A customer loyalty app for a US-based automotive franchise with 900+ locations

Client 

Our client (under NDA) is a well-established US automotive maintenance and repair franchise with a strong presence worldwide (900+ locations). They provide comprehensive car care solutions to customers across the United States, offering reliable and affordable services to keep vehicles running smoothly. Our client's focus has always been centered on delivering exceptional customer experiences that for over 40 years of existence have been a guarantee to their success. 
Central to their mission is their customer loyalty program, which aims to reward and retain valued customers while attracting new ones.

The company had a strategic initiative to reengineer its existing loyalty app. That version faced challenges stemming from outdated technology and limited functionality. Performance issues occasionally frustrated users, impacting the conversions. 
The project was a very complex one and we worked together with several teams to implement their initiative. 

Challenge 

Our client aimed to enhance user experience and drive business growth through the reengineering of their current app. With a focus on optimizing conversions and incorporating new functionalities, the project aimed to address challenges arising from outdated technology and limited functionality.

Transitioning to the core objectives, the company sought to:

1. Optimize conversions: To achieve their number one objective, our main focus needed to be the creation of the required technical foundation and conditions for this to happen, including SEO technical optimization.
2. Add new functionalities: The secondary aim was to incorporate innovative user engagement-driving functionalities, thereby enriching the app capability to stimulate user interaction and involvement (making online appointments, online estimate tool, etc)

Key requirements for the back end included replicating existing features on a more efficient technology while adding enhancements, as well as improving technical SEO and ensuring compliance with accessibility standards to enhance user accessibility and search engine visibility. 

Solution Overview

With our client's strategic goals in mind, our team developed the back-end development strategy encompassing the following key actions to revamp the app's backend infrastructure and elevate its performance and usability: 

Migrated functionality: We seamlessly migrated existing features to the new app to ensure continuity and familiarity for users, minimizing disruptions during the transition.

Integrated new features: Working closely with the client, we integrated new features and enhancements aligned with their objectives. These included real-time reward updates, engaging gamification elements, and advanced loyalty program management capabilities, enriching the user experience and bolstering customer engagement.

Applied technical SEO best practices: Implementing industry-leading SEO best practices, we optimized various elements such as meta tags, sitemap structure, URL hierarchy, and content quality. This strategic approach aimed to improve the app's visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), enhancing its reach and attracting more potential users.

Implemented coding best practices and optimized assets: We undertook a thorough code optimization process to streamline the app's performance and minimize load times. Additionally, we optimized assets such as images and media files to further enhance speed and efficiency.

Implemented requirements for accessibility: Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, we redesigned the app with accessibility in mind. By adhering to accessibility standards and guidelines, we ensured that all users, including those with disabilities, could access and navigate the app comfortably, fostering a more inclusive digital environment.

After implementing these measures, we successfully transformed the app into a high-performing, feature-rich platform that not only met the client's objectives but also exceeded user expectations, driving enhanced engagement and business growth.

The implementation process included several stages, beginning with comprehensive planning and analysis to define project scope, objectives, and timelines. 

1. Requirements analysis and planning: The back-end development team collaborated with stakeholders to understand project requirements, technical constraints, and desired outcomes. Discussions centered on defining the scope of back-end functionalities, data structures, and integration points.

2. Architecture design and team setup: Back-end architects and developers designed the architecture and data models based on the agreed-upon requirements. This phase involved selecting appropriate technologies, designing APIs, and planning for scalability and performance. Additionally, we validated the number of required engineers in the team and their technical competencies necessary for project success. 

3. Continous development sprints: Back-end development proceeded through iterative sprints, focusing on implementing core functionalities and integrating with front-end components. Development tasks included building APIs, database structures, authentication mechanisms, and business logic.

4. Continous integration and QA: Back-end components were integrated with front-end systems and third-party services for comprehensive testing. Quality assurance efforts focused on ensuring data integrity, security, and interoperability with other systems.

5. On-going optimization for performance: Performance tuning and optimization efforts were undertaken to enhance the responsiveness and scalability of the back-end system. This involved optimizing database queries, caching strategies, and resource allocation to improve overall system performance.

6. Accessibility testing: While primarily focused on back-end development, efforts were made to ensure that back-end services supported accessibility requirements. This included implementing accessibility features at the API level and collaborating with front-end developers to ensure accessibility standards were met throughout the application.

7. Deployment and after support: Once development and testing were complete, back-end services were deployed to production environments. Post-launch support involved monitoring system performance, addressing any issues or bugs, and providing ongoing maintenance and support to ensure the reliability and availability of back-end services.

After successfully addressing the key objectives outlined by the client, our collaboration yielded significant improvements across various aspects of the loyalty app:

• Simplified User Interaction Process
• Increased SEO Ranking
• Improved App Performance
• Achieved WCAG 2.0 AA Compliance

The outcomes we achieved for our client reflect the successful execution of our collaborative efforts, the new loyalty app performance not only met but exceeded the client's expectations, driving tangible improvements in conversion rates, user satisfaction, search engine visibility, performance, and accessibility.

Looking to elevate your loyalty program with a custom-built app? Reach out to us today to explore how our expertise in loyalty app development can help you achieve your business goals. Let's build a tailored solution that sets your brand apart and keeps your customers coming back for more!