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Managing Customer Profiles - Overview and Getting Started

Complete guide to managing customer profiles and loyalty data. Learn how to create, import, and export customers, issue cards, track transactions, delete profiles, and use segmentation for targeted marketing.

Dan. A avatar
Written by Dan. A
Updated over 2 months ago

Overview

The Customers module is your central hub for managing customer relationships, viewing loyalty card activity, and organizing your customer base. Access comprehensive customer information, transaction history, and segmentation tools all in one place.

What you can do:

  • View and manage all customer profiles

  • Track customer transactions and loyalty activity

  • Create and organize customer segments

  • Import and export customer data

  • Issue loyalty cards to customers

  • Monitor customer feedback and reviews

  • Access detailed transaction history

  • Send targeted communications to customer groups


Accessing the Customers Module

Navigation Steps

Step 1: Log in to your Perkstar account

Step 2: Navigate to the left-hand menu

Step 3: Click the Customers icon

This opens the Customers dashboard showing your complete customer database and key metrics.


Customer Dashboard

Customer Base Metrics

At the top of the screen, four tiles display key metrics about your customer base:

Total Customers

  • Count of all customers in your database

  • Includes active and inactive customers

  • Updates in real-time as customers are added

Card Transactions

  • Total number of transactions processed

  • Includes stamps, points, redemptions, and visits

  • Shows overall program activity

Reviews

  • Number of customer reviews received

  • Feedback submitted through the loyalty cards

  • Helps track customer satisfaction engagement

Feedback Rating

  • Overall average rating from customers

  • Based on all submitted reviews

  • Indicates customer satisfaction level

Info: These metrics provide a quick snapshot of your loyalty program's health and customer engagement levels. Monitor them regularly to track growth and identify trends.

Available Actions

Export Customers

Download your complete customer list to a CSV file:

  1. Click the Export tab

  2. The customer list downloads to your device

  3. Use for backup, analysis, or external tools

Import Customers

Add multiple customers at once via CSV file:

  1. Click the Import tab

  2. Download the CSV template

  3. Fill in customer information in the template

  4. Upload the completed file

  5. Customers are added to your database

Filters and Segments

Organize and communicate with customers:

  • My Filters: Filter customers by available criteria

  • My Segments: Create custom customer groups for targeted communication

  • RFM Segments: Automatic grouping by purchase behavior (Recency, Frequency, Monetary value)

  • Communication: Send messages to filtered or segmented customers

Tip: Use the Import feature when migrating from another loyalty system or adding multiple customers at once. This saves significant time compared to manual entry.


Customer Grid

Understanding the Customer List

The main customer list displays essential information in columns:

User Name

  • Customer's full name

  • Click to open complete profile

  • Searchable field

Date Created

  • When the profile was created

  • Helps identify new vs. long-term customers

  • Useful for segmentation

Birthdate

  • Customer's date of birth

  • Used for birthday campaigns

  • Optional field

Phone

  • Contact number

  • Primary identifier for many customers

  • Used for SMS communications

Feedback Rating

  • Customer's review rating

  • Shows if they've left feedback

  • Indicates satisfaction level

UTM

  • Source tracking information

  • Shows where customer came from

  • Useful for marketing attribution

Device

  • Platform used (iOS/Android)

  • Helps understand customer base

  • Relevant for technical support

Customer Cards

  • Cards issued to this customer

  • Shows card status

  • Quick reference for card management

Custom Fields

  • Additional business-specific data

  • Configurable based on your needs

  • Industry or business-specific information

Note: Click any customer name in the grid to view their complete profile with detailed information and transaction history.


Individual Customer Profile

Profile Information

When you open a customer profile, you'll see:

  • Customer name and contact details

  • All cards issued to this customer

  • Card serial numbers

  • Custom field data

  • Complete transaction history

  • Card installation and referral links

Important: Pay special attention to card serial numbers and custom fields—these are unique identifiers for each customer's cards.

Card Management

Processing Transactions

Make transactions directly from the customer profile. Available actions depend on card type:

  • Add stamps (stamp cards)

  • Add points (reward/cashback cards)

  • Debit visits (multipass cards)

  • Apply discounts (discount cards)

  • Process redemptions

Switching Between Cards

If a customer has multiple cards, you can switch between them to process transactions on the appropriate card.

Card Links

Each customer has unique links for:

Card Installation Link

  • Send to customers who need to install their card

  • Used for new device setup or card restoration

  • Contains pre-filled customer information

  • Click Copy next to the link to copy and send to customer

Referral Link

  • Allow customers to share and earn referral bonuses

  • Unique to each customer

  • Tracks referrals back to the source customer

  • Click Copy to copy and share with customer

Tip: Use the card installation link when customers get new phones or need to restore their loyalty cards. This link preserves all their history and progress.

Transaction History

Scroll to the bottom of the profile to view complete transaction history:

  • All card activity

  • Dates and details of each transaction

  • Points earned or redeemed

  • Visits recorded

  • Stamps added

  • Rewards redeemed

Download Transaction History

Click the download icon (top-right of transaction section) to export this customer's complete transaction history for a specific card. Useful for:

  • Customer inquiries

  • Dispute resolution

  • Performance analysis

  • Record keeping


Creating a Customer Profile

Manual Customer Creation

Step 1: Access Customer Creation

  • Navigate to the Customers screen

  • Scroll to the bottom of the customer grid

  • Click Add Customer (+ button)

Step 2: Enter Customer Information

Complete the following fields:

First Name

  • Enter the customer's first name

  • Required field

  • Used in communications

Last Name

  • Enter the customer's last name

  • Required field

  • Appears on loyalty cards

Contact Number

  • Enter the customer's phone number

  • Used for SMS communications

  • Important for customer identification

Email Address

  • Enter the customer's email address

  • Used for email communications

  • Alternative contact method

Date of Birth

  • Select the customer's birthdate using the date picker

  • Optional but recommended

  • Enables birthday campaigns

Step 3: Save the Profile

Click Add Customer to create the profile. The new customer appears in the customer grid.

Info: Manual customer creation is ideal for adding individual customers during in-person interactions or when customers provide their information at checkout.

Bulk Importing Customers

Using the CSV Import Template

Step 1: Download the Template

  1. Navigate to the Customers screen

  2. Click the Import tab

  3. Click Download Import Template

Step 2: Fill in Customer Data

Open the downloaded CSV file and enter:

  • Customer names

  • Phone numbers

  • Email addresses

  • Birthdates

  • Any custom fields required

Step 3: Import the File

  1. Return to the Import tab

  2. Click Import

  3. Select your completed CSV file

  4. Upload to add all customers at once

Benefits of Bulk Import:

  • Save time when adding many customers

  • Migrate from other systems

  • Import from external databases

  • Maintain consistent data formatting

Tip: Always keep a backup of your CSV file before importing. If there are errors, you can correct them and re-import without losing data.


Deleting Customer Profiles

Important Restrictions

Customers with installed cards cannot be deleted directly. You must first delete the card from their profile.

Warning: Deleting a customer profile is permanent and cannot be undone. Always export your customer database before performing deletions as a safety backup.

Deleting Customers Without Installed Cards

If the card status shows "Uninstalled" or "Deleted":

Step 1: Navigate to the Customers screen

Step 2: Select the customer from the list

Step 3: Click the Actions tab at the top

Step 4: Select Delete Customer

Step 5: Confirm deletion

The customer profile is permanently removed from your database.

Deleting Customers With Installed Cards

This requires a two-step process:

Step 1: Delete the Card from the Profile

  1. Click the customer's name to open their profile

  2. Locate the card status

  3. Click the pencil icon next to the card status

  4. Click Delete in the pop-up

  5. Confirm deletion

Warning: This action does not remove the card from the customer's phone. The customer must manually delete it themselves. However, the card will no longer function even if left on their device.

Step 2: Delete the Customer Profile

  1. Return to the customer list

  2. Select the customer (card status now shows "Deleted")

  3. Click the Actions tab

  4. Select Delete Customer

  5. Confirm deletion

Warning Messages

If you attempt to delete a customer with an installed card, you'll see a warning message. This is normal system behavior to protect active customer data. Follow the two-step process above to complete the deletion.


Issuing Cards to Customers

From the Actions Menu

You can issue loyalty cards to existing customers in bulk:

Step 1: Select one or more customers from the list

Step 2: Click the Actions tab

Step 3: Select Issue Cards

Step 4: Choose the card template

Step 5: Configure card settings

  • Points balance (if applicable)

  • Expiration date (if applicable)

  • Welcome stamps (if applicable)

  • Any card-specific settings

Step 6: Choose delivery method

  • SMS delivery

  • Email delivery

  • Both

Step 7: Send to selected customers

Cards are delivered to customers with installation instructions.

Tip: This feature is perfect for launching a new loyalty program to existing customers or issuing additional card types to your current customer base.


Customer Segmentation

Why Use Segments?

Segments help you organize customers into groups for targeted marketing and communication.

Example Segment Uses:

  • High-value customers

  • Inactive customers

  • New customers

  • Birthday month customers

  • Customers from specific UTM sources

  • Frequent visitors

  • At-risk customers

Creating Custom Segments

Step 1: Navigate to the My Segments tab

Step 2: Define segment criteria

  • Visit frequency

  • Spending patterns

  • Cards owned

  • Registration date

  • Transaction history

  • Custom field values

  • Demographic information

Step 3: Save the segment

Step 4: Use for targeted communications

Send campaigns, promotions, or notifications to specific segments.

RFM Segmentation

Perkstar automatically categorizes customers based on:

Recency: How recently they visited

Frequency: How often they visit

Monetary: How much they spend

Automatic RFM Segments:

  • Champions: High on all metrics - your best customers

  • Loyal Customers: Regular visitors with good spending

  • At-Risk Customers: Previously active but declining engagement

  • Lost Customers: Haven't visited recently

  • New Customers: Recent signups without extensive history

  • Potential Loyalists: Recent increase in activity

Using RFM Segments:

Use RFM segments to identify which customers need attention or rewards. For example:

  • Send re-engagement campaigns to at-risk customers

  • Reward champions with exclusive offers

  • Encourage potential loyalists with incentives

  • Win back lost customers with special promotions

Info: RFM segmentation is automatically updated based on customer behavior, making it a powerful tool for maintaining customer relationships without manual effort.


Best Practices

For Data Management

Keep profiles updated: Regularly update customer information to ensure accurate communication and marketing.

Use custom fields: Add custom fields relevant to your business (preferences, notes, membership levels, allergies, etc.).

Export regularly: Back up your customer database by exporting periodically. This protects against accidental deletions.

Clean your database: Remove duplicate or inactive profiles to maintain data quality and accurate metrics.

Verify before deletion: Always double-check before deleting customer profiles, as the action is permanent.

For Customer Insights

Monitor transaction history: Review customer activity to identify trends and opportunities.

Segment strategically: Create segments that align with your marketing and retention strategies.

Track feedback ratings: Pay attention to customers who leave negative reviews and address their concerns.

Analyze UTM sources: Understand which marketing channels bring the most valuable customers.

Use RFM segments: Regularly review automatic RFM segments to identify customer behavior patterns.

For Customer Service

Access profiles quickly: Use the search function to quickly find customers during service interactions.

Process transactions directly: Use the customer profile to add stamps or points without needing the Scanner App.

Share installation links: Keep card installation links handy for customers who need card restoration.

Review history before issues: Check transaction history before addressing customer disputes or questions.

Maintain custom field notes: Use custom fields to record important customer preferences or special circumstances.

For Communication

Segment before sending: Always target communications to relevant customer segments rather than mass messaging.

Use delivery preferences: Respect customer preferences for SMS vs. email communication.

Test with small groups: Test campaigns on small segments before sending to large groups.

Track campaign results: Monitor how different segments respond to communications.

Personalize messages: Use customer data to personalize communications and increase engagement.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit customer information after creation?

Yes, click on any customer profile to edit their information. You can update names, contact details, birthdates, and custom fields at any time.

What happens to customer data when I delete a profile?

The profile and associated data are permanently removed. Transaction history may be retained for reporting purposes depending on your data retention settings.

Can I restore a deleted customer profile?

No, deletion is permanent. Export your customer list regularly as a backup to prevent data loss.

How many customers can I import at once?

This depends on your plan. CSV imports can typically handle thousands of customers in a single file. Check your plan limits for specific details.

Can customers have multiple cards?

Yes, you can issue multiple different card types to the same customer. They'll all appear in their customer profile under Customer Cards.

What if a customer has the same name as another customer?

Use phone numbers or email addresses as unique identifiers to distinguish between customers. The system treats each phone number or email as a unique customer.

Can I see which customers referred others?

Yes, referral information is tracked in the customer profile and transaction history. You can see who referred whom and any referral bonuses earned.

How do I communicate with specific customer segments?

Use the Communication tab after creating or selecting a segment to send targeted messages. You can send SMS or email campaigns to specific groups.

What's the difference between deleting a card and deleting a customer?

Deleting a card removes that specific card from the profile but keeps the customer in your database. Deleting a customer removes their entire profile and all associated data permanently.

Can deleted cards still be used?

No, deleted cards become inactive even if still present on the customer's device. Customers will see an error if they try to use a deleted card.

How do I find customers from a specific marketing campaign?

Use the UTM column to filter customers by source. You can also create segments based on UTM parameters to identify campaign performance.

Can I add custom fields to customer profiles?

Yes, custom fields can be configured in your account settings. These appear as columns in the customer grid and can be edited in individual profiles.

What format should phone numbers be in for import?

Use international format with country code (e.g., +44 for UK). The system accepts various formats, but consistency helps prevent duplicates.

How do I handle duplicate customer profiles?

Identify duplicates by searching for the same phone number or email. Manually merge information by updating the correct profile, then delete the duplicate after ensuring no data loss.

Can I export transaction history for all customers at once?

You can export the customer list with overall metrics. For detailed transaction history, export individual customer profiles or use reporting tools for aggregate transaction data.

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