Loyalty App Launch & Adoption

Overview

In 2020, Merry Berry launched a mobile app to enhance customer loyalty, modernize ordering, and improve insight into customer behavior. The app offered cashback rewards, mobile ordering with scheduled pickup, a monthly collectible feature called "Скарбничка", push notifications, and a comprehensive store directory with photos and operating hours.

At the chain level, the launch introduced a new digital product. At the branch level, the main challenge was driving customer downloads, understanding, and consistent use. This was particularly important in Kherson, where digital loyalty products were new, and customers were more hesitant to adopt unfamiliar technology.

I contributed to the app from early development through launch and local rollout. My primary focus was driving adoption by shaping customer messaging, training frontline staff, improving in-store distribution, and integrating the app into the daily purchase process.

The challenge

The app had strong functionality, but adoption was not guaranteed.

For most customers, downloading a cafe app was not yet a common practice. While app-based loyalty and pre-ordering were standard in larger international chains, this experience was still new in Ukraine, especially outside major cities. The launch required not only communication but also a shift in customer behavior.

There were also practical barriers at the point of sale. Cashiers managed a fast-paced process that included drink customization, upselling, food add-ons, and queue management. Asking customers to download the app during each transaction risked lengthening interactions and causing frustration if not handled well.

Success required more than visibility. The rollout needed to demonstrate immediate, relevant, and easily understood value to customers.

Objective

The objective was to establish the app as an effective retention and CRM channel by:

• driving customer downloads
• increasing repeat usage at checkout
• connecting purchases to identified customer profiles
• encouraging repeat visits through cashback and reward mechanics
• creating a better foundation for customer insight, personalized offers, and service recovery

My role

I participated from the early stages of the app initiative, contributing to feature planning, customer benefits, and distribution strategies. During launch, I focused on driving adoption across the three Merry Berry branches I managed in Kherson.

My contributions centered on four key areas:

• improving how the app was presented in-store
• training employees on how to introduce it naturally at checkout
• helping staff explain the most relevant benefits to different customer types
• turning frontline interactions into the main distribution channel for downloads and repeat usage

Product and customer value

The app gave customers several reasons to engage:

Cashback loyalty system

Every purchase returned 5% in bonuses, which customers could use toward future orders.

Mobile ordering and scheduled pickup

Customers could place and pay for orders in the app and pick them up later, which was a relatively new experience in the local coffee market at that time.

"Скарбничка" monthly collection mechanic

Selected items such as cookies or smoothies were featured each month, and after buying 10 of the same item, the customer could get 1 free.

Push notifications and promo visibility

The app became a direct channel for sharing promotions, new pastries, new drinks, and time-based offers.

Full menu and store directory

Customers could browse the full menu and view addresses, photos, and operating hours for all coffee locations.

For the business, the app created a valuable data layer. Integrated with the POS system, it enabled tracking of customer profiles, purchase history, repeat behavior, and branch-level usage. This made it easier to understand purchasing patterns, offer effectiveness, and the proportion of loyal customers compared to one-time visitors.

Go-to-market strategy

Although the app was promoted online through the website and social media, I identified in-store staff interaction as the most effective acquisition channel.

Customers were already present and making purchases, providing an ideal opportunity to explain loyalty, rewards, and convenience. Rather than relying primarily on digital channels, we used the checkout interaction as the main distribution point.

The rollout approach included:

• in-store posters
• flyers handed out with receipts
• Instagram promotion
• a chain-wide 25 UAH registration bonus
• staff-driven explanation and recommendation at the cash register

The 25 UAH bonus was set chain-wide, but local results depended on how consistently and effectively we incorporated it into our pitch.

What I changed in execution

At the franchise level, initial instructions were general: inform customers about the app and provide a flyer. I developed a more practical and persuasive frontline script.

Instead of asking cashiers to repeat the same sentence every time, I trained them to adapt the message based on the customer and situation. For one customer, the strongest hook might be cashback. For another, it might be app-only offers, pickup convenience, or the monthly reward mechanic. This made the pitch feel more natural and reduced employee fatigue from repeating one fixed line all day.

I also coached staff on objection handling.

When customers indicated they lacked time or did not want another app, staff were trained not to insist. The cashier would end the pitch, complete payment efficiently, and include a flyer with a QR code alongside the receipt. This minimized friction at the register while keeping the option open for future conversion.

When customers said they did not understand how the app worked, or wanted to do it later, staff were encouraged to briefly explain the value and, when there was no queue, offer help with downloading and installing the app on the spot. That turned the launch from passive promotion into assisted onboarding.

This combination — tailored benefit framing, disciplined execution, and low-friction objection handling — became the main reason adoption worked so well locally.

Results

The app rollout performed especially strongly across my branches in Kherson.

Measurable outcome

• App usage reached approximately 82% among daily customers across the 3 branches I oversaw in Kherson
• Kherson achieved the highest penetration in the chain
• Our region was recognized during HQ meetings for standout performance

Behavior change

This was not only a download story. Customers actually used the app repeatedly:

• they scanned it during purchases
• accumulated cashback
• redeemed bonuses on future visits
• engaged with promotions and app-based incentives

The app became so integrated into branch operations that I added a dedicated accounting line for "Paid by bonuses" in reporting, as bonus redemption became a significant payment method.

Business impact

The app also improved how we interacted with customers:

• loyalty rewards encouraged repeat visits
• purchase history supported more personalized upselling
• customer profiles made it easier to tailor recommendations
• cashback could be used as a service recovery tool in difficult situations
• branch-level customer data helped distinguish loyal regulars from occasional visitors

One practical example of this was upselling. Instead of making generic suggestions, staff could be more specific based on known preferences. The sales interaction became less about offering random add-ons and more about recommending something the customer was actually likely to want.