Creating Customer Loyalty and Gift Cards

The Card Printer supports two customer-facing card types: Customer Loyalty cards for rewards and membership programs, and Gift Cards for prepaid store credit. Both can be launched pre-populated from their respective records in AccuArk, or created manually from the Card Printer.

Customer Loyalty Cards

When the Card Printer is opened from a customer record, the fields are automatically filled with the customer's membership information:

• Title is set to “REWARDS MEMBER”
• Full Name is populated from the client's name on file
• Detail Line 1 shows the customer's company name (if applicable)
• Detail Line 2 shows “Member #: [client ID]” using the customer's unique identifier in AccuArk
• Detail Line 3 shows “Since: [registration date]” formatted with the date the customer was added to the system
• Barcode Value is set to the client ID, enabling scanner-based customer identification at the point of sale

All auto-populated fields are fully editable. You can change the title to match your specific program name (for example, “GOLD MEMBER”, “VIP REWARDS”, or “PREFERRED CUSTOMER”), adjust the detail lines, or modify the barcode value.

Loyalty Card Use Cases

Customer loyalty cards serve multiple purposes in a business:

• VIP membership identification — Issue branded membership cards to customers enrolled in a tiered rewards program. Different card colors or accent styles can distinguish membership levels (Silver, Gold, Platinum).
• POS scanning for rewards — The barcode on the loyalty card allows cashiers to scan the card at checkout, instantly pulling up the customer's record to apply earned discounts, track points, or apply loyalty pricing.
• Service business client identification — For businesses like salons, repair shops, or professional services, loyalty cards help front desk staff quickly identify clients and access their service history.
• B2B client access badges — For businesses that serve other businesses, loyalty cards can double as access badges or vendor identification when visiting client sites.

Gift Cards

When the Card Printer is opened from a gift card record, the fields are automatically filled with the gift card's details:

• Title is set to “GIFT CARD”
• Full Name is left blank, because gift cards are not personalized to a specific recipient
• Detail Line 1 shows “Balance: $[amount]” displaying the current balance on the gift card
• Detail Line 2 shows “Card #: [card number]” with the unique gift card number
• Detail Line 3 shows the expiration date if one is set, or “No Expiration” if the gift card has no expiry
• Barcode Value is set to the gift card number, enabling POS scanning for balance lookup and redemption

Gift Card Design Tips

Gift cards have different design considerations than employee or loyalty cards because they are not tied to a specific person:

• Hide the photo zone — Since gift cards are not personalized, the photo zone is typically not needed. Disable the Show Photo toggle for a cleaner layout that gives more space to the text and barcode elements.
• Use bold accent colors — Gift cards are often given as presents, so a visually appealing design matters. Use a bold or vibrant accent color to make the card stand out. Consider using your brand's primary color as the accent, or a seasonal color for holiday gift cards.
• Make the barcode prominent — The card number barcode is essential for gift card functionality. It allows cashiers to scan the gift card at the point of sale to look up the balance and apply it to a transaction. Position the barcode where it is easy to access and large enough for reliable scanning.
• Consider a colored background — While ID and loyalty cards typically use a white background for readability, gift cards can benefit from a colored background with white or light text for a more premium, gift-worthy appearance.

Back Side for Both Card Types

Both loyalty and gift cards benefit from company contact information on the back side. Click Load Company to auto-fill the back lines with your business name, address, phone, and website.

For gift cards specifically, the back side is also an important place for terms and conditions. Use the back text lines for important notices:

• Back Line 3 can display “Valid at all locations” or “Redeemable at [location name] only”
• Back Line 4 can display “Non-refundable” or “See store for complete terms”

For loyalty cards, the back side might include program details such as “Earn 1 point per dollar spent” or your rewards program website URL where members can check their balance online.

Printing Multiple Cards

The Card Printer prints one card at a time. Each card requires its own data (different customer name, different gift card number, different balance), so batch printing of unique cards is done sequentially:

1. Load the first customer or gift card record
2. Verify the card preview looks correct
3. Print the card
4. Load the next record and repeat

To speed up the process when printing multiple cards:

• Save a template first — Create and save a template with your preferred layout, colors, and font settings. When printing the next card, load the template so you only need to change the data fields.
• Launch from records — Instead of manually entering data each time, launch the Card Printer from each customer or gift card record to auto-populate the fields.
• Use consistent settings — Keep the same card size, border style, and color scheme across all cards in a batch for a professional, uniform appearance.

For bulk gift card preparation (for example, pre-printing 50 gift cards for a holiday promotion), consider creating all the gift card records in AccuArk first, then printing each card by launching the Card Printer from each record in sequence.