🎥 Video: Loyalty Program Gamification that Builds Skills and CLV.
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Providing products or services to other businesses can be very rewarding and exciting. On the other hand, for the less prepared and experienced owners, it can cause many dilemmas. A Gallup analysis of more than 100,000 respondents found that B2B companies tend to focus more on price and product, forgetting the end-user who will benefit from their offerings. This attitude puts them at risk of losing up to two-thirds of their customer base.
The same study also found that 71% of B2B customers aren't emotionally or mentally attached to the companies they do business with and are willing to switch suppliers at the drop of a hat. Well, no one said that building relationships would be an easy task. So if you run a company of any size or type, you need something to stand out and retain your hard-won contracts.
Explore this one-stop guide to B2B loyalty and learn how to launch your own B2B loyalty program to become more approachable and grow your market share. Finally, discover the must-have elements of a dedicated B2B loyalty mobile app that will bond your users to your brand.
A B2B loyalty program is a structured way to reward your business customers for staying loyal, placing repeat orders, or growing their relationship with you. Think of it as a long-game strategy, not a quick discount.
Unlike B2C loyalty programs (where the goal is often to nudge someone into one more coffee or click), B2B programs are built for relationships. You're rewarding individuals and working with companies, teams, and decision-makers who often have their own customers to think about. That means the incentives need to be more strategic: better margins, exclusive tools, co-marketing support, or anything that helps them succeed in their role.
The real goal? Make doing business with you a no-brainer. The more value you deliver (not just through your product, but through your partnership), the harder it becomes for that customer to walk away.
A good B2B loyalty program helps you:
So, while the structure might look like "points" or "tiers," what you're really building is mutual growth, and that's what makes loyalty stick in B2B.
If you've worked on loyalty programs before, especially in B2C, it's easy to assume the same logic applies to B2B. But the truth is, loyalty in B2B is a whole different beast.
Yes, you're still trying to keep customers around and reward them for doing business with you. But the why, how, and who look very different once you're dealing with companies instead of individuals.
Here's a quick breakdown:
In B2C, loyalty is often about instant gratification and brand love. In B2B, it's about building mutual value over time. Your partners or clients aren't looking for freebies – they're looking for ways to grow their own business. And if your program helps them do that? You've got loyalty that lasts.
💡 TL;DR: B2B loyalty is slower, deeper, and way more relational.
A loyalty program isn't a magic switch, but when it's designed well and aligned with how your B2B customers work, it can create serious value on both sides of the relationship. Find out what happens when you get it right.
B2B customer acquisition is expensive. You've spent time nurturing leads, aligning teams, and negotiating contracts. So when you finally win a customer, keeping them around becomes the real win.
A loyalty program gives them a reason to stay, especially when it's tied to perks they don't want to lose, like better pricing tiers, priority service, or rewards they've started accumulating.
Even small improvements in customer retention can have a big financial impact. Long-term clients spend more, trust you more, and are way less likely to jump ship when a competitor knocks.
The best B2B loyalty programs keep clients and encourage them to buy more, more often. Offer rewards based on order volume or consistency, and you can shift purchase behaviors in your favor.
For example:
When you align your program with behaviors that drive revenue, it becomes a growth lever.
Once you have an engaged, loyal customer, you've earned the right to introduce them to more of what you offer.
Tier-based perks ("Gold partners get access to exclusive product bundles") or personalized offers ("Unlock a discount when you add this to your next order") give your loyalty program the context and timing to make those suggestions feel valuable, not pushy.
And since B2B buyers usually take their time with decisions, any edge you can create matters – loyalty perks make the upgrade easier to justify.
The best B2B loyalty programs don't just retain existing customers – they turn them into advocates.
Once your partners feel truly supported, rewarded, and invested in, they're more likely to:
You can even build in referral mechanics directly into the program, think "Bring a new partner, get bonus points," and turn your most loyal customers into a word-of-mouth engine.
Every interaction with your loyalty program is a data point. Who's logging in? What rewards are popular? Who's dropping off before claiming perks?
This kind of behavior tracking is gold/ It helps you fine-tune not only the loyalty program, but also your product strategy, content, and partner communications.
And when you layer on things like surveys or feedback forms (rewarded, of course), you get honest input that helps you grow.
To better illustrate the B2B sales challenges to you, I'll use the most typical B2B relationship – that between a manufacturer and a reseller. Now that I've rounded it out, let us move on.
Building lasting and direct partnerships between companies can be complex because they aren't on their own in a competitive marketplace. All players are subject to the same market mechanisms that challenge them and increase or decrease their sales.
On top of that, selling products or services in any industry is an elaborate process that involves additional parties. For example, in the manufacturer-reseller relationship, there may be wholesalers in the middle of the transaction chain that impede sales targets.
Before you kick off your loyalty program for B2B customers and make your first sale, you need to do market research to find out how it works. I've outlined a high-level breakdown of the three key challenges in B2B, so you can get a general idea.
Process planning is a broad field that includes production, supply chain management and logistics, inventory management, team management, you name it. If this is your bread and butter, then you know how much time and effort it takes to achieve the end goal of selling goods and making a profit.
Even the most successful business owners don't always know how to manage the planning to release as many products as the actual demand and optimize costs that way. This is tricky, but a loyalty program can make it much easier and keep these fluctuations more predictable. Above all, a loyalty program gives you insight into the list of devoted customers who regularly buy from you and a chance to plan better and drive sales.
Imagine you're a nail manufacturer, and you find out that a reseller wants to buy 1,000 nails from you. First, they select a nail model they're interested in and proceed to checkout. Then, the reseller uses your B2B loyalty app to enter the unique customer code and log the transaction to earn extra points. If they record the activity in your loyalty program each time, you'll quickly notice that this reseller visits you every month for the same purpose – to buy 1,000 nails.
With a loyalty application, you can see existing clients' behavior in terms of quality, quantity, frequency, and location of purchases. This rock-solid and valuable customer data forms the basis for:
Data makes all your moves legitimate and takes the guesswork out of your business. In addition, returning customers are the perfect material for long-term contracts, which are the backbone of the B2B market. Also, if your loyalty program offers attractive rewards and is thriving in the right direction, you'll be able to encourage existing customers through referrals from established partners.
The B2B buying cycle is all about nurturing, building trust, and creating long-term relationships. And that takes time. The study found that three-quarters (74.6%) of B2B sales to new customers take at least four months to close.
The sales process usually includes tense negotiations with multiple decision-makers and stakeholders. Which is why you don't want to come across as pushy, especially in mature and competitive markets. Instead, patiently groom and strengthen business relationships and give the customer all the time they need to study your offer.
Even if a customer has a "pending" status in your sales funnel for the next few months, you must always be ready. Once you've closed a deal, it's time to give it your all to meet expectations.
Map the journey with your expert team to better understand the behaviors, needs, and pain points of B2B customers.
Address the five main stages: Awareness, Consideration, Conversion, Loyalty, and Advocacy. Fully focus on refining them into your business model.
The truth is that your competitors are following your every move. I don't say this to intimidate you or create doubt, but to remind you to always be mindful of your position in the marketplace.
So, the first major challenge in a competitive environment is the ability to adjust product/service prices at any time. There's no telling that this is such a predictable change your competitors can make to become more desirable. With this in mind, do you think customers will always choose the less expensive option, even if the quality of your product is the same? Well, no, but only if you have a reasonable B2B loyalty program in place.
In the case of a price battle, a loyalty program gives you an extra edge that isn't directly apparent to your competitors. A loyalty system affects churn rate because it offers customers added value with every transaction. The non-financial benefits of a B2B loyalty system can successfully support customer retention and your sales performance.
Another challenge is the rise of new competitors with promising products and effective services. Despite this, loyalty solutions can be habit-forming and effectively protect you from losing customers.
Valuable loyalty program rewards make customers stick with you. They know that if they use your offer, they can receive, say, 2,000 points and then redeem them for exclusive access to services or a digital gift card. Your competitors can't promise them such rewards at first, right? In addition, a loyalty program gives you the time to revise your lineup. You can make it more marketable and, in turn, reduce fluctuations in your loyal customer base.
Bear in mind that there are many more challenges related to B2B sales. As a business owner, you may also face issues such as:
Hopefully, some of these challenges seem familiar, and you already have strategies in place on how to avoid them.
Building loyalty is always about the relationship between entities. Your future B2B partners need to know that you're trustworthy. So, not only should your offer be eye-catching, but also the way you act should reflect your professional approach. The list of challenges in building a loyalty program for B2B customers is quite extensive. I'll outline the most common ones that you can start considering as you read on.
Your product or service offerings to B2B customers need to be marketable and shouldn't deviate too much from the prices offered by your competitors.
Once you've decided on a loyalty program, all your product or service prices should already be set. This is especially important because companies have a strange urge to compensate for implementing a loyalty system. It also happens that business owners bump up prices because the loyalty program guarantees participants extra rewards. These are simply dangerous and unfair plays.
Let's face it, a loyalty platform is a cost to your business, but that expense will pay for itself quickly. After all, its goal is to motivate customers to keep buying and stay loyal to your brand. So, don't dump the cost of creating and maintaining a loyalty system on your customers – it's a long-term investment that must be entirely on your side.
Instead of thinking about payback, focus on how to make your B2B partners happy. Show that your offer is the best it can be, become irreplaceable, and deliver a fabulous experience at every touchpoint.
Imagine you're a manufacturer of rubber aprons for the chemical industry, and you think they couldn't be better – you've done the research and initial testing on a small sample. You're just very proud of your product. So you decide to show aprons to the public, who, instead of appreciating your work, reject them.
Full of frustration, you launch a special campaign in your loyalty program where you offer three times as many points for purchasing your groundbreaking products. But still, nothing changes, and your B2B partners aren't interested in your offer.
A loyalty platform isn't a panacea for unsuccessful products or services. Its purpose is to provide a competitive advantage and add value to every purchase. So, when things don't go your way, don't focus on promising extra points and fabulous rewards. Instead, improve your solution based on data and customer feedback so that the market will eventually embrace it.
Let's say that you're a business owner, and you want to start a loyalty program. How do you calculate its cost? If you're going to build a loyalty program from scratch, the price may be overwhelming. You can also opt for an end-to-end loyalty platform based on ready-made components, such as an enterprise loyalty software. This is a super convenient solution because all you have to do is define your needs and goals, and an Open loyalty expert will prepare a dedicated quote for you.
Next, you need to hire someone to monitor the campaigns and manage the loyalty system. Suppose you've already found such an experienced professional, and they're ready to act.
Now it's time for incentives. The cost of prizes isn't a fixed cost to the company, but a variable one. In short, the more you sell, the more money you have to spend on the loyalty program maintenance and rewards, which are included in the company's variable costs.
So, how many rewards do you plan to have, and how much will they cost? You'll never be able to calculate this while your loyalty program is running. It's mainly because it's impossible to predict how many customers will join the program and collect points to redeem them for rewards. Yep, you got it right – throughout the lifespan of the loyalty system, you won't be able to estimate how many rewards you'll need. And that's the risk you're taking.
Another challenge when implementing a loyalty program is the lack of know-how. Often, it's a shortage of qualified specialists or a lack of a structured database that you can use, such as a database of current B2B partners or prospects interested in your offer.
But let's focus on the people because they're responsible for the overall success of a B2B loyalty system. Include the loyalty manager early on in the conception phase of the loyalty program. Let them proactively participate in the creation process, so they'll be better educated and make fewer mistakes.
However, if your loyalty platform isn't working as it should despite your best efforts, you can always enlist the help of an Open Loyalty expert. They can step in, diagnose your program, suggest changes to its structure, and provide onboarding for your revamped loyalty program.
When deciding on a loyalty system, first consider how you operate daily, who you work with, and what you expect in the long run. Ultimately, I believe you'll choose one of the four most common B2B customer loyalty programs.
This is a standard referral program often used in banking, for example. The idea behind the program is that participants recommend your products or services to their partners, customers, or other subcontractors. In exchange for referring another individual of a certain income, size, or need, the participant receives benefits from your rewards system.
It's a program mainly used by listed companies to retain investors better. In short, if an investor buys shares of a particular company, they are guaranteed unique benefits related to the company they're investing in.
It's a program based on bringing two or more independent and non-competitive companies together in partnerships to increase their influence in the marketplace. They begin to share a customer base, points collected by program participants, and often the entire logistics of a loyalty system.
This program links companies together to provide a one-stop shopping experience for end-users. For example, if you're a ceramic tile manufacturer and your partner is a tile adhesive manufacturer, you can promote and redirect each other's customers with exclusive offers or discounts.
The bottom line is that your solutions should be complementary. This way, the customer will reach their goals more efficiently and affordably, and you and your partner will generate revenue. The other type is simply redemption partners for larger loyalty schemes.
Since you already know the types of B2B loyalty models, it's time to discuss the application and its essential elements that will make your loyalty system work like a charm.
Below are real-world examples from companies that nailed it, including a couple powered by Open Loyalty's platform. These programs take different shapes – tiered, points-based, education-focused – but they all have one thing in common: they're built around what business customers care about.
Salesforce is a global leader in CRM, powering sales, service, marketing, and customer success for companies of all sizes. It also operates a massive partner ecosystem, including consultants, app developers, and integration partners who help clients implement and scale Salesforce products.
How it works:
The Salesforce Partner Program is designed to reward partners not just for sales, but for overall engagement and capability. The structure is tiered, with levels including Base, Ridge, Crest, and Summit.
Partners progress through tiers by:
Each level unlocks increasing benefits, such as:
The program also includes enablement resources like Trailhead learning paths and business planning support, making it more than just a rewards system.
Why it works:
ekuep is the leading online supplier of restaurant and café equipment in the Middle East. They serve thousands of hospitality businesses, from small coffee shops to large-scale kitchens, providing everything from ovens to water filtration systems.
👁️ Read the full case study on how ekuep increased conversions: 13.4% of users completed their business profile, and 20.18% of them made a purchase within six months.
How it works:
ekuep launched a custom B2B loyalty program using Open Loyalty to encourage repeat purchases and stronger engagement from its professional customer base.
Here's how the program works:
The program also supports tiering logic and scalable rules for future expansion across regions or customer types.
Why it works:
Toolstream is a major distributor of tools, fixings, and workwear across the UK and Europe. Their core customers are trade professionals and retailers who purchase frequently and in volume, but also expect strong service, pricing, and brand support.
👁️ Read the full case study on how thousands of trade customers joined the Toolpoints program, increasing repeat purchases and unlocking rewards tailored to their needs.
How it works:
Toolstream built its loyalty program – Toolpoints – using Open Loyalty's API-first platform to meet the needs of its trade and retail customer base.
Here's how it works:
Why it works:
Mailchimp is a well-known marketing automation platform, used by millions of small businesses, agencies, and freelancers worldwide. To better serve and retain its creative agency partners, Mailchimp developed Mailchimp & Co. – a loyalty and enablement program focused on helping partners grow their own businesses.
How it works:
Unlike traditional points-based loyalty programs, Mailchimp & Co. focuses on non-monetary rewards:
Why it works:
Adey is a UK-based manufacturer specializing in water treatment solutions for heating systems, particularly filters, chemicals, and test kits used by professional installers. Their core customers are heating engineers, plumbers, and merchants who specify and install these products in homes and commercial buildings.
How it works:
Adey ProClub is a loyalty and professional development program aimed at supporting and rewarding installers who regularly use Adey products. The program combines rewards, training, and digital tools to create long-term engagement.
Here's what members get:
Why it works:
Vaillant is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Their products are widely used in residential and commercial buildings, and their primary B2B audience includes heating engineers, installers, and trade professionals.
How it works:
Vaillant Advance is a tiered loyalty and support program for heating professionals who install Vaillant products. It's designed to reward loyalty, improve installer capabilities, and streamline after-sales service.
Key features of the program:
Why it works:
Viessmann is a global leader in sustainable heating, industrial, and refrigeration systems. With a strong focus on energy efficiency and innovation, the brand works closely with professional installers, engineers, and resellers across multiple markets, specifically in Europe and North America.
How it works:
Viessmann Rewards is a loyalty program designed for installers and trade professionals who regularly specify and install Viessmann products (like boilers, heat pumps, and accessories).
Here's how it works:
Why it works:
Clipsal is a leading Australian brand of electrical accessories, part of Schneider Electric. Its products are widely used by electricians, electrical contractors, and distributors across residential, commercial, and industrial projects. To build long-term loyalty and support within the trade community, Clipsal runs Club Clipsal – one of the largest B2B loyalty programs in the Australian electrical industry.
How it works:
Club Clipsal rewards members, primarily electricians and contractors, for purchasing Clipsal products through participating distributors.
Here's what the program includes:
Why it works:
HP (Hewlett-Packard) is a global technology leader in computing, printing, and business solutions. Its vast partner ecosystem includes resellers, distributors, service providers, and managed print partners across B2B and B2G channels. To engage and reward this network, HP offers a range of structured incentive programs under the HP Partner Rewards umbrella.
How it works:
HP Partner Rewards programs vary by region and partner type, but they are generally points-based and performance-driven, designed to increase sales, training engagement, and brand loyalty.
Key program components include:
Some regions also offer periodic promotions, such as bonus points for selling new products or for hitting sales targets during specific campaigns.
Why it works:
Uber is one of the world's largest ride-sharing platforms, connecting riders with drivers in over 70 countries. While Uber is best known for its consumer-facing app, it also runs Uber Pro, a loyalty program designed specifically for drivers, offering rewards based on driving performance and engagement.
How it works:
Uber Pro is a tier-based rewards program for Uber drivers. Unlike traditional loyalty programs focused on purchases, Uber Pro rewards drivers for their service quality and consistency.
Here's how it works:
The program resets each cycle, encouraging ongoing high performance.
Why it works:
Syngenta is a global leader in agricultural science and technology, offering crop protection products, seeds, and digital solutions to farmers and distributors. Its customer base is firmly B2B, spanning independent growers, agribusinesses, cooperatives, and retail partners.
How it works:
Syngenta runs several localized loyalty and incentive programs depending on the region, all focused on building long-term relationships with growers and distributors.
Key mechanics include:
Why it works:
ExxonMobil is one of the world's largest publicly traded energy providers and chemical manufacturers. Beyond fuel and consumer retail, the company has a vast B2B network of lubricant resellers, commercial fuel distributors, and industrial partners who play a key role in product distribution and brand presence across markets.
How it works:
ExxonMobil runs multiple B2B incentive programs tailored to different regions and partner types, primarily targeting resellers, commercial partners, and value-added distributors.
Program features typically include:
Why it works:
Dow is a global materials science company serving industries ranging from packaging and construction to automotive and electronics. Its B2B customer base includes manufacturers, industrial processors, and specialized distributors that rely on consistent, high-quality chemical products and long-term technical partnerships.
How it works:
Dow doesn't operate a traditional points-based loyalty program. Instead, its approach to loyalty is strategic, high-touch, and partnership-driven, focused on long-term collaboration and shared value creation.
Key loyalty mechanisms include:
Why it works:
IBM is a global technology company known for its enterprise-grade software, hardware, cloud, and AI solutions. While its customers range from startups to Fortune 500s, IBM also cultivates a vast ecosystem of developers, IT professionals, partners, and learners, and that's where IBM VIP Rewards comes in.
How it works:
IBM VIP Rewards is a unique loyalty program focused on engagement, learning, and advocacy rather than purchases. It's designed to encourage customers to explore IBM technologies, stay active in the ecosystem, and deepen their product knowledge.
Participants earn points by completing a wide range of activities:
Rewards include:
All activity is tracked via a unified dashboard that surfaces progress, available rewards, and suggested next steps to keep engagement high.
Why it works:
Once you've got your strategy mapped out, the next big decision is tech. The platform you choose will either give you the flexibility to build a loyalty program that works for your business, or force you to shoehorn your ideas into someone else's template.
Spoiler: Most out-of-the-box loyalty tools are built for B2C.
B2B programs tend to be more layered: multiple users per account, tiered pricing, complex approval flows, maybe even different rules for different countries or product categories. So choosing a platform that actually handles that complexity is key.
Let's start with the foundation: how rewards are earned.
Your participants are busy professionals, not casual browsers. If they need a cheat sheet to understand your loyalty logic, you've already lost them. The platform you choose should let you:
You might be rewarding for purchases, referrals, or training completions. Either way, it should be intuitive, not a puzzle.
✅ If earning feels like a chore, engagement drops. Start simple, grow later.
Even the best rewards won't matter if your customers can't figure out how to get them.
Your loyalty app or portal needs to be:
Think of your ideal user as a technician logging in between installs, or a procurement officer scanning invoices at the end of the day. Your platform should feel like it was made for them.
B2B customers aren't looking for tote bags (well, maybe one). They want rewards that improve their business or their life.
Your platform should support a broad mix of incentives, such as:
Also, make sure your platform allows for custom reward catalogs per region, tier, or customer segment. What motivates a reseller in Germany may be different from a field agent in the UAE.
✅ The most effective rewards aren't always the flashiest but they're definitely the most relevant.
In B2B, engagement is harder to earn and easier to lose. That's why timing matters.
Your platform should be able to:
The more your system responds to user behavior instantly, the more engaged people stay. Think of it like training muscle memory and reward the action while it's fresh.
Unlike B2C, B2B programs often need to support legal, accounting, and tax workflows. That means your platform should be able to:
It removes friction from procurement and finance departments, which helps adoption on the customer side.
One of the best-kept secrets in B2B loyalty? Knowledge builds stickiness.
If your platform supports it, build in:
This turns your loyalty program into more than a reward engine. It becomes a learning and engagement hub that builds real expertise in your ecosystem. And when customers invest time in learning your platform, they're much less likely to leave it.
✅ Loyalty through enablement is a long-game strategy, but it's one of the most effective.
You're dealing with high-value transactions, sensitive data, and multiple stakeholders. Don't compromise on security.
Your platform should include:
Even if fraud risk seems low, having controls in place gives partners peace of mind, and makes your program enterprise-ready.
Finally, make sure your loyalty engine plugs into your existing systems without creating data silos or bottlenecks. Look for:
✅ The more deeply your loyalty program is embedded into your ecosystem, the more natural and effective it becomes.
The right B2B loyalty platform will help you grow it, optimize it, and adapt it over time. You might be running a points-based system, a tiered rewards model, or a behavior-driven engagement program. Irrespective, the platform is your foundation.
Enterprise loyalty software tools like Open Loyalty are built specifically for B2B complexity, giving you control over rules, rewards, user roles, and integrations. That means less time wrestling with limitations, and more time building something that actually drives loyalty.
Perhaps you already know that you need a loyalty program badly. You can get started much faster than your competitors. Launch your B2B loyalty system in a few weeks with pre-built accelerator projects. Let me walk you through the useful loyalty app features you can have on the spot.
1. Participants can earn points in the app for scanning codes on packages or manually reporting purchases.
2. Participants can earn points for purchases as part of ever-changing loyalty campaigns. Campaigns may vary depending on the type of reseller and their past purchase history.
3. Participants can be notified of new promotions via SMS, email, or push notification.
4. Participants can redeem the accumulated and confirmed points for attractive prizes.
5. In addition to rewards for collaboration and product sales, participants can hone their skills through advanced training and courses.
This is just an example I used to emphasize that your loyalty program can be fully customized to your needs and loyalty trends.
In B2B, loyalty works differently. It's slower, deeper, and built on mutual trust over time – not points, gimmicks, or short-term perks.
You've seen how companies use loyalty programs to keep their partners close, offer something extra, and create systems that support growth. The best programs feel natural to use, aligned with real business needs, and respectful of how B2B decisions get made.
If you're starting from scratch, no need to overcomplicate it. Begin with a simple structure, focus on something your partners care about, and build from there. You'll learn what works fast, and the feedback will point you in the right direction.
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