Selecting a reward technology supplier that is compatible with your company should always be the first — and perhaps most crucial — step when building a loyalty programme. Many businesses ignore the significance of vendor selection, but understanding the distinction between a pure-play loyalty provider and a customer data platform could boost your incentive program’s performance.

Let us share our knowledge regarding pure-play loyalty providers, including who they are recommended for, since Antavo is designated as a Representative Vendor in Gartner’s 2020 Market Guide for Loyalty Management.

A Pure-Play Loyalty Vendor: What Is It?

Pure-play refers to a certain kind of service providers in the area of loyalty programmes that are distinguished by their intense concentration on loyalty technology. When working with a pure-play loyalty vendor, you can anticipate a complex loyalty engine equipped with dedicated loyalty account administration, enhanced consumer data integration, and gamified profiling, as well as a number of add-ons including machine learning algorithms and offer management.

What Sets Customer Data Platforms and Loyalty Management Service Providers Apart From Pure-Play Loyalty Providers?

The three loyalty providers’ different approaches to loyalty technology are, in essence, what set them apart from one another.

Customer Data Platforms (CDP) provide the best data segmentation, data analysis, and integrations, but loyalty is just a side module.
By offering a package of services that facilitate management, execution, and optimization, Loyalty Management Services (LMS) aims to assist you in managing the loyalty programme effectively.
Pure-play loyalty providers give their sole attention to loyalty technology, providing the most cutting-edge solutions and distinctive customer experiences.

The trio, however, also has significant differences. For instance, the development of eCommerce loyalty programmes is typically handled by CDPs, and they typically do it quickly. However, they won’t execute the campaigns for you, so it’s totally up to you to manage the programme. Despite being more expensive, an LMS provider provides a high level of ease thanks to its specialised agency team and its in-depth understanding of performance optimization.

Pure-play loyalty solutions involve more preparation, but if you want to lead the pack with a rewards programme that truly differentiates your business, then it’s worth thinking about. If you want to manage the programme internally with a dedicated specialist, pure-play loyalty suppliers are also advised.

Start the Process of Building Customer Loyalty

Loyalty programmes have the potential to significantly impact a variety of business KPIs, including customer lifetime value, social media virality, in-store foot traffic, and more, if they are executed with care and precision.

Start a conversation with us if you’re interested in learning more about starting a customer loyalty programme on our loyalty management platform. We’ll show you our capabilities.