Overview

MillerHome Furniture isn’t new to loyalty programs, but they needed to engage their customers more effectively. Historically, they have created several very creative loyalty campaigns such as a “Red-Rover” campaign that rewarded customers with a $25 loyalty credit for visiting other locations, a “Don’t Use, Don’t Lose” campaign that gifted the purchase price of customers' protection packages back in the form of store credit, and a credit card surcharge that gifted the 3% CC surcharge back to the customer in the form of store credit. MillerHome Furniture recognized that surprise and delight campaigns such as these require additional action. They require seamless marketing orchestration that helps engage users with loyalty programs. They quickly moved to integrate personalized SMS campaigns with their creative loyalty incentives. From giving non-buyers a reason to return to softening the blow of credit card surcharges, MillerHome Furniture is thriving financially from their ability to surprise, delight, and keep customers coming back.

Challenge

Loyalty programs are great, but simply having one doesn’t always mean customers will engage with it. MillerHome Furniture had robust systems in place, but customers weren’t making the most of the benefits, and the company knew they were leaving potential revenue on the table. The team needed a way to nudge their loyal customers—many of whom loved their products—toward actually using the rewards they’d earned.

One example of this is their Don’t Use, Don’t Lose campaign. In an effort to create deep trust from their customer base, MillerHome Furniture started rewarding customers that didn't use their protection plan with the financial value of their protection plan when it was set to expire after the 5 year term. The goal of this credit was to bring customers back into the store when their furniture was naturally ready to be replaced. Despite the massive benefit to the customer, they found that “DUDL” redemptions, along with their other loyalty programs were lower than they could be. 

MillerHome needed to find a way to activate their customer base without coming off as pushy or transactional. They wanted to create experiences that felt exciting, personal, and rewarding. That’s when they turned to SMS marketing in conjunction with their loyalty programs, knowing they could reach customers in a more direct and personalized way.

Solution:

MillerHome Furniture didn’t just want to offer rewards—they wanted to craft campaigns that felt personal, thoughtful, and valuable. Enter their "Surprise and Delight" loyalty initiatives, designed with personalized SMS campaigns to ensure customers received the right message at the right time.

• "Red Rovering": Everyone likes a second chance. If a customer visited a store but left empty-handed, MillerHome Furniture wasn’t about to let them go that easily. With their "Red Rovering" campaign, customers received a personalized invitation offering a $25 credit to use at another store location—turning browsing into buying.

• "Don’t Use, Don’t Lose": One of the most effective campaigns, "Don’t Use, Don’t Lose" targets customers whose protection packages are set to expire. Instead of letting those protection plans quietly fade away, MillerHome Furniture transforms them into an opportunity to bring customers back in. Expiring benefits are converted into store credit, with personalized SMS messages gently reminding customers of their soon-to-expire protection and encouraging them to come back before it was too late. It creates urgency, but in a helping, non-aggressive way—just what the modern customer appreciates.

• Turning a Surcharge into a Perk: It needed to happen. MillerHome Furniture was being gouged in credit card surcharges, but most would think that the 3% credit card surcharge would be a tough pill for the customer to swallow right? WRONG! MillerHome Furniture turned it into a positive. Rather than letting the fee dampen the customer experience, they decided to turn it into a surprise reward. For every customer hit with the 3% fee, MillerHome Furniture gifts that same amount back in store credit. This clever approach didn’t just neutralize a potential frustration, it actually enhanced the customer experience, making people feel like they are gaining something rather than losing out.‍‍