI-driven insights: Paytronix uses machine learning to analyse customer data, helping businesses predict behaviour, identify trends, and create more effective personalised offers.
• Omnichannel engagement: The platform integrates with online ordering, mobile apps, and in-store systems, allowing businesses to collect and leverage data from all customer touchpoints.
• Marketing automation: Paytronix enables businesses to automate marketing campaigns, sending personalised promotions, emails, and offers based on customer data, such as birthdays or long periods of inactivity.
• Real-time data analytics: The platform provides businesses with real-time insights into customer behaviour and preferences, helping them make data-driven decisions that enhance the guest experience and drive loyalty.

Paytronix helps hospitality businesses deliver personalised experiences and foster customer loyalty through a data-centric approach. 

With its AI capabilities, omnichannel integration, and automated marketing tools, Paytronix allows businesses to engage customers more effectively, turning casual visitors into loyal, repeat guests.

Client Reviews/Success Stories 

“Paytronix is very simple and user-friendly. I like that it's easy to navigate for a tool that plays such a big role in my day at work. It's impossible to have a productive day at work without Paytronix” - Dane, Customer Support Representative

Final Thoughts 

Harnessing data collection to enhance customer loyalty in the hospitality industry can be the difference between success and failure. 

By leveraging data-driven insights, your hospitality business can better understand its customers’ preferences, tailor personalised experiences, and ultimately foster deeper relationships that lead to repeat visits and long-term loyalty. 

As technology continues to evolve, staying ahead of the curve with smart data collection strategies will not only boost customer satisfaction but also position your hospitality business for sustained growth in an increasingly competitive landscape. Embracing these tools allows you to remain customer-centric and responsive to ever-changing market demands.

At Tech on Toast, we help you build the perfect tech stack for your business. Whether it’s loyalty, shift management, or POS systems, we’ve got you covered. 

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