API integrationy
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of ways and rules by which different programs can communicate with each other and exchange data
How API integration works
According to statistics, every second brand works with a loyalty program manually: cashiers independently calculate the amount of the discount, put stamps on the cards and keep track of customers somewhere in Excel or Google spreadsheets. Perhaps at the first stages of business development, this is enough, but when there are many customers, problems begin:
- Manual data processing starts to take too much time.
- Cashiers often make mistakes, leading to customer frustration.
- It becomes almost impossible to calculate the effectiveness of various bonus systems and mechanics, which dilutes their value for businesses and customers.
To solve these problems, we added to EfirCards the ability to integrate with cash register systems via API, which allows companies to fully automate their loyalty programs without involving IT specialists.
What is an API?
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of ways and rules by which different programs can communicate with each other and exchange data. This interaction is accomplished through functions, classes, and methods of one program that are called upon by others. Actually, this is the main principle of API operation.
How the cash register system interacts with EfirCards via API
To understand the logic of API operation, we suggest considering a simple example. Let's say you are the owner of a cafe, and a customer comes to you - the owner of an Efir stamp card for another "Americano". During the transaction, the API terminal transmits information about the purchase to EfirCards. At the same moment, the client's card is automatically stamped, transaction details are recorded in his "Transaction History", and if you have set up a trigger mailing, the buyer is also sent a corresponding message.
The main thing is that it happens automatically, without the participation of the cashier. Therefore, the employee does not have to spend time on additional actions and delay service, and the customer is guaranteed to get a stamp on the card, since the program never fails. In the future, by analyzing the statistics of the use of discount cards and the amount of transactions in EfirCards, you will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of each of your loyalty mechanisms and make effective management decisions.
What data is transferred to EfirCards
After integration with the cash register system, EfirCards will be able to receive information about the date and amount of all transactions, which will allow you to fully automate your loyalty program. Using this data, the service will be able to:
- Automatically credit customers with bonuses and cashback.
- Calculate the amount of discounts individually for each client, depending on the amount of money spent by them.
- Apply the set amount of the discount to transactions.
- Put stamps on cards.
- Deduct bonuses spent by the client from the account. Form detailed analytics for business.
How to integrate your POS system with EfirCards via API:
- Log in to EfirCards.
- Go to "Settings" and select the "API Integrations" section.
- Generate an API key and add it to your checkout system.
On the same page you will find step-by-step video instructions and documentation. With their help, you can do the integration yourself in just a few minutes.
