Sending Push Notifications to All Customers
Overview
Sending push notifications to all customers is the simplest way to broadcast important announcements, special offers, or updates to your entire customer base at once. This feature lets you reach everyone with an installed loyalty card in just a few clicks, whether you want to send immediately or schedule for a specific date and time.
What you can do:
Send messages to all customers with a specific card type
Schedule notifications for future delivery
Review your message before sending
Include emojis to make messages more engaging
Track sent notifications in your history log
This is ideal for general announcements, holiday greetings, new programme launches, or any communication that applies to your entire customer base.
Before You Begin
Requirements:
Active Perkstar account with push notification access
At least one loyalty card created
Customers with installed cards (only "Installed" status cards receive notifications)
Important: "All Customers" means all customers who have this specific card installed on their devices. Customers with "Not Installed" status will not receive push notifications.
When to Send to All Customers
Best Use Cases
Send to all customers when:
✅ Announcing new programme features or benefits
✅ Sharing holiday hours or closures
✅ Launching seasonal promotions everyone can use
✅ Celebrating business milestones or anniversaries
✅ Sending holiday greetings (Happy New Year, Merry Christmas, etc.)
✅ Announcing menu or product changes
✅ Sharing emergency updates or urgent information
When to Use Segments Instead
Consider targeting specific segments for:
❌ Offers only relevant to high-value customers
❌ Location-specific promotions (if you have multiple locations)
❌ Rewards close to expiration (only affects some customers)
❌ Re-engagement campaigns for lapsed customers
❌ Birthday or milestone celebrations (automatic or targeted)
❌ Behaviour-specific promotions (e.g., "You're 2 stamps away!")
Tip: Targeted messages typically perform better than broad messages, but all-customer messages are perfect for universal information everyone should know.
Step-by-Step: Sending to All Customers
Step 1: Navigate to Push Section
Log in to your Perkstar account
Locate the left-hand menu (vertical navigation panel)
Click Push or the messaging icon
The Push Notifications screen opens
For agency accounts:
First click the user icon to select your client
Then click the Push or mailings icon
Step 2: Open Send Push Tab
You'll land in the Mailings section by default
Look at the tabs at the top of the screen
Click the "Send Push" tab
The notification creation interface appears
Step 3: Select Your Card
Choose which card will send this notification:
Locate the Card dropdown under the "Send Push" heading
Click the dropdown to reveal all your created cards
Select the card you want to send from
What appears in the dropdown:
All loyalty card templates you've created
Card names as you configured them
Multiple cards if you have different programmes or locations
Example card names in dropdown:
"Downtown Coffee Shop - Loyalty Card"
"VIP Membership Card"
"Standard Rewards Programme"
"Summer Promotion Card"
Why this matters: If you manage multiple cards, selecting the correct one ensures you're messaging the right customer base. Each card has its own customer list.
Step 4: Verify "For All Customers" is Selected
By default, "For All Customers" is already selected:
Look for the "For All Customers" option in the audience selector
Verify it's checked or highlighted
This ensures your notification reaches everyone with this card installed
If you see "For All Customers" already selected:
✅ No action needed—this is the default setting
✅ Your notification will send to all customers with installed cards
✅ Continue to the next step
If "For All Customers" is not selected:
You may have previously selected a segment
Click the option to switch back to "For All Customers"
Verify it's now selected before proceeding
What "All Customers" includes:
Every customer with "Installed" card status
Customers on both iOS (Apple Wallet) and Android devices
Active and inactive customers (as long as card is installed)
What "All Customers" excludes:
❌ Customers with "Not Installed" status
❌ Customers who deleted the card from their device
❌ Customers who were issued cards but never installed them
Tip: To see how many customers will receive your notification, check for a customer count display near the "For All Customers" option (if your interface shows this).
Step 5: Choose Timing (Optional Scheduling)
You have two options:
Option A: Send Immediately (Default)
Leave the "Schedule" checkbox unchecked
Notification sends within seconds after you click "Send"
Best for: Time-sensitive announcements, flash sales, urgent updates
Option B: Schedule for Later
Check the "Schedule" checkbox
Date and time selectors appear on the right side
Notification sends automatically at your specified time
Best for: Planned campaigns, advance preparation, coordinating with other marketing
To schedule a notification:
Check the "Schedule" checkbox or toggle
A date picker appears on the right side of the screen
Click the date selector and choose your desired date from the calendar
Click the time selector and choose your desired time
Verify the time zone is correct (should match your business location)
Scheduling best practices:
Optimal times by business type:
Restaurants/Cafés: 10am-12pm, 2-4pm, or 5-7pm (before meal rushes)
Retail: 10am-2pm or 6-8pm (when customers are browsing/shopping)
Services: 9am-5pm business hours (when customers can book)
Entertainment: Evenings and weekends (when customers are planning activities)
Avoid:
Very early morning (before 8am) - customers may be sleeping
Late night (after 9pm) - intrusive and less effective
Meal times (12-1pm, 6-7pm) - lower attention
Very late night (after 10pm) - may annoy customers
Consider:
Customer time zones if serving multiple regions
Days when customers are most likely to engage (weekends vs. weekdays)
Timing relative to your business hours
Other notifications recently sent (space appropriately)
Step 6: Compose Your Message
Write your notification message:
Locate the Message textbox
Click inside the textbox to activate it
Type your message content
Keep it concise and compelling
Message guidelines:
Character recommendations:
Ideal length: 60-100 characters
Maximum effective: 120 characters (longer messages get truncated)
Put most important information first
Effective message structure:
[Value/Offer] + [Action] + [Urgency/Benefit]
Examples of effective messages:
"Flash Sale! 20% off everything today only—shop by 6pm! 🎉"
"We're closed Monday for the holiday. See you Tuesday! ☕"
"New menu items now available! Visit us this week to try them 🍕"
"Thank you for being loyal customers! Free gift with next visit 🎁"
"Earn double points this weekend! Saturday & Sunday only ⭐"
Examples of less effective messages:
"Check out our new stuff" (too vague, no specific value)
"Hello" (no information or action)
"This is a very long notification message that provides too many details and will get cut off on most devices making it hard to read" (too long)
"SALE SALE SALE!!!" (too promotional, no specific information)
Step 7: Add Emojis (Optional)
To include emojis in your message:
Position your cursor where you want the emoji in the Message textbox
Click the emoji icon (smiley face button) near or inside the textbox
An emoji picker appears
Select the emoji you want to include
The emoji inserts into your message at the cursor position
Emoji best practices:
Do:
✅ Use one emoji per message maximum
✅ Place at the end of the message: "Visit us today! ☕"
✅ Choose emojis relevant to your message (☕ for coffee, 🎉 for celebrations)
✅ Test on your own device to ensure it displays correctly
Don't:
❌ Use multiple emojis (looks unprofessional: "🎉🎊🎁🎈")
❌ Replace words with emojis ("Come visit us 2day! ☕")
❌ Use obscure or confusing emojis
❌ Rely on emojis as the only communication
Popular effective emojis:
☕ Coffee/food businesses
🎉 Celebrations, milestones
⭐ Rewards, points, achievements
🎁 Gifts, free items, special offers
🎂 Birthdays, anniversaries
⏰ Time-sensitive, urgency
💰 Savings, discounts, cashback
Step 8: Send Your Notification
Once your message is ready:
Review all your selections:
✓ Correct card selected
✓ "For All Customers" confirmed
✓ Timing set (immediate or scheduled)
✓ Message written and proofread
✓ Emoji added (if desired)
Click the "Send" button
A "Send Push" popup appears showing:
Selected card name
Recipient count ("For All Customers")
Scheduled time (if applicable) or "Immediate"
Your complete message content
Preview of how notification will appear
Review everything carefully in this confirmation popup
Click the "Send" button in the popup to confirm
Important: This is your last chance to verify everything before the notification is sent or scheduled. Once confirmed, you cannot edit or recall it.
Step 9: Confirmation
After clicking Send in the confirmation popup:
For immediate notifications:
Notification begins delivering to customers immediately
Success confirmation message appears
Notification appears in your History log with current timestamp
Delivery starts within seconds to all customers
For scheduled notifications:
Notification is saved for future delivery
Success confirmation appears showing scheduled date/time
Notification appears in History log with "Scheduled" status
System will automatically send at the specified time—no further action needed
You can delete the scheduled notification before it sends if needed
Reviewing Your Sent Notification
Check the History Log
To verify your notification:
Stay in the Push section (or return to it)
Scroll down to the History section
Look for your notification at the top of the list (most recent first)
What you'll see:
For immediate notifications:
Notification appears with "Sent" status
Timestamp shows when it was sent
Message content displayed
Manual send emoji indicator
Recipient information ("All Customers")
For scheduled notifications:
Notification appears with "Scheduled" status
Future date and time displayed
Message content shown
Can still be deleted before send time
Understanding History Indicators
Emoji indicators in History:
Manual send emoji - This notification (you created it in Send Push)
Automatic send emoji - Automated notifications (feedback, reminders)
Scheduled emoji - Waiting to send at future time
Hover over emojis to see additional details about the notification type and sending method.
Best Practices for All-Customer Messages
Message Content Strategy
Make it universally relevant:
Information that applies to everyone
Offers or promotions any customer can use
Important updates all customers should know
Celebrations or milestones everyone can appreciate
Avoid alienating segments:
Don't mention rewards most customers can't access
Don't reference locations some customers don't visit
Don't assume all customers know your business deeply
Create value for all:
Clear benefit or information
Actionable next step
Relevant timing
Appropriate urgency level
Timing Considerations
Schedule thoughtfully:
During hours when customers are likely to see and act
Not too frequently (max 2-3 all-customer messages per week)
Spaced from other recent notifications (check History first)
Aligned with your business hours or campaign launch
Test on yourself first:
Send a test to your own device
Verify it displays correctly
Check message length and emoji appearance
Ensure urgency and tone are appropriate
Frequency Management
Avoid notification fatigue:
Monitor how often you send to all customers
Remember customers also receive automated notifications
Consider Google Wallet's 3-per-day limit for Android
Track customer opt-out rates as feedback
Balance with segmented messages:
Use all-customer broadcasts sparingly for maximum impact
Save targeted promotions for specific segments
Reserve all-customer messages for truly universal content
Common Scenarios and Solutions
"I want to send to everyone except one segment"
Current limitation: "For All Customers" includes everyone with installed cards. You cannot exclude specific segments when using this option.
Workaround options:
Create a segment that includes everyone you want to reach (excludes unwanted group)
Send to that segment instead of "All Customers"
Or send to "All Customers" with messaging that naturally doesn't apply to excluded group
"I have multiple cards and want to send to all customers across all cards"
Current process: You must send separately to each card type.
How to do this:
Send notification to Card Type 1 → "All Customers"
Return to Send Push
Change card selection to Card Type 2
Send same message to "All Customers" for this card
Repeat for each card type
Tip: If sending identical messages to multiple cards, compose the message once, copy it, then send to each card sequentially. Consider scheduling all for the same time.
"What if I selected the wrong card?"
Before clicking Send:
Simply change the card selection in the dropdown
Your message and other settings remain
Select the correct card and proceed
After clicking Send but before confirmation:
Click "Cancel" in the confirmation popup
Return to main Send Push screen
Change card selection
Click Send again to get new confirmation
After confirming send:
Immediate notifications cannot be recalled
You can send a follow-up clarification if needed
For future, double-check card selection in confirmation popup
"I want the same message to send at different times to different cards"
Solution: Use scheduling
Send to Card 1, schedule for Time A
Send to Card 2, schedule for Time B
Send to Card 3, schedule for Time C
Example: Morning notification for café customers, evening notification for restaurant customers, weekend notification for entertainment venue customers.
Troubleshooting
"I don't see 'For All Customers' option"
Check:
Are you on the Send Push tab? (Not Push Automation)
Is a card selected in the dropdown?
Did you accidentally click into segment selector?
Solution: Ensure you're on Send Push tab, select a card from dropdown. "For All Customers" should appear by default.
"Send button is greyed out or disabled"
Possible causes:
Message textbox is empty
No card selected from dropdown
Account permissions issue
Solution: Verify card is selected and message is written. If issue persists, contact support.
"Confirmation popup shows wrong card name"
This means:
You selected the wrong card before clicking Send
The notification will send to the displayed card, not your intended one
Solution:
Click "Cancel" in the popup
Return to Send Push screen
Select the correct card from dropdown
Click Send again and verify correct card in popup
"Scheduled notification disappeared from History"
Possible reasons:
It was sent (check timestamp—may have been scheduled for past time accidentally)
Someone deleted it using the delete scheduled notifications feature
You selected wrong date/time and it sent immediately
Solution: Check History for "Sent" entry around the time you expected it to send. If not found, notification may have been deleted—recreate it.
"Customers say they didn't receive the notification"
This is a delivery issue, not a sending issue.
Verify sending succeeded:
Check History for "Sent" status with timestamp
Confirm notification was sent to correct card
Check customer's card status (must be "Installed")
For delivery troubleshooting:
See "Troubleshooting Push Notification Delivery Issues" article
Verify customer device notification settings
Check Latest Updates on customer card to see if device processed notification
FAQ
Q: How do I know how many customers will receive my all-customer notification? A: The interface may display a count near "For All Customers." You can also go to Customers section and filter by the selected card type with "Installed" status to see the total count.
Q: Can I send to all customers across multiple card types at once? A: No, you must send to each card type separately. Select Card 1, send to all customers, then repeat for Card 2, etc.
Q: Will customers who haven't installed their card receive the notification? A: No. Push notifications only reach customers with "Installed" card status. For non-installed customers, use email or SMS.
Q: Can I preview how the notification will look on devices before sending? A: The confirmation popup shows your message. For actual device appearance, send a test notification to your own device first.
Q: What happens if I schedule for a past date/time accidentally? A: The system may send it immediately or show an error. Always verify your scheduled date/time is in the future.
Q: Can I edit a scheduled all-customer notification? A: Typically no. You must delete the scheduled notification and create a new one with the correct content.
Q: Is there a limit to how many all-customer notifications I can send? A: Check your plan details. Some plans include unlimited notifications, others have monthly limits. Regardless of technical limits, avoid over-messaging for best engagement.
Q: Will all customers receive the notification at the exact same time? A: Delivery happens very quickly (within seconds to minutes) but may not be perfectly simultaneous across thousands of devices due to network routing and device connectivity.
Q: What if I want to send in multiple languages? A: You'll need to send separate notifications with different message content. Consider using segments if you track customer language preferences, or send multiple all-customer messages with different language versions.
Q: Can customers reply to push notifications? A: No, push notifications are one-way communication. For two-way conversations, use email or SMS.
Related Articles
Sending Push Notifications to Customer Segments - Targeting specific customer groups
Accessing and Using the Push Notifications Section - Complete interface guide
Push Notifications - How Automated Messages Work - Setting up automatic notifications
Troubleshooting Push Notification Delivery Issues - When customers don't receive notifications
Customer Filters and Segmentation - Creating targeted customer groups
Push Notification Delivery Time - Understanding when notifications arrive
Need help sending to all customers? Contact support for assistance with message creation, scheduling, or delivery verification.