Merchants Are Rebooting, So ISOs Look to Apps And Loyalty to Bring Customers Back

As businesses start to reopen, independent sales organizations and other payment providers are rolling out programs suited to the new reality faced by both proprietors and their customers. The latest example comes from VizyPay, which on Tuesday announced a service it says will help merchants attract old customers and pull in new ones after the long hiatus induced by Covid-19.

The program, called RUSH, includes an online ordering system, loyalty program, and a branded app. Key to the program is the loyalty program, which allows proprietors to track customer purchases and customize rewards according to this data. The system also allows establishments to send notices for special events.

The idea behind the service is to induce consumers accustomed to sheltering at home to come back to restaurants and stores. “Now more than ever, we recognize that our clients need a better system to stay in touch with their customers and motivate them to shop,” said Austin Mac Nab, chief executive of West Des Moines, Iowa-based VizyPay, in a statement. “Businesses were forced to pivot to a digital-first approach when brick-and-mortar locations closed during Covid-19, and RUSH helps them encourage customers to come back and shop with them.”

The program also offers branded key tags that function as gift cards and an app businesses can use to allow customers to place orders online or via a mobile device. The app allows customers to load cash on a mobile wallet, pay with a credit card, and get promotions via text messages, VizyPay says.

“We named this initiative RUSH as a nod to the industry term of a ‘rush’ when a business is busy,” said Mac Nab, who co-founded VizyPay in 2017. “With the program we’re aiming to give our clients additional ways to drive more customers to their businesses and increase their rush periods.”

VizyPay offers the program, which is available immediately, for $239 per month for the first 12 months.