Why Integrate Frequent Flyer to Omneo?
While Omneo focuses on native incentives and tracking interactions between a customer and a brand to build loyalty, it sometimes makes sense for a brand to partner with an external loyalty provider. These external providers mean that value generated within the brand can count for things external to the brand and vice versa. This can be a great customer acquisition and retention strategy. Partnering with the likes of Virgin Velocity or Qantas Frequent Flyer often mean more eyeballs by affiliation and an opportunity for a leg up on the competition.
Omneo ensures that brands get the maximum value out of partnerships like this, and limits the amount of customer data we need to share externally to get a great result. Respecting the privacy of the brands' customers is a cornerstone of the integration.
What does integrating Frequent Flyer to Omneo look like?
Omneo allows a brand's customers to link their external loyalty account to their brand profile and to earn and burn points associated with that account. The brand purchases external loyalty points on behalf of the customer based on the logic the brand chooses. By leveraging Omneo points as the brand side proxy to the external point scheme:
- Point value is flexible
- Points can be earnt based on transactions or other behaviours
- They can work in association with broader incentive strategies such as Tiers, Benefits, Credits, Achievements and Rewards
- Customers can review their local point balance in all relevant Omneo interfaces
A brand or its implementation partner need to work together to configure these setting within Omneo.
How do Frequent Flyer programs work with Omneo?
Omneo uses a local, real-time points ledger as customers earn points through actions or behaviours. Then, in a timeframe determined by typical return periods and the arrangement in place between brand and provider, Omneo will then convert those points across to the partner program - effectively purchasing them on behalf of their customer. A timeframe negotiated with the returns policy and other relevant considerations in mind. Once converted, the customer can be notified, and the local point ledger will reflect the current earned but not yet converted value.
Multiple point schemes can be running concurrently. That is to say, that customers may earn points with the external loyalty provider at the same time as earning points with the internal incentive program.
When can a Frequent Flyer account be associated with an Omneo brand profile?
To earn external loyalty points, customers must actively opt-in and link their accounts. Whether it be from a link in an email, a Shape-powered button on the website, profile portal or during a store visit via Clienteling. Once a Customer has completed the link, they will start earning and converting points automatically on all qualifying transactions or interactions. In most cases, a customers' external member number and a single piece of identifying info such as last name or email address are all that is needed to authorise a connection between their Omneo Profile and the program account.
To redeem or "burn" Qantas or Virgin loyalty points within a brand, customers will be directed to their relevant Qantas or Virgin redemption portal, select redemption amount and finalise this request. The Omneo Frequent Flyer Extension then listens for this request and loads the specified value onto a customer brand profile - based on the negotiated point-to-dollar ratio, in the form of a Reward (a dollar discount 'voucher') or Credit (a payment type 'voucher') which can then be used immediately on their next purchase.