Horta, a specialist in garden and pet supplies, wanted to strengthen customer loyalty with a new loyalty program. But with many purchases happening offline, a simple loyalty card wouldn’t be enough. Horta needed a more advanced solution. That’s where Us stepped in to help build a comprehensive customer experience platform, combining loyalty, marketing automation, and customer data management into one seamless system.
The problem – a loyalty program that couldn’t track offline sales
Horta wanted to reward their loyal customers through a new loyalty program. However, most of their customers made purchases in-store, making it difficult to track offline transactions. A basic loyalty card couldn’t meet this need. Horta decided to take a bigger step—implementing a full customer experience platform that could manage loyalty, personalize marketing, and include offline sales data through a Customer Data Platform (CDP).
The solution – a strategic and tool-agnostic approach
At Us, we leave nothing to chance. We began by analyzing existing technologies to ensure seamless integration. Together with Horta, we drafted an RFP (Request for Proposal) covering loyalty, marketing automation, and customer data management.
To ensure the right tool was chosen:
- We created a C-level RFP with an integration matrix to assess tool compatibility with Horta’s webshop.
- We formed steering committees (steerco’s) to evaluate each step, ensuring no surprises like lost loyalty cards or POS system integration issues.
- We developed a shortlist of tools, scheduled demos, and used a scoring template to select the most suitable option.
As a tool-agnostic partner, Us chose SALESmanago for its strong compatibility with the European market, full GDPR compliance, and comprehensive functionalities—email marketing, website personalization, social media campaigns, loyalty programs, a CDP, and a preference center. This all-in-one tool ensured seamless integration with Horta’s POS system and webshop.
The results – increased loyalty, personalized marketing, and long-term success
With the new customer experience platform, Horta can now:
- Collect and analyse customer data for deeper insights into purchasing behaviour and preferences.
- Run targeted marketing campaigns, offer personalised promotions, and communicate more effectively with their customers.
- Include offline purchases in their loyalty program, ensuring customers are rewarded regardless of where they shop.
This integrated approach has boosted customer loyalty, improved satisfaction, and strengthened Horta’s competitive edge—laying the foundation for ongoing growth and success.
Why this matters for e-commerce and marketing managers
For e-commerce and marketing managers, Horta’s case highlights the importance of an integrated customer experience. A loyalty program isn’t just about points; it’s about understanding your customers, personalising their experience, and building long-term relationships. With the right tools and approach, any business can achieve this level of engagement.
At Us, we believe that the right tools make all the difference. By carefully selecting and integrating SALESmanago, we helped Horta turn their loyalty program into a comprehensive customer experience platform.
