Evaluating software and software vendors is an advanced science with many templates in existence, as a Google search on “software evaluation” will show. Knowing that a loyalty solution is specialized, we have attempted to put together a quick guide for the marketer on how to evaluate the loyalty software options available. Confining the evaluation to loyalty software alone (and not CRM) in this issue, the parameters on which to evaluate a solution are as follows: Technical evaluation
- Preferred operating system: It is preferable that the OS is of recent vintage and is more commonly used so that support is available locally and at a reasonable cost. Windows, Unix or Linux are the common options that must be covered.
- Database software: Again needs to be scalable and has to be current generation software with proven capabilities of being stable even when database size touches a few million terabytes. Oracle, SQL, DB2 are some of the common options.
- Process means: Should be able to process data both in real time and batch process. Data transfer should be possible via leased line, T1, PSTN, or storage media
- Transaction feed: Must be capable of receiving feed from POS, web, telephone, SMS, fax, mobile (GSM & CDMA) and should be able to integrate data from all these channels
- Data feeds: Must accept different types including XML, delimited, fixed field
- ASP/ Client-server (license): Ideally both options should be available
Business needs
- Currency: Flexibility of offering points, air-miles (or any other third party program currency), discounts, merchandise must be offered
- Accounting / Liability management: One of those features where most packages’ capabilities are very basic and where features if rich, could make the finance guy open his purse strings.
- Bonusing parameters: The software should provide for bonusing based on:
- Temporal - related to time of day or recency
- Personal - targeted at customer purchase history or profile data
- Spatial - based on location. Channel
- Transactional - related to SKU, product category, transaction ticket size etc.
- Call centre interface: The software should provide for robust integration with call centre whether manual agents or IVR.
- Web interface: Capability of web interface for providing statements, enrolment, redemption etc. should be available
- Reporting and analysis engine: Check especially carefully for the standard and ad hoc reports that the software will generate, and the possibility of customizing the reports.
Other general parameters
- Flexibility: Check how much of the functionality is GUI driven and can be modified by the program manager without requiring software developers to dive into the code
- Scalability: Perhaps one of the most important criteria, especially for end customer loyalty programs. Given the Indian context, should be capable of being scalable to a few million customers.
- Industries where applied: Understand whether you are going to be the guinea pig or whether there are other successful installations in your industry.
- Sales and Service network: Check the strength of the local sales and service network of the vendor lest you end up picking up the tabs for business class tickets of the service personnel flying in from California.
While any vendor worth his salt will provide the benchmarks which his product is meeting against each of the above parameters, it is entirely another matter to intelligently decipher whether those benchmarks meet the functional requirements of your program. Our last word on this topic would be to urge you to take care to define your functional needs in detail, and establish your approach to vendor evaluation before making any vendor related decisions.
To learn more about loyalty software and how to design, evaluate and implement it, contact us at info@bom.direm.com
Also Read
Three reasons for loyalty software
What functionality do you need?
A quick guide to loyalty software evaluation
Pre-Implementation Blues
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