Customer loyalty has always been a key issue in the hairdressing industry. But how can this traditional sense of loyalty be carried over into the digital age while also appealing to a broad target audience?
We had the opportunity to meet Petra Grill, Head of Marketing at KLIPP Frisör, Austria’s largest hair salon service provider. On the “hello again” podcast, she shared exclusive insights into her experiences and successes in the area of digital customer loyalty and told us what other hair salons can learn from them.
The starting point: Why an app at all?
KLIPP is known for its strong customer loyalty. What was the reason for expanding your analogue customer loyalty instruments with an app?
Petra Grill: It was actually a combination of various factors. For one thing, the request for an app came from our team and the customers themselves. But a very key factor was the gap in data that we were missing. The COVID-19 pandemic made us particularly aware of this.
We knew how many customer visits we had, but we didn't know what percentage of our customers were regulars or what the age distribution of our customers was.
Since we’re a walk-in hair salon, we didn’t have any customer data. We were determined to shed some light on the situation so we could better understand our customers and offer personalized offers.
Digitalization has simply been a huge topic in the company—and for all of us, really—in recent years.
Petra Grill, Marketing Manager at KLIPP Hair Salon
Digitalization for Everyone: Target Groups and Incentives
Hairdressers have an incredibly broad target group, from young to old. How do you manage to reach this diversity of customers and stay relevant at the same time?
Petra Grill: That is indeed a challenge, but also a huge opportunity! From the very beginning, our goal was to <strongreach all target groups.
That’s why, in addition to the app, we’ve also introduced a traditional loyalty card as a fallback solution. It was extremely important to us not to exclude anyone, especially our long-time, older customers, who often aren’t very tech-savvy.
This way, we can ensure that they, too, benefit from the advantages of our loyalty program. The main advantage of the app is, of course, the push notifications and personalized offers that we can tailor to each specific target group.
The Frequency Discount: KLIPP's Recipe for Success
Are there any specific rewards or other features that are particularly well-received by your customers?
Petra Grill: Absolutely! Our Frequency Discount is a huge hit. Customers receive a 10 % discount on their haircut if they return within five weeks. The redemption rate has doubled since we introduced the stamp card!
One reason for this is the push notifications we send through the app. When a customer receives a message like, „Your discount is good for one more week!“, it’s incredibly motivating.
As a result, we were able to demonstrably increase customer traffic. It’s a win-win situation: Customers are happy about the discount and their new haircut, and we’re seeing more visits.
| Building block | What's Behind It |
|---|---|
| Bonus Club App | Digital platform with push notifications and personalized offers |
| Classic Loyalty Card | Fallback solution for non-digital audiences |
| Frequency Discount | 10 % discount if returned within five weeks |
| Push Notifications | Personal memories that motivate people to redeem them |
| Team Integration | Salon Managers Actively Involved in the Rollout and Testing Phases |
Lessons learned for other companies
You have managed to inspire over 280,000 customers for the bonus club. What advice do you give to other companies who are thinking about a digital customer loyalty program?
Petra Grill: The most important lesson is to really take the time beforehand and think carefully about what you want to achieve. Who are my customers? What added value do I want to offer them? Think carefully about what you want to use as incentives.
Another absolutely crucial point for us was to get all stakeholders on board, from management to the salon team. Our employees are the direct point of contact with our customers, and their commitment is key to our success.
We actively involved our salon managers in the project group, surveyed their needs, and later had them test the app in pilot salons. This helped us tremendously during the rollout and led to high acceptance.
Employee commitment is extremely important for the app's future success.
Petra Grill, Marketing Manager at KLIPP Hair Salon
Even more insights in the podcast
Listen to the full podcast episode with KLIPP! Here's what you'll learn:
- Why employees are crucial when rolling out a new app.
- How KLIPP achieves such a high sign-up rate for its customer club despite having a broad target audience and not requiring appointments.
- Which specific rewards are best received.
- How and why you should also consider the non-digital target group.
You can find even more real-world examples of loyalty programs in our overview of the most important customer retention tools.
Conclusion: Building customer loyalty in the hair salon industry requires the courage to embrace digitalization
The KLIPP example shows that customer loyalty in the hair salon industry can be achieved digitally even with a very broad target audience—as long as no one is excluded.
Companies that, like KLIPP, involve their team early on and create clear incentives—such as a frequent-use discount—can transform a traditional industry into a modern, digital customer loyalty program.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the KLIPP Bonus Club
Why did KLIPP decide to create its own app?
The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that important customer data was missing—such as the percentage of regular customers or the age distribution. With the app, KLIPP wanted to close this data gap and be able to make personalized offers in the future. The team and customers themselves also expressed a desire for an app.
Why does KLIPP also offer a traditional loyalty card?
In this way, KLIPP ensures that no one is left out—especially older customers, who often aren’t active online. The loyalty card serves as a fallback option alongside the app. This way, all target groups benefit from the loyalty program, regardless of their level of digital literacy.
What is the frequency discount at KLIPP?
Customers receive a 10 % discount on a haircut if they return within five weeks. Push notifications remind them in advance that the discount is about to expire. As a result, the redemption rate has doubled since the days of the traditional stamp card.
How did KLIPP get employees on board for the app rollout?
Salon managers were actively involved in the project group from the very beginning and were given the opportunity to try out the app first in pilot salons. Their feedback was directly incorporated into the app’s further development. According to Petra Grill, this early involvement played a decisive role in the high level of acceptance throughout the rollout.
How many customers use the KLIPP Bonus Club?
More than 280,000 customers are now part of KLIPP Frisör’s Bonus Club. This makes the program one of the largest of its kind in the Austrian hair salon industry. This was made possible by a combination of an app, a loyalty card, and targeted rewards.
What advice does Petra Grill give to other companies that are considering a customer loyalty program?
She recommends taking the time up front to really think carefully about who your customers are and what added value you want to offer them. It’s just as important to involve all stakeholders—from management to the salon team. The rollout will only be successful if everyone is on board.
