Customers & Automation
Loyalty Programme
Last updated 15 April 2026
Loyalty Programme
Reward your clients with points for every visit and let them redeem rewards from your catalogue, building repeat business automatically.
Where to find it. Web: Sidebar → Loyalty (under Manage). Mobile: Loyalty from the navigation menu.
TL;DR
- The Loyalty Programme awards points automatically at checkout based on service spend, product spend, and per-visit bonuses.
- A rewards catalogue lets clients redeem points at checkout, rewards appear as a banner when a client has enough points.
- Points can be set to expire after 6, 12, 18, or 24 months using a sliding window that resets on each visit.
- The Loyalty Programme requires a PRO subscription; only owners can configure the programme and manage rewards.
Overview
The Loyalty Programme automatically awards points to clients at checkout and lets them redeem rewards from your catalogue:
- Award points automatically when clients pay at checkout
- Configure earn rates for services, products, and per-visit bonuses
- Create a rewards catalogue with point costs and redemption rules
- Let clients redeem rewards at checkout
- Track programme performance, enrolment, points in circulation, and estimated liability
- Send automatic email notifications when points are earned or a reward is unlocked
- Set point expiry with sliding windows that extend on each visit
Note
The Loyalty Programme requires a PRO subscription. Only venue owners can configure the programme and manage rewards. Team members can view programme settings and process redemptions at checkout.
Setting up your programme
Set up your programme by enabling the toggle, configuring earn rates, setting point expiry, and saving your settings.
Step 1: Enable the programme
- Go to Loyalty.
- Turn on the "Enable Loyalty Rewards" toggle (web) or "Enable loyalty programme" toggle (mobile).
- Clients will now earn points automatically at every checkout.
Step 2: Configure earn rates
Click "Settings" (web) or scroll to the "How clients earn points" card (mobile) to configure how clients accumulate points.
| Setting | What it controls | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Points per $1 on services | Points earned for every dollar spent on services | 1 |
| Points per $1 on products | Points earned for every dollar spent on products | 2 |
| Bonus points per visit | Flat bonus added to every transaction | 0 |
At least one earn rate must be greater than zero. Points are calculated per transaction as:
floor(service spend × service rate) + floor(product spend × product rate) + visit bonus
The helper text reads: "Most salons award 1 to 2 points per dollar on services." and "Often set higher than services to incentivise retail." for products.
Step 3: Set point expiry
Choose how long points remain valid after a client's last earn:
| Option | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| 6 months | Points expire 6 months after last earn |
| 12 months (default) | Points expire 12 months after last earn |
| 18 months | Points expire 18 months after last earn |
| 24 months | Points expire 24 months after last earn |
| Never expire | Points never expire |
The helper text reads: "Points expire after a client's last earn."
Tip
Point expiry uses a sliding window: every time a client earns points, their expiry date resets. A client who visits regularly will never lose points.
Step 4: Configure notifications
Three notification settings control what emails clients receive:
| Notification | What it sends | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Notify when they earn points | Email after checkout with points earned and current balance | On |
| Notify when they unlock a reward | Email when a client reaches enough points to redeem a reward | On |
| Send expiry reminder | Email a set number of days before points expire (only available when expiry is enabled) | 30 days |
The expiry reminder field accepts 1 to 365 days.
Step 5: Save
Click "Save changes" (web) or "Save settings" (mobile). A confirmation appears: "Loyalty programme updated" (web) or "Settings saved" (mobile).
Creating rewards
Rewards give clients something to work towards. Each reward has a point cost and can be linked to a specific service or product.
Adding a reward
On web:
- Go to the Rewards section on the Loyalty page.
- Click "Add Reward".
- Enter a Reward name (e.g., "Free Blow Dry").
- Choose a Reward type: Service or Product.
- Select the specific service or product from the dropdown.
- Set the Points required (minimum 50 points).
- Optionally enable "First-time clients only": clients can only redeem this reward for a service they have never booked before.
- Click "Save Reward".
On mobile:
- Go to the Rewards tab.
- Tap the "New" button (plus icon).
- Fill in the reward details.
- Tap "Create reward".
Effective cost calculator (Web)
When creating or editing a reward on web, a cost calculator shows how much a client needs to spend to earn the reward:
"Clients spend an average of $X to earn this reward. Your effective cost is Y% of the service price."
If the effective cost exceeds 20%, a warning appears: "This reward costs more than 20% of client spend. Consider increasing the points required."
Editing a reward
Tap or click an existing reward to open the edit form. Make changes and click "Update Reward" (web) or "Save reward" (mobile).
Deleting a reward
- Open the reward for editing.
- Click "Delete Reward" (web) or "Delete reward" (mobile).
- Confirm the deletion.
Deleting a reward is a soft delete, it is removed from the catalogue but clients keep any points they have earned. Transaction history is preserved.
Empty state
When no rewards exist: "No rewards yet. Add your first reward to give clients something to work towards."
How points are earned
Points are awarded automatically at checkout, no manual action required from you or your team.
- A client completes a booking and pays at checkout.
- The system calculates points based on the service and product amounts on the order.
- Points are credited to the client's loyalty balance.
- If notifications are enabled, the client receives an email: "You earned X points at [venue name]" with their new balance and progress towards the next reward.
- If the client crosses a reward threshold for the first time, they receive a second email: "You've unlocked a reward" with the reward name.
Points are also earned when online bookings are confirmed.
Idempotency
The system prevents duplicate point awards, if the same checkout or booking triggers the earn process more than once (e.g., due to a retry), points are only credited once.
Redeeming rewards at checkout
When a client has enough points for a reward, it appears during checkout.
- At checkout, a "Reward available" banner appears showing the reward name and point cost.
- If multiple rewards are eligible, the count shows (e.g., "+2 more").
- Click "Apply Reward".
- If multiple rewards are available, select the one to apply.
- Confirm with "Apply Reward" in the dialog.
The reward is added as a complimentary line item on the order (e.g., "Free Blow Dry. Complimentary (Loyalty Reward)") at $0. The point cost is deducted from the client's balance.
A toast confirms: "Reward applied".
First-time only rewards
If a reward is marked "First-time clients only", the system checks the client's booking history. If the client has previously booked that service, the reward will not appear as eligible, this is enforced server-side even if the client appears to qualify by point balance.
Programme overview (Insights)
When your programme is active, an insights card appears on the Loyalty page showing key metrics:
| Metric | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Client enrolment | Percentage of clients with loyalty points, plus count |
| Points in circulation | Total outstanding points across all clients, with estimated liability in your currency |
| Near a reward | Number of clients within 80% of the cheapest reward's point cost |
| Expiring soon | Number of clients with points expiring in the next 30 days |
The insights card only appears when the programme has at least one client with points.
Client emails
The Loyalty Programme sends two automatic emails to clients: a points earned notification and a reward unlocked notification.
Points earned email
- Subject: "You earned [X] points at [venue]"
- Content: Points earned, new balance, and a progress bar showing progress towards the next reward
- When sent: After each checkout where points are earned (if "Notify when they earn points" is on)
Reward unlocked email
- Subject: "You've earned a reward at [venue]"
- Content: Reward name with a message: "Mention your reward at your next visit, your team will apply it at checkout. No voucher needed."
- When sent: When a client's balance first crosses a reward threshold (if "Notify when they unlock a reward" is on)
- One-time: Each reward only triggers this email once per client, even if the client's balance drops and rises again
Web vs mobile differences
Loyalty Programme features and interface elements differ between web and mobile.
| Feature | Web | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Programme settings | Side sheet / drawer opened via "Settings" button | Inline on the Settings tab |
| Reward form | Side sheet / drawer | Full-screen modal (phone) or centred overlay (tablet) |
| Service/product picker | Select dropdown | Full-screen picker with search |
| Cost calculator | Inline in reward form | Spend estimate shown as helper text |
| Insights card | Below programme settings | On the Settings tab (points in circulation visible on tablet only) |
| Unsaved changes | "Discard unsaved changes?" dialog | "Unsaved changes. Save / Discard / Cancel" alert |
| Keyboard shortcuts | - | Cmd+S (save settings), Cmd+N (new reward) on iPad |
Troubleshooting
The following covers common issues with the Loyalty Programme.
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Loyalty page shows an upgrade prompt | The Loyalty Programme requires a PRO subscription. On web, click the upgrade button to go to billing. On mobile, visit openchair.com to manage your subscription. |
| Points are not being awarded after checkout | Check that the programme is enabled (the toggle must be on) and that at least one earn rate is greater than zero. Points are awarded automatically, no manual step is needed. |
| A client says they did not receive their points email | Check that "Notify when they earn points" is turned on in programme settings. Emails are sent after checkout completes, not immediately, ask the client to check their spam folder. |
| "Reward available" banner does not appear at checkout | The client may not have enough points, or the reward may be marked "First-time clients only" and the client has already booked that service. Check the client's point balance and the reward's eligibility rules. |
| Client's points expired unexpectedly | Points expire based on the time since the client's last earn, not since their first earn. If a client has not visited within your expiry window, their points will expire. Consider setting a longer expiry or sending expiry reminders. |
| Cannot delete or edit rewards | Only the venue owner can manage rewards. If you are a team member, ask the owner to make changes. |
| Effective cost warning says reward is too generous | The calculator estimates the reward costs more than 20% of what a client spends to earn it. Increase the Points required to make the reward harder to earn, or choose a lower-value service. |
FAQ
Why does the Loyalty page show an upgrade prompt?
The Loyalty Programme requires a PRO subscription. On web, click the upgrade button on the Loyalty page to go to billing. On mobile, visit openchair.com to manage your subscription.
Why are points not being awarded after checkout?
Check that the programme is enabled, the toggle must be on. Also verify that at least one earn rate is greater than zero. Points are awarded automatically at checkout; no manual step is needed from staff.
Why is the "Reward available" banner not appearing at checkout?
The client may not have enough points for any reward, or the reward may be marked "First-time clients only" and the client has already booked that service. Check the client's point balance and review the reward's eligibility rules.
Why did a client's points expire unexpectedly?
Points expire based on time since the client's last earn, not since their first earn. Every new earn resets the expiry clock. If a client has not visited within your expiry window, their points will expire, consider sending expiry reminders or extending the expiry window.