Punchh, a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) suite for restaurants, recently announced it has created a customized mobile loyalty rewards program for the Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop chain. Called “CAPAddicts Rewards,” customers can use the new program’s branded mobile app to earn rewards based on how frequently they visit and how much they spend. Capriotti’s joins such other restaurant operators as Earl of Sandwich, Mama Fu’s Asian House, Schlotzsky’s, Teriyaki Experience, and Voodoo BBQ & Grill in using Punchh to reach out to customers via their mobile devices to drive business and enhance customer satisfaction.

Punchh was the industry’s first mobile CRM platform, founded several years ago by former employees of CRM pioneer Siebel Systems. They recognized that the marketing needs of restaurateurs are quite different from most other types of retail business:  Restaurant customers talk about their food, they take pictures of their food, and they share their experiences with their friends. Punchh’s cloud-based, POS-integrated platform allows restaurant operators to engage customers in real time on their mobile devices and provide offers that boost incremental sales and repeat traffic. The Punchh app is free for consumers and is custom-built to meet the needs of each of its restaurant-operating customers.

Given the ubiquity of mobile devices among consumers, the demand for restaurant-focused CRM solutions is bound to heat up in the foodservice industry. Already in the marketplace are companies such as BuzzTable (“a mobile CRM platform that captures consumer data at restaurants by acting as a mobile wait list tool, built-in rewards/deal platform, real-time survey system, and more”); SilverWare (“through VIP tracking, house account billing, and frequent buyer programs, restaurateurs are capable of developing precise marketing campaigns”); Splick.It (“powers easy ordering & payment on a mobile device or website for brands … also provides enterprise level integrated menus, loyalty programs, store locators, advanced marketing and targeting, robust analytics, and much more”); and posiq (provides “true POS integration, offer redemption, higher average spends, and customer data capture”).

The Technology Pavilion area of the upcoming National Restaurant Association’s annual show in Chicago should prove educational for attendees interested in learning more about this developing industry. And if you’re in Chicago for The Show, please stop by one of Chain Store Guide’s booths (#3006 and #6036) for a free demonstration of our online database, functional from any device that connects you to the Internet.