Customer Marketing & Segments
The Marketing tab on the Customer Form brings together three important pieces of information: which marketing segments a customer belongs to, their coupon usage history, and any gift cards associated with their account. Together, these sections give you a clear picture of how each customer interacts with your promotional efforts and loyalty programs. This article explains every section of the Marketing tab in detail, walks you through interpreting the data, and clarifies where to go when you need to make changes.
Accessing the Marketing Tab
To view the Marketing tab:
- Open the Customer Form by navigating to Customers in the main menu and selecting the customer you want to review.
- Once the Customer Form loads, click the Marketing tab near the top of the form.
- The tab loads automatically and displays all marketing-related data for the selected customer.
The Marketing tab is a read-only view from the Customer Form. This means you can review all of the information displayed here, but you cannot directly add, edit, or remove segments, coupons, or gift cards from this location. Each section is managed through its own dedicated area of AccuArk, which is described below.
Section 1: Customer Segments
The Customer Segments section occupies the top portion of the Marketing tab and shows which marketing segments the current customer belongs to.
What Are Customer Segments?
Customer segments are groups of customers that share common characteristics. The Marketing module in AccuArk allows you to define rules that automatically assign customers to segments based on criteria such as:
- Purchase Frequency — How often the customer makes purchases (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly)
- Total Spend — The cumulative dollar amount the customer has spent over a given period
- Signup Date — How long the customer has been in your system (e.g., new customers signed up in the last 30 days)
- Product Categories — Whether the customer has purchased from specific product categories
- Location — The store location(s) where the customer most frequently shops
- Loyalty Tier — The customer's current loyalty program tier, if applicable
Common segment examples include "High Value", "Frequent Buyer", "New Customer", "At-Risk" (customers whose purchase frequency has dropped), and "VIP".
The Segments Grid
The grid in this section displays all segments the customer currently belongs to. The columns are:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Segment Name | The name of the marketing segment (e.g., "High Value", "Frequent Buyer") |
| Date Assigned | The date the customer was added to this segment |
| Assigned By | Whether the assignment was automatic (rule-based) or manual |
| Notes | Any additional notes attached to the segment assignment |
If the customer does not belong to any segments, this grid will be empty. This is common for brand-new customers who have not yet accumulated enough transaction history for the segment rules to evaluate.
Where to Manage Segments
Segments are created, edited, and assigned through the Marketing module. To manage segment rules and assignments:
- Navigate to Marketing in the main menu.
- Select Customer Segments from the submenu.
- From there you can create new segments, define or modify the rules that control automatic assignment, and manually add or remove customers from segments.
Changes made in the Marketing module will be reflected the next time you open the Marketing tab on the Customer Form.
Section 2: Coupon Usage History
The Coupon Usage History section provides a complete record of every coupon the customer has redeemed. This data is valuable for understanding which promotions resonate with individual customers and for measuring the return on your marketing campaigns.
The Coupon Usage Grid
The grid displays one row per coupon redemption. The columns are:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Coupon Code | The code that was entered or scanned at the point of sale |
| Coupon Name | The descriptive name of the coupon or promotion |
| Discount Amount | The dollar or percentage discount that was applied |
| Date Used | The date and time the coupon was redeemed |
| Invoice Number | The invoice on which the coupon was applied (click to navigate to the invoice) |
This grid is sorted by date in descending order, so the most recent coupon usage appears at the top.
Interpreting Coupon Data
Reviewing a customer's coupon history can help you answer several important questions:
- How price-sensitive is this customer? A customer who frequently uses coupons may be more responsive to discount-based promotions.
- Which campaigns drove this customer to buy? By looking at coupon codes, you can trace purchases back to specific marketing campaigns.
- Is the customer a coupon-only buyer? If a customer rarely purchases without a coupon, you may want to adjust your approach.
Where Coupons Are Managed
Coupons are created and managed through the Marketing module under Coupons. Coupon redemption happens automatically at the point of sale when a valid coupon code is entered during checkout. The usage history on the Marketing tab updates automatically as transactions are completed.
Section 3: Gift Cards
The Gift Cards section displays all gift cards that are associated with the current customer. A customer may have gift cards they purchased for themselves, received as gifts, or were issued as store credit.
The Gift Cards Grid
The grid shows one row per gift card. The columns are:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Card Number | The unique gift card number (partially masked for security) |
| Original Balance | The initial value loaded onto the gift card |
| Current Balance | The remaining balance available for use |
| Status | The current status of the gift card (Active, Expired, or Fully Redeemed) |
| Issue Date | The date the gift card was created or activated |
| Expiration Date | The date the gift card expires, if applicable |
Gift Card Statuses
Gift cards can have three statuses:
- Active — The card has a remaining balance and has not expired. It can be used for purchases.
- Expired — The card has passed its expiration date. Depending on your store policy and local regulations, expired cards may or may not be redeemable.
- Fully Redeemed — The card's entire balance has been used. It cannot be used for additional purchases unless it is reloaded.
Where Gift Cards Are Managed
Gift cards are managed through the Gift Card Management area, which you can access from the Marketing menu. From there you can:
- Issue new gift cards and assign them to customers
- Reload existing gift cards with additional funds
- View detailed transaction history for a specific gift card
- Deactivate or expire gift cards as needed
Gift card redemptions occur at the point of sale and are recorded automatically.
Understanding the Read-Only Nature of the Marketing Tab
It is important to understand that the Marketing tab on the Customer Form is entirely read-only. You cannot make changes to segments, coupon records, or gift cards from this tab. This design is intentional for several reasons:
- Segments are governed by rules in the Marketing module. Allowing direct manipulation from the Customer Form could create conflicts with automated rule processing.
- Coupon usage is a historical record of transactions. These records are created by the POS system during checkout and should not be manually altered.
- Gift cards have financial implications and require the controls and audit trails provided by the Gift Card Management area.
If you need to make changes to any of these areas, navigate to the appropriate module as described in each section above.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Marketing Data
- Review segments before outreach. Before calling or emailing a customer, check their segments to understand their value tier and buying patterns.
- Track campaign effectiveness. Use the coupon usage history to see whether a specific campaign drove the customer to purchase.
- Monitor gift card balances. Customers with unused gift card balances represent potential future revenue. Consider sending reminders to customers with expiring balances.
- Combine with other tabs. Cross-reference the Marketing tab data with the Invoices tab and Activities tab for a complete view of the customer relationship.
What to Read Next
- Customer Loyalty Program — Learn how loyalty points and tiers work with customer segments
- Logging Customer Activities — Record calls, emails, meetings, and notes against customer records