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Managing Gift Card Customer Profiles

Learn how to manage gift card customer profiles. Complete guide to adding/subtracting balance, managing expiration dates, tracking redemptions, sending notifications, and handling prepaid certificates.

Michael Francis avatar
Written by Michael Francis
Updated this week

Managing Gift Card Customer Profiles

Overview

The customer profile for gift card holders provides visibility into card balances, validity periods, and usage patterns. Gift cards function as prepaid certificates that customers can spend on services—manage balances, track usage, and maintain customer relationships from one centralized location.

What you can do:

  • View card balances and validity dates

  • Add or subtract balance (points or monetary value)

  • Manage card expiration and activation dates

  • Send personalized push notifications

  • Adjust card status

  • Access customer feedback


Accessing customer profiles

  1. Navigate to the left-hand menu

  2. Click the Customers icon

  3. Find the customer in the grid (search by name, email, phone, or serial number)

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


Profile overview

Key metrics

At the top of the profile, view essential customer data:

LTV (Lifetime Value) Estimated average revenue this customer is expected to generate throughout their relationship with your business.

Current balance Available points or monetary value remaining on the gift card.

Card status Current state of the card (Installed, Not Installed, or Deleted).

Card expiration date When the gift card expires and can no longer be used.

Card valid from Date when the card was actually installed on the customer's phone and became active.

Segments Customer classification based on purchase behavior and other factors (RFM segments).

Feedback rating The customer's average rating from feedback submissions.

Card serial number Unique identifier for this customer's card. Click to copy.

Installed on device Platform where the card is installed:

  • Android: PWA (Home Screen) or Google Wallet

  • iOS: Apple Wallet

Total visits Aggregate number of times the customer has used the card or visited your business.

UTM tag Marketing channel through which the card was installed.

Card issue date When the gift card was originally issued to this customer.


Understanding gift cards

How gift cards work

Gift cards function as prepaid certificates with a balance that customers can spend on your services:

Key characteristics:

  • Cards have a monetary or points balance

  • Balance can be spent fully or partially

  • Points can be added multiple times

  • Balance can be deducted all at once or in portions

  • Ideal for gifts, promotions, and prepaid services

Common scenarios:

  • Customer purchases a gift card for $100

  • They use $30, leaving $70 balance

  • They return and use another $40, leaving $30 balance

  • Balance continues until fully spent or card expires

Balance vs. LTV

Current Balance: Remaining value the customer can still spend.

LTV (Lifetime Value): Total revenue generated from this customer, including all gift card purchases and any additional spending beyond gift card value.


Managing card balance

Adding balance

Increase the gift card balance for purchases, refills, or promotional bonuses.

Step 1: Access current balance

  1. Locate the Current Balance section

  2. Click the + (plus) icon

Step 2: Enter balance details

  • Value: Amount to add (required)

  • Purchase amount: Optional; enter if customer paid for this balance

  • Comment: Optional note explaining the addition

  • Click Apply

What happens when you add balance:

  • Current balance increases by the amount entered

  • LTV increases

  • Total visits increases by 1

Common scenarios:

  • Customer purchases a gift card ($100 added to balance)

  • Customer adds value to existing card ($50 added to $30 remaining = $80 total)

  • Promotional bonus added ($25 bonus for customer appreciation)

  • Refill after balance is depleted

Subtracting balance

Decrease the balance when customers redeem gift card value for services or purchases.

Step 1: Access current balance

  1. Locate the Current Balance section

  2. Click the - (minus) icon

Step 2: Enter deduction details

  • Value: Amount to subtract (required)

  • Purchase amount: Optional; enter if customer made a purchase

  • Comment: Optional note

  • Click Apply

What happens when you subtract balance:

  • Current balance decreases by the amount entered

  • LTV remains unchanged (already counted when balance was added)

  • Total visits remains unchanged

Common scenarios:

  • Customer redeems $40 of their $100 gift card for a service

  • Partial redemption ($25 of $100 used, $75 remains)

  • Final redemption (using last $15 of balance)

  • Correction for over-redemption

Important: LTV doesn't change when subtracting because the revenue was already recorded when the gift card was purchased (when balance was added).


Managing card validity

Understanding validity dates

Gift cards have two important dates:

Card Valid From: When the card became active (usually installation date). Customers cannot use the card before this date.

Card Expiration Date: When the card expires. After this date, customers cannot redeem remaining balance.

Modifying expiration date

Extend or adjust card expiration for customer service or promotional reasons.

Step 1: Access expiration settings

  1. Locate the Card Expiration Date section

  2. Click the pencil icon next to the date

Step 2: Select new date

  1. A calendar appears

  2. Select the new expiration date

  3. The date updates automatically in the profile

Common reasons to modify:

  • Extend for customers who couldn't use card in time

  • Compensate for service issues or business closures

  • Promotional extensions for loyal customers

  • Honor special customer requests

Important: The card remains on the customer's phone after expiration but cannot be used for transactions. Extending expiration reactivates the card.


Managing card status

Viewing card status

The Card Status field shows whether the card is:

  • Installed: Active on the customer's device

  • Not Installed: Issued but not activated by customer

  • Deleted: Removed from the system

Changing card status to deleted

Delete the card when you want to remove the customer entirely from your system.

Step 1: Access card status

  1. Locate the Status section in the profile

  2. Click the pencil icon next to the status

Step 2: Delete the card

  1. A Delete button appears

  2. Click Delete

  3. The card status changes to "Deleted"

Important: This removes the card from your system but does NOT remove it 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.

Why delete the card: You cannot delete a customer profile while their card status is "Installed." Changing the status to "Deleted" allows you to remove the customer from your database.


Personalized links

Card installation link

A unique link for this specific customer to install their card.

To copy: Click the Copy button next to the card installation link.

Use cases:

  • Send to gift card recipients who haven't installed

  • Resend if customer lost the original link

  • Provide during customer service interactions

  • Include with physical gift card packaging

Referral link

A unique link for this customer to share with friends.

To copy: Click the Copy button next to the referral link.

Use cases:

  • Encourage customers to share gift cards

  • Referral bonuses for card recipients

  • Word-of-mouth marketing


Sending personalized push notifications

Creating individual notifications

Send targeted push notifications directly to one customer from their profile.

Step 1: Access push notification

  1. Click the Send Push tab in the customer profile

Step 2: Configure notification

  1. Select the card (if customer has multiple cards)

  2. Type your message in the message box

  3. Optionally schedule the message for later delivery

  4. Click Send

Important: Push notifications sent from a customer profile are delivered only to that specific customer, not to your entire customer base.

Use cases:

  • Remind about remaining gift card balance

  • Warn about approaching expiration

  • Thank customers for gift card purchases

  • Announce services available for gift card redemption

  • Re-engage customers with unused balances


Viewing custom fields

Accessing custom fields

Custom fields display business-specific information you've configured for your gift cards.

To view: Click the View Custom Fields tab in the profile.

Common custom fields:

  • Gift recipient name

  • Occasion (birthday, holiday, etc.)

  • Purchaser information

  • Special messages

  • Internal notes


Information tab

Customer personal information

View and edit complete customer details:

  • Full name

  • Contact number

  • Email address

  • Date of birth

  • Registration date

  • Device type

  • UTM source

Important note: Changes made to personal information in the profile do not affect the information displayed on the customer's card. Card information updates separately.


Feedback tab

Viewing customer feedback

Access all feedback submissions from this customer.

Available information:

  • Feedback ratings (star ratings)

  • Customer comments

  • Submission dates

  • Associated transactions

Filtering feedback

Customize feedback view to find specific information:

Time period filters:

  • Day

  • Week

  • Month

  • Year

  • Custom date range

Content filters:

  • Only comments checkbox: Show only feedback with written comments

  • Hide ratings without comments for easier review

Use cases:

  • Monitor satisfaction from gift card users

  • Identify service quality issues

  • Track redemption experiences

  • Find testimonials from happy recipients


Transaction history

Accessing transaction history

Scroll to the bottom of the customer profile to view complete activity.

What's included:

  • All balance additions (card purchases, refills)

  • All balance deductions (redemptions)

  • Dates and times

  • Purchase amounts

  • Comments and notes

Understanding transaction types

Balance added: Gift card purchased, refilled, or bonus awarded.

Balance redeemed: Customer used gift card value for services or purchases.

Manual adjustment: Backend correction or modification.


Best practices

Balance management

Track expiration proactively:

  • Monitor cards approaching expiration

  • Send reminder notifications

  • Offer extensions for good customers

  • Convert unused balances to loyalty points

Encourage full redemption:

  • Remind customers of remaining balances

  • Suggest services that match balance amount

  • Create urgency near expiration

  • Make redemption easy and clear

Gift card program strategy

Maximize revenue:

  • Gift cards are prepaid revenue (LTV recorded at purchase)

  • Track redemption rates

  • Encourage spending beyond gift card value

  • Convert gift card users to regular customers

Customer acquisition:

  • Gift cards bring new customers

  • Track UTM tags to measure effectiveness

  • Follow up with recipients after redemption

  • Convert one-time users to loyalty members

Data accuracy

Regular audits:

  • Review unredeemed balances

  • Check for expired cards with balances

  • Verify transaction records

  • Correct errors with clear comments

Clear documentation:

  • Add comments for manual adjustments

  • Note reasons for extensions

  • Track special accommodations

  • Document gift occasions

Communication strategies

Proactive outreach:

  • Welcome message after purchase

  • Installation reminders for recipients

  • Balance reminders for partial users

  • Expiration warnings (30 days, 7 days, 1 day)

  • Thank you after full redemption

Segmentation:

  • Different messages for purchasers vs. recipients

  • High-value card holders get VIP treatment

  • Unused balances get redemption encouragement

  • Near-expiration cards get urgent reminders


Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between adding balance and increasing LTV? Adding balance increases both the available balance and LTV. Subtracting balance only decreases available balance—LTV stays the same because the revenue was recorded when the card was purchased.

Can customers add value to their own gift cards? This depends on your business model. You can enable refills, or gift cards can be one-time purchases.

What happens to unused balance when a card expires? Typically, unused balance becomes inaccessible after expiration. Consider extending expiration or converting to loyalty points for good customer relations.

How do I handle a gift card refund? Subtract the balance and adjust the LTV accordingly. Add a comment explaining the refund.

Can someone other than the purchaser use the gift card? Yes, gift cards are typically transferable. The person who installs the card on their phone can redeem it.

Why does subtracting balance not decrease LTV? LTV reflects total revenue. When a gift card is purchased, that revenue is immediately realized. Redemption is just the customer using what they already paid for.

Will deleting a card from the profile notify the customer? No, customers are not automatically notified. The card simply stops functioning.

Can I see who purchased a gift card versus who's using it? Custom fields can track purchaser vs. recipient information. The profile shows who installed the card.

What if a customer loses their phone with a gift card? Send them the personalized installation link to reinstall on their new device. All balance information is preserved in your system.

How should I price gift cards? Gift cards are typically sold at face value ($100 card = $100 purchase). Some businesses offer bonus value (buy $100, get $110 card) as promotions.

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