How to Create a QR Digital Loyalty Card in 10 Minutes

You can create a digital loyalty card in a single sitting: setting up the card in the dashboard, choosing the stamp goal and putting the QR code on the table takes about 10 minutes in total. No app for customers to download, no cards to print, no code to write. All you need is a phone and the Dokun dashboard.

The steps below go in order. Each one shows roughly how long it takes, so you know what to do when.

2 minutes before you start: make three decisions

Before you start clicking around the dashboard, answer these three questions. You can change them later, but having them clear up front speeds up setup.

• How many stamps until the reward? For frequent customers, a short goal works better: say 6 stamps for a coffee shop, 4 for a hair salon. The right number depends on your business and how often customers visit on average.
• What's the reward? A free item, a discount or an extra service. Pick something customers get instantly.
• Who adds the stamps? The till, the barista or the stylist. Knowing how many people will stamp also makes staff tracking easier.

Step 1: create the card in the dashboard (3 minutes)

1. Log in to the Dokun dashboard and open the card creation screen.
2. Choose the card type: stamp card (one stamp per visit), points card (progress based on spend) or tier card (customers level up).
3. Enter the card's name, color and reward text. Pick one of the templates for your industry and you won't have to write the copy from scratch.
4. Set the stamp goal and the reward, then check the preview to see the card as your customers will.

No payment details are required, so there's no extra form to fill in.

Step 2: create the QR code and put it in the right place (2 minutes)

You generate your QR code in the dashboard; a print-ready QR table card and poster are included in setup, so you can print them and use them right away.

• At the till: That's where customers are looking when they pay.
• On the tables: Easy to scan while waiting for coffee or food.
• In the window and at the entrance: So people see it as they walk in.

Put the QR code somewhere out of sight, on the back wall or under the counter, and nobody will scan it. Put it where people actually are, and print two copies if you need to.

Step 3: test it with your own phone (2 minutes)

Before going live, run through the flow yourself:

1. Scan the QR code with your phone camera.
2. Check that the card lands in Apple Wallet.
3. Give yourself a stamp at the till.
4. Check that the visit shows up in the dashboard.

If those four steps work smoothly, the customer side is ready too.

Step 4: brief your staff in one sentence (1 minute)

Here's the line for your staff: "Don't have a card yet? Scan this QR code with your phone camera and the card goes straight into your wallet." No app to download, no account, no password; staff who know that have no trouble getting customers on board.

What to check in the dashboard in week one

• Visits: How many scans and stamps there were.
• Returning customers: How many people came back a second time.
• Staff tracking: Who added which stamp.

The numbers may be low in the first week, and that's normal; where the QR code sits and whether your staff mention it have a direct effect. We've covered what works for cafés and restaurants in 5 ways to get customers coming back, and if you want to work out what your rewards cost, the loyalty program ROI guide will help.

3 common mistakes

• Setting the reward too far away. A card that asks for 12 stamps puts people off; set a goal customers can reach in a few visits.
• Hiding the QR code. The more visible the card, the more people join.
• Not briefing your staff. Even if a customer spots the QR code, if staff don't ask, the first step often doesn't happen.

Set it up now, measure later

That's all the time it takes to set up the card in the dashboard, print the QR code, put it on the table and welcome your first customer in Apple Wallet. No app, no printing cards, no payment details; you just start counting who comes back.

To set up your own card, start your 7-day free trial. To see the plans, head to the pricing section.