Customer Loyalty Programme: Points, Bundles, and Memberships

Acquiring a new client costs between 5 and 7 times more than retaining an existing one. In a service business, where the relationship with the client is personal and recurring, retention is not optional — it is the most profitable strategy you can apply.

And yet, most service businesses have no loyalty programme at all. No points card, no bundle, no membership. Nothing.

Why? Because doing it manually is a nightmare: physical cards that get lost, spreadsheets nobody updates, discounts applied incorrectly. The good news is it no longer has to be that way.

Why Loyalty Matters More in Service Businesses

In an e-commerce store, the client buys and leaves. In your business, the client comes back again and again: every 3 weeks, every month, every 6 weeks. Your revenue depends on those same clients continuing to return.

A loyal client:

• Spends more — They trust you and try additional services
• Refers others — Word of mouth is still the most powerful channel in service businesses
• Forgives mistakes — A 10-minute delay will not make them switch to a different professional
• Is predictable — You know when they are coming and what they will ask for, which simplifies your planning

A loyalty programme formalises that relationship. It tells the client: “your consistency has value, and we want to reward it.”

The 3 Types of Loyalty Programmes

1. Points Programme

The most classic format. The client earns points for each visit or each euro spent, and can redeem them for rewards.

How it works in practice:

• You define how many points the client earns per euro spent (for example, 1 point per euro)
• You define the rewards and how many points each one costs
• The system accumulates and redeems automatically

Types of rewards:

• Percentage discount — “200 points = 20% off your next service”
• Fixed-amount discount — “500 points = €10 off”
• Free service — “1,000 points = a free basic haircut”

The advantage of a points system is that it is flexible and the client feels a sense of progress. The drawback is that if the rewards feel too far away, they lose interest. Put the first reward within reach of 3–4 visits at most.

2. Bundles (Session Packages)

The client pays upfront for a fixed number of sessions at a reduced price.

Example:

• Individual physiotherapy session: €50
• Bundle of 10 sessions: €400 (saving of €100)

It is a win-win: the client saves money, you secure revenue in advance, and you reduce uncertainty. You know that client is coming back 10 more times.

Bundles work especially well in:

• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
• Personal training
• Aesthetic treatments sold by session
• Private tuition

3. Memberships (Subscriptions)

The client pays a fixed fee (monthly or annual) and receives recurring benefits: a set number of included services, exclusive discounts, or priority access.

Two models:

• Recurring membership — Fixed monthly fee. Example: “€39/month includes 1 haircut + 1 treatment + 10% off products”
• Package membership — One-time payment for a set number of uses. Example: “€150 for 5 laser sessions, valid for 6 months”

Memberships are the most powerful model for businesses with frequent, recurring clients. They generate predictable revenue and increase visit frequency: a client who pays a monthly fee visits more often because they want to “get their money’s worth.”

How to Implement a Loyalty Programme Without Losing Your Mind

The Problem With Paper

Stamp cards worked for decades, but they have obvious drawbacks:

• They get lost, get wet, get left at home
• You cannot see how many a client has without them showing you
• You cannot analyse data: who redeems, how much they spend, how often they visit
• They are easy to forge

The Digital Alternative

A digital loyalty programme eliminates all of those problems. The points balance is tied to the client in their CRM profile, not to a piece of card. You can see in real time how many points each client has, which rewards they have redeemed, and how much they have spent.

And most importantly: it works automatically. The client completes their appointment, the system adds the points. When they have enough, they can redeem them on their next visit — without you having to do anything.

Loyalty in Marai: How It Works

Marai includes a complete loyalty system from the Starter plan (€29/month), with three tools you can use individually or in combination.

Points Programme

You configure the rules once and the system handles everything else:

1. Define the accrual rate — How many points the client earns per euro spent
2. Create the rewards — Three types available:
   • Percentage discount (for example, 15% off)
   • Fixed-amount discount (for example, €10 off)
   • Free service (for example, a free basic haircut)
3. The system accumulates automatically — Every time the client completes an appointment and pays, their points are added
4. Redemption is manual or assisted — When the client has enough points, the reward can be applied on their next visit

The full points history is recorded: accruals, redemptions, adjustments, and expirations. Everything is traceable.

Memberships

Two formats:

• Recurring — The client pays a monthly fee and receives the plan’s benefits each month. Ideal for businesses with frequent visits (hair salons, gyms, beauty centers).
• Package — The client purchases a fixed number of uses. Ideal for session-based treatments (physiotherapy, laser hair removal, personal training).

Each membership defines which services are included and how many uses it covers. The system automatically deducts from the client’s balance at each visit.

Discount Campaigns

For one-off loyalty actions, Marai lets you create targeted discount campaigns aimed at specific client segments:

• All clients — General promotion
• Inactive 30 days — Recover clients who have not visited in a month
• Inactive 60 or 90 days — More assertive campaigns for lapsed clients
• Top clients — Reward your best customers
• Custom selection — Choose specific clients

Campaigns are sent via WhatsApp or email, with delivery, read, and redemption tracking.

How Much Does a Loyalty Programme Cost to Implement?

Feature	Free (€0)	Starter (€29)	Pro (€59)	Business (€99)
Points programme	—	Yes	Yes	Yes
Memberships	—	Yes	Yes	Yes
Discount campaigns	—	Yes	Yes	Yes
Reward types	—	3 types	3 types	3 types

Loyalty as an Investment, Not a Cost

A well-configured loyalty programme is not an expense. It is an investment that:

• Increases visit frequency — The client comes back sooner to accumulate points or make use of their membership
• Raises average spend — “If I spend €10 more, I get the next reward”
• Reduces price sensitivity — The client values the programme, not just the service price
• Generates predictable revenue — Monthly memberships stabilise your cash flow

You do not need a complex programme. Start with points, add memberships once you have a reliable base of recurring clients, and use campaigns to win back those who drift away.

See Marai’s memberships →

Get started for free → — Full loyalty programme from the Starter plan (€29/month).