Summary

The Tiers functionality in Annex Cloud is a key component of loyalty program, designed to structure customer engagement and incentivize long-term brand interaction. By implementing a tiered system, businesses can reward customers for their continued participation, encouraging higher levels of engagement and fostering deeper loyalty. This system allows customers to progress through different levels based on predefined milestones, unlocking exclusive benefits and enhanced rewards as they advance.

The Tiers feature offers a robust and highly customizable framework which enables administrators to create, manage, and optimize tier programs tailored to their specific business objectives. This functionality provides control over tier conditions, benefit structures, eligibility criteria, and retention policies, ensuring that loyalty programs align with business strategies while maximizing customer satisfaction.

By effectively utilizing the Tiers functionality, brands can personalize the loyalty experience, increase customer retention, and drive higher lifetime value. The following sections outline the key capabilities, configuration process, and best practices to ensure optimal performance and strategic execution of tier programs.

Navigation: Products > Tier (New)

Capabilities

1. Active Program: Displays the active program configured under the Tiers. There are two types of programs:

1. Active: A program which is currently live.
2. Inactive: Programs which are in draft, scheduled, or archived status.

At any given time, only one program can be active. You have the option to create multiple programs simultaneously; however, you can select only one program to activate. This feature offers the flexibility to switch between various programs, making them active or inactive as needed.

NOTE: At the top of the page, you'll see a dialog box showing information about the tier. To close it, simply click the "X" icon as shown in the image below. Once closed, it won't appear again on the site. Additionally, the close (X) icon on this dialog box will appear only after at least one program has been created.

 

 

2. All Programs: It displays all the programs configured under Tiers, with a maximum of ten tier programs that can be configured at one time. Under "All Programs," you can view both active and inactive programs, providing an overall overview of all the programs configured. Within a program, you can set multiple tiers, allowing the administrator to switch between programs as per business needs. Additionally, you can filter the program data using options such as All, Draft, Scheduled, Live, and Archived, as shown in the image below.

NOTE: If a program's tier setup is incomplete or the configuration is not fully completed, a red icon will appear in the top-right corner of the program card on the All Programs page. For example, in the image below, the red icon indicates that User EA : Program-1 is not fully configured.

 

3. Create New Program

Here, you have the option to create a new program which serves as a structured framework for creating multiple tiers and awarding benefits to members based on their level of engagement. Within this program, you can develop various tiers and define their specifications, including the program name, start date, tier attributes, and tier benefits. Prior to launching the program, you can review all the information provided. Click "Create New Program" located under either "Active Program" or "All Programs" to start the process.

Configurations 

To create a new tier program, follow these steps. After clicking "Create New Program”, you will be directed to a new page where you must provide the required information. There are three steps to configure the tier program.

Step 1: Information Submission for the Settings Page

To configure the tier program, provide all the required information.

1. Program Name: Enter a unique name for the program. It must not duplicate any existing program names. This field is mandatory.

2. Description: Provide a summary of the tier program.

3. Effective Date: Specify the date the program will go live. This must be a future date; backdated or current dates are not allowed. This field is mandatory.

NOTE: The effective date configured above will also be visible on the Active Program page and the Program Review page, as shown in the images below.

Active Program Page:

Program Review page:

 

 

4. Enable manual member tier assignment: Enable this flag if you want to manually assign tiers to members. You can do this from the tier report section or through the tier API method.

Once you have entered all the required information, click "Save and Continue" to proceed to the next step in configuring the program.

NOTE: Manual tier assignment logs for members can also be viewed in the Audit Report.

Navigation: Products > Additional Loyalty Settings > Audit Report

 

Step 2: Tier Attributes and Their Conditions

In this step, you will need to provide information regarding tier attributes along with their corresponding entry conditions.

The Tier Attribute Page contains the following information which you need to fill out:

1. Tier Level: Enter a unique numeric value for the tier level. Tiers are organized sequentially, starting from tier 1 (the lowest) and increasing numerically (2, 3 ). For example, enter "1" for the first tier. Each tier level distinguishes the hierarchy of the tiers, and sequential tiers must be in ascending order.

2. Tier ID: Enter a unique tier ID which you wish to assign to this particular tier. For example, you can use “Tier1.”

3. Tier Name: Enter the official name of the tier. For example, “Gold.”

4. Tier Display Name: Enter the name you would like displayed on the loyalty dashboard. For example, "Gold".

5. Tier Color: Select a color from the color picker to assign to this tier. When you click the color box, a color picker pop-up will appear, allowing you to choose a color. By default, a random color will be assigned to the tier if no selection is made. This has no functional impact but helps administrators and members visually distinguish between tiers when viewing them in the active program.

6. Additional Metadata: Provide any additional information which can assist members. This field can be used to store additional data related to a tier which is not supported by the standard fields, allowing the administrator to define and save this information. For example, if a member is currently in the Gold tier and the next tier is VIP, you can use "Next Tier" as the key and "VIP" as the value. This will indicate to the member in the Gold tier that their next tier will be VIP.

After providing all the required attribute details, click "Save and Continue" to proceed to the condition page, where you will need to specify the entry conditions for the tier.

Conditions	Description
Time Dimension	Select “Tier Earned Date to 365 Days” to evaluate member activities for entry conditions.   Tier Earned Date to 365 Days: This time frame begins with the tier assigned to a member and extends for the next 365 days. During this period, all of the member’s actions are evaluated, and awards are given based on their activities. As a result, tier upgrades or downgrades are determined by this evaluation.
Entry Condition	Entry conditions establish the criteria for a member to qualify for a particular tier. These criteria can be based on a variety of metrics, including purchase amount, lifetime points, available points, net earnings, extended attributes, or specific actions taken by the member. Set the metric required to achieve this tier from the following predefined options:     Lifetime Points: The sum of all loyalty points credited or accumulated from the opt-in date until the current date. Debit actions are not considered. Available Points: Total credits (points earned) minus total debits (returns, expiration, redemption, manual debit, etc.) from the opt-in date until the current date.  Net Earned: Total credits (points earned) minus total debits (excluding actions-106 and 107)  Purchase Amount: Total amount spent + amount from manual spending - total amount from returns, discounts, and cancellations.  Extended Attributes: In this option, the entry condition can be configured based on the extended attributes defined. For instance, if the extended attribute is Location and you wish to select only those members who belong to the USA, simply choose USA in the metric value adjacent to the extended attribute.   Next, select one of the options from the operator drop-down list, which includes equal to, less than, greater than, less than or equal to, and greater than or equal to. This will set the condition for the metric. After choosing the appropriate operator, enter the numeric value in the corresponding value column.   Example: If a member is currently in the Gold tier, and the entry condition for the VIP tier (as shown in the image below), which is the next tier, is configured, then the member must spend over $200 within a 365-day period, starting from the date they are assigned to the Gold tier, in order to qualify for the VIP tier.   If you wish to add more entry conditions, click “+ Add Condition” and follow the same process mentioned above. Note: See tips for configuring entry conditions for your tiers, refer For Entry Condition
Retention Period	It is a duration during which a member's tier cannot be downgraded. This period starts on the same day the tier is assigned to the member. For instance, if the retention period is set at 100 days, a member's tier cannot be downgraded within this timeframe. After the completion of 100 days, if the member fails to meet the necessary criteria for their current tier, a downgrade will be implemented. If there is only one tier or if the member is already in the lowest tier among multiple tiers, the tier will not be downgraded. You can select the duration in days, months, weeks, or years.     NOTE: The same Retention Period configured above can also be viewed in the following pages: 1. Tier Review Page: After completing the tier configuration, click the Quick View button, as shown in the image below, to view the retention period details.   2. Program Review Page: Click the Quick View button on the Program Review page to view the retention period information, as shown in the image below.   3. Active Program Page: When you expand the tier section by clicking the Quick View button, the retention period information will be displayed, as shown in the image below.

After setting all entry conditions, click “Save and Continue”. The following page will display all the tiers configured for this tier program.

Step 3: Review Tier Details

After configuring the tier details, click "Save and Continue" to proceed to the Review page, where you can examine all the information you have provided.

Once you have reviewed all the configured details, click "Save and Continue" to complete the tier configuration process.

Tier Benefits

After configuring the tier's condition, you can set benefits for a tier. By clicking on "Benefits," you will be directed to the benefits page where you can configure them.

On the benefits page, you will find the following options:

Options	Descriptions
+ Add Benefit	To add a benefit, click “+ Add Benefit”. A pop-up page will appear where you need to select an option based on the type of benefit you wish to provide.   Benefit Type:  There are two types of benefits which can be selected from the dropdown list: Welcome Award: The welcome award is a unique incentive provided to new members upon their initial enrollment in the tier. Its primary aim is to promote sign-ups, foster a positive first impression, and motivate early engagement with the program. For instance, if the administrator designates the welcome award as 100 points, new members will receive 100 points upon joining the tier for the first time. Purchase Benefit: This is an award given to a member based on the purchase ratio and action limits set for a tier within the “Benefits” section. It is designed to motivate members to engage more, make repeat purchases, or increase their spending within the program. For example, if the benefit for a tier is set as follows: Award Type = Purchase Ratio Points Ratio = 2 Then, a member will receive a benefit of 200 points if they make a purchase of $200.   Award Type:  Select the award from the dropdown list. This list will change based on the benefit type selected. Benefit Details:  Here, you need to enter the numerical value or option which sets the criteria for the benefit. For example, if you wish to set the benefit based on reward points, you need to enter the points value which will be awarded to the member once they reach this tier.   Effective Date:  Select the date from which the benefit will be applicable for the members. Status:  You can choose to set the benefit as Active or Inactive at any time. Scenario 1: When the Benefit Type = Welcome Award and Award Type = Award Points In this scenario, you need to provide the number of points awarded to the member once they reach this tier and specify the expiration type: either rolling or calendar. If rolling is selected, the result appears in days, whereas calendar shows the result in weeks, months, or years. Effective Date:  Select the date when the benefit will go live. For example, in the image below, a member receives 50 points upon joining this tier, which will be live for 30 days starting from March 4, 2025.   Scenario 2: When the Benefit Type = Welcome Award and Award Type = Award Rewards In this scenario, select one of the benefit options from the dropdown list, which can be configured on the Rewards dashboard. Please refer to the Rewards documentation for more details on reward configuration, refer  Rewards. Next, define the expiration as either rolling or calendar. If rolling is selected, the result appears in days, whereas calendar shows the result in weeks, months, or years. Effective Date:  Select the date when the benefit will go live.     Scenario 3: When the Benefit Type = Purchase Benefit and Award Type = Purchase Ratio In this scenario, define the points ratio based on which the benefit will be awarded to the member once they join the tier.  For example, if the points ratio is set to 2 and the member makes a purchase of $100, then 200 points will be awarded to the member upon joining the current tier.   Scenario 4: When the Benefit Type = Purchase Benefit and Award Type = Action Limit and Expiration In this scenario, you will select an action from the drop down list of actions configured for the loyalty program. Actions can be configured on the Action dashboard. For more information on action configuration, follow this link Action Rules . Next, define the details of the benefit: Expiration: Choose between rolling or calendar expiration. If you select rolling, the results will be displayed in days. If you choose calendar, the results will appear in weeks, months, or years. Max Points: Enter the maximum number of points which will be awarded to the member once they complete the action.  Action Interval Limit: Specify the number of times a member can complete the action and receive points within a designated time frame, either in days or hours.   For example, in the image below, you can see that if a member meets the specified criteria, they can perform one action each day, with a maximum of 50 points awarded over the span of 30 days. The benefit will be valid for a total of 30 days.
Audit Logs	Click “Audit Logs” to access the benefit log screen, which displays changes made to tier benefits by program administrators.
View	To view tier attributes and conditions, click “View”. You can only view the details; editing is not permitted.
Filter option for benefits	To quickly find configured tier benefits, you can use the following filters:  Based on Benefit Type: Filter by benefit types such as Welcome Award and Purchase Benefit. Status: Filter based on the Active or Inactive status of the tier benefit. Search: Enter the tier benefit details to search for specific records.
Actions	In the Action menu, you have the following options:   Make Inactive: Click this to set the current benefit as inactive. Copy: Click “Copy” to duplicate the configured tier benefit. Audit Logs: Click “Audit Logs” to view detailed records of the events associated with the existing tier. Remove: To remove the existing tier benefit, click “Remove”.

Additional Options for a Configured Program

Once you have configured the tier and are ready to go live, you will have the following options:

NOTE: Once the program is live, you will have only two options: Audit Logs and Copy.

 

 

 

Click the three-dot icon as shown above to see all available options.

1. Edit: To modify the information you provided, click "Edit." This section allows you to change the settings, details, and attributes of the tier, as well as any configured conditions. After making your modifications, click "Save and Continue" to complete the changes. A program can be modified until it goes live; once it is live, it cannot be edited.

2. Validation Report: A program can have multiple tiers. This process lets you check which members will belong to which tier when the program starts, based on the entry condition for each tier. For example, on a site with 500 loyalty members, a program with two tiers, Tier1 and Tier2, is set up. When the program starts, some members might qualify for Tier1, some for Tier2, and some might not qualify for any tier. The validation process helps you see which member will be in which tier once the program goes live. After setting up the program, you can run a validation to generate a report showing whether the members meet the requirements for the tier. If some members don’t qualify, you can adjust the entry conditions to help them qualify. You can also choose to validate a certain percentage of members on the site where the program is set up. If you want to validate it for 100 percentage of the members then select 100%. Upon completing the validation, you will be able to download the report. An Excel file will be sent to your email, and you can download the report from there. For more details refer- Export Validation Report

3. Make Live: A live program is a dynamic, real-time initiative which enables members to engage instantly, delivering immediate benefits or interactions. It operates in a dynamic manner, offering up-to-date features and experiences. To activate the program, click "Make Live”. Only one program can be live at any given time. Once the program is live, you will not be able to edit the information provided during the setup process.

NOTE: The program schedule date must be a future date; only then it can be scheduled and go live. Otherwise, an error will be displayed, as shown in the image below.

 

 

Once the program is Live, it will appear on the Active Program page, as shown in the image below.

 

In a live program, each tier provides the following options:

• Audit Logs:

Click Audit Logs to view logs related to the tier attributes and their conditions, including details of who edited the entry and retention period conditions.

• View Tier’s Attributes and Conditions:

Clicking the View button will take you to the tier’s Attributes and Conditions page. This page is view-only, fields related to attributes and conditions cannot be edited. For example, clicking the View button for the Fly tier will take you to the following page where all relevant details are displayed.

 

• Quick View Button:

Clicking the Quick View button for a tier reveals its entry conditions, as well as the retention period, as shown in the image below.

 

4. Audit Logs: To view all program logs, click "Audit Logs”.

5. Copy: Click “Copy” to duplicate the configured program.

6. Remove: To remove the existing program, click “Remove”.

Export Validation Report 

After you download the validation report from your email address, you will see the following information: 

1. UID: Displays all the existing members associated with the specific site where the program is set up.
2. Expected Tier ID: Displays the tier ID corresponding to the tier which an existing member will qualify for once the configured program goes live.
3. Expected Tier Name: Displays the tier name corresponding to the tier which an existing member will qualify for once the configured program goes live.
4. Current Tier Name: Displays the member’s current tier name.

Managing Editable Fields in an Active Program

Within an active program, you have the option to edit specific fields to keep your configuration up to date. The editable fields include:

• Program Name
• Program Description
• Manual Member Tier Assignment (Toggle ON/OFF)
• Tier Name
• Tier Display Name
• Tier Color
• Additional Metadata

To edit any of these, click the three-dot menu (as shown in the image), then select Edit. You’ll be directed to a page where the editable fields can be updated.

Additional Options in the Menu

When you click the three-dot menu, you’ll also find two more options apart from Edit:

• Audit Logs: View the history of changes made to the active program, including who made the edits and when.
• Copy: This allows you to duplicate the current program setup. When you click Copy, a confirmation prompt will appear (as shown in the image). Once confirmed, all configured features of the live program will be copied.

Tips for Tier Entry Conditions 

Entry Conditions 

• Motivates members to reach specific criteria to gain access to higher-tier benefits, fostering increased involvement. 
• By offering better benefits or status at higher tiers, entry conditions can encourage long-term engagement with the program. 
• Provides members with clear guidelines on how to advance to a higher tier, helping them understand what is required to gain access to additional perks or resources. 
• Clear and achievable entry conditions significantly enhance member satisfaction, as participants feel recognised and rewarded for their efforts and contributions. 
• Strict entry conditions can exclude members who may have potential but do not meet the criteria, leading to frustration and disengagement. 
• Complex entry conditions can make the program harder to understand. 
• Frequent changes to the entry conditions can discourage members who are close to qualifying or have already worked hard to meet the original requirements.