Operational considerations

Key operational factors to consider when running a loyalty program, including ownership, support processes, platform maintenance, and stakeholder readiness.

Running a loyalty program isn’t just about setting it up—it also requires ongoing management, monitoring, and planning. This article covers the operational aspects you should prepare for when running a program powered by the Loyalty Engine.

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Staffing and ownership

Clearly define who is responsible for the ongoing management of the loyalty program:

• Who owns strategy and planning?

• Who monitors performance and adjusts rules or promotions?

• Who handles customer support and operational issues?

• Who maintains technical integrations and supports ongoing API maintenance (e.g. internal IT or development team)?

Launching your program

A successful launch sets the tone for adoption and engagement. Here are some best practices:

• Avoid launching on a Friday: Issues may arise and it’s harder to reach key stakeholders over the weekend.

• Start with a soft launch: Roll out the program to a small group first to test flows, catch bugs, and gather feedback before a full public release.

• Invite super users or brand advocates: Early feedback from loyal customers can highlight gaps and build hype.

• Test in a real-world environment: Ensure systems perform reliably under production conditions, not just internal testing environments.

• Ensure all teams are briefed: Make sure customer support, marketing, and frontline teams know how the program works and what to expect.

• Monitor closely post-launch: Be ready to act on feedback or fix issues quickly in the first few days.

Customer support setup

Decide how you’ll manage user enquiries and support:

• Will you create a dedicated support inbox for loyalty-related questions?

• Who is responsible for resolving issues with rewards, missing points, or account problems?

• Make sure your support team is familiar with the Loyalty Console and how to investigate issues.

WLL does not provide support to end-users. We support your internal team—end-users should never be given WLL contact details.

Technical monitoring

Plan for regular technical checks:

• Monitor data feeds and integration health.

• Check events are reporting as expected and rewards/reactors are firing.

• Use dashboards and logs to detect any anomalies.

Budget monitoring

Track and manage:

• Points issued vs. redeemed.

• Float balance (if using gift card fulfilment).

• Reward fulfilment costs.

• ROI against loyalty-related spend.

Program iteration

Build in time for regular reviews of your loyalty program’s performance:

• Are your program goals being met?

• What feedback are you getting from users?

• Do any rules, rewards, or journeys need updating?