THE ESSENTIALS

App Types

CRM.COM offers four different ready-made, front-end apps to choose from:

• Contact App - A mobile app for the contacts (customers) of the business, allowing them to place real-time orders and track/manage their finances.

• Contact Portal - An alternative to the contact app, this user-friendly web portal has the same features as the contact app.

• Merchant App - A mobile app for business users (especially for businesses without POS integration), allowing Purchase Events to be submitted to CRM.COM to award the business’s contacts and/or retrieve payment for their purchases.

• Captive Portal - An interface allowing contacts to connect to a WiFi network, authenticate, and access a WiFi portal.

Modules

Modules represent the features supported by an app and the options vary from app to app. They can be easily enabled or disabled through the back-end, and the contact will see the respective changes upon the app's next launch without the need to republish the app on the stores again.

Publishing Apps

When you have configured your app in the back-end system, you can request a version to review before it’s submitted to the stores for publishing. Publishing the apps to the stores is required for the Contact App and the Merchant App.

Marketplace & Single Business

When an app is created in the back-end system, CRM.COM allocates an ordering model based on established configurations. If any of the business's Merchants possess at least one product, the app configuration is classified as Marketplace; otherwise, it adopts the Single Business ordering model. A Marketplace app allows the contact to select the merchant they would like to order from.

Managing the Apps

To view existing Apps or configure a new one, navigate to Settings > Platform > Contact Facing Essentials > Apps.

Open

Creating a New App

Select the +Create Application option to start configuring the new app.

Open

• Name - Provide the app name as you want it to appear on the app’s landing page.

• App Type - Select one of the App types.

• Description - Optionally provide a description of the app, for internal use only.

Configuring the Contact App & Contact Portal

Once the App definition has been created, click on the options button and select View to view and edit the App configuration.

The configuration settings for both the Contact App and Contact Portal are the same.

The configuration is divided into three main areas:

• Appearance - These settings control the visual aspects of the app interface, including colours, homepage skins, app mode (light or dark), as well as creatives and images.

• Features - Set up legal information for the app, navigation links to external websites, app modules defining user actions, and shortcut button labels.

• Platform Details - This section contains the unique identifiers required for publishing the app.

Appearance

These settings affect the appearance of the customer-facing app.

Colours

Define the colours that will dynamically change the appearance of the app.

• Landing Page - The landing page is the screen where a contact is prompted to register or sign in the the app.

  • Background Colour - Select a colour to be applied to the landing page as a background.

  • Image - Upload an image file or a Lottie file for the landing page background, in cases where a colour and an image are both configured, the image takes precedence over the colour.

• Primary Colour - Used for buttons, link text, selected tabs and icons. Typically you would use one of your branding colours.

• Secondary Colour - Used for unselected buttons and options. Typically you would use one of your branding colours.

Homepage Skins

Select a layout for your app’s home screen (not applicable to the portal).

App Mode

Select either the light or dark mode theme for your app. Again, this could be based on your branding.

Creatives

• App Logo - The app logo should be your business logo, it appears on the landing page and is used throughout the front-end in the following ways:

  • Displayed on the Home screen to represent your business.

  • Shown on the CRM.COM Wallet screen to indicate business-related balances (Business Pocket and Business Commerce Pocket).

  • If a specific image is not provided for products, reward offers, donations, and promotions, the app logo image will be used as the default image.

• Carousel - Optionally upload one or more images to appear on the Home screen in rotation. These are particularly useful for highlighting your business services or new products and offers.

Features

Manage the features of the app.

About

Configure important legal and communication information regarding your business, such as information About the app, Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, FAQs and Contact details. This information is accessible from the app’s Formalities menu option.

It is possible to use rich text content for each section or, alternatively, use a URL to redirect the contact to other existing content. URLs open in an embedded browser. There is also the option to use a template for your terms & conditions and privacy policy, just make sure that you read the contents and make any necessary changes such as adding your business name where needed.

Marketing

The Marketing section allows for the configuration of URLs, that are displayed at the bottom of the app's Home screen. The URL allows the contact to navigate to an embedded browser.

Edit the Embedded Browser Links and enable the toggle. Then, add a Title, URL, and Image for each link. You can also provide a translation for the link title in another language by selecting the +Add Language button. The available languages are those defined in Settings > Platform > Languages.

Modules

Configure the app’s features. Some options can't be disabled (marked as locked ), and others may need additional configuration. Any changes are applied dynamically on the next launch of the app.

CONTACTS

• Contacts will be identified using their Wallet code in the form of a (Barcode/QR code) - Each contact in CRM.COM is uniquely identified by their CRM.COM Wallet code in front-end apps. Choose between a barcode or QR format based on how your contacts will be identified at the POS when purchasing.

• Support communities? - Contacts can create their own communities for funding and wallet sharing purposes.

• Supported profile details (birthday, gender, nameday) - Allow your contacts to provide additional personal details via the front-end app. Create related reward offers to award your contacts for completing their details and use this information to create improved targeted segmentation.

• Contacts based in the following countries (of agreement) can use the app - Restrict the countries where contacts are located and can use the app. If not specified, then the countries of agreement configured for the business in Settings > Platform > Countries will be used.

• Default app language - Select the default language when launching the app. The user can change this to another language.

CRM

• Support Service Request? - Contacts can submit service requests to the business using the app.

FINANCE

• Redeem Pass Contacts can redeem their (gift) passes through the app, thus crediting one of their business pockets with the value of the pass. If your pass plans have been configured using PINs, you must also select the PIN option.

• Allow pass redemption during registration - If enabled, a contact must also provide a pass code when registering with the business.

• Support Wallet Top-Up - Contacts can add money to their wallet using one of their payment methods. Specify the currencies available for topping-up the wallet and the suggested amounts.

  • Contacts can also add funds to their Commerce Pocket by selecting a Commerce Pool, which applies specific spending conditions to the top-up amount. This option is available via the app only if there’s at least one Commerce Pool marked as Available in top-ups via the back-end (Commerce > Commerce Pools).

• Support wallet payout - Allow automatically redeemable reward offers to be paid out to the contact's selected payment method.

• Support wallet transfer - Community owners can transfer funds from their own Wallet to their community member's wallets. You can also choose which pocket the contacts can transfer to (Business pocket or Business Commerce pocket, or both).

• Support payment methods management - Will the app support payment gateway integrations for ordering and rewards purposes? If yes, then choose one or more of the business’s configured Payment Gateways to use.

ORDERS

Enable the Orders feature to allow contacts to place orders via the app.

• Support pick-up/delivery/direct sale supply method - Enable the toggles representing the supported order supply methods for your business (pick-up and delivery of physical goods, direct sale for subscription services). Also, select the order queues to which the respective orders will be channelled.

• Preferred organisation orders - Allows Contacts to choose a favourite location which will be suggested as the pick-up/delivery location on every order.

• Support Explicit Order Catalogues - You can restrict which order catalogues your contacts can place orders from.

• Support payment with account funds - Contacts can fully/partially pay for their order using money from their account.

• Support payment with wallet funds - Contacts can use their CRM.COM Wallet funds to pay for their order, there is also an option to restrict the use of wallet funds unless they cover the entire basket amount.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Applicable for businesses supporting subscription services.

• Supported Subscription Actions - Select the type of actions that contacts can perform for their existing subscriptions (i.e. Change billing day, Change payment method).

• Supported Service Actions - Select the actions a contact can take against a subscription service (i.e. Activate, Deactivate, Change, Cancel, Pause, Resume, Regret).

• Allowed Changes to Scheduled Actions - Select the options a contact can apply to a planned service action (i.e. Cancel, Update). For example, a contact can cancel a change of service they had previously requested.

CUSTOMER EVENTS

• Support reclaim purchase - Allow your contacts to claim their purchases by either scanning the QR code/barcode on their receipt or manually entering the transaction code using the app. This feature is especially useful for Purchase Events submitted to CRM.COM from an external system, but without any contact identification. A contact has up to 48 hours to claim their purchase and be awarded.

• Support contact’s reward tiering - Enable this option if your business supports reward tiering for its contacts. This will also allow contacts to view reward tiering information such as their current tier level, units accumulated to date, and the number of units needed to reach the next tier level.

• Support refer a friend? (Email/Phone) - Allow contacts to refer a friend to the business, and select the communication method. Ensure that you have the correct communication integrations configured to send the communication.

• Support spending (with an OTP and an alternative token code)? (Amount, null) - Contacts wishing to pay for a purchase with funds from their CRM.COM Wallet can be identified at the POS via an OTP and/or token code. If enabled, this option also allows you to specify whether contacts can set the amount they wish to spend when generating the OTP and you can also choose the token code format.

Shortcuts

The following shortcuts are always enabled with their default labels and cannot be removed. However, if you disable the corresponding option in the ‘Modules’ tab, the shortcut will be hidden from the front end. For example, if the ‘Support Communities’ option is not enabled, the ‘My Communities’ shortcut will not appear in the app.

Platform Details

This section contains the unique App ID and version number. The App ID is used when submitting the app to the stores for publishing, while a feature of the app uses the version number to notify app user that a new version is available for download.

CRM.COM will complete and manage these settings on your behalf.

Contact Registration Methods

Also visit the Contact Authentication & Identities system setting where you can define how your contacts will register via front-end apps.

Publishing the App

When you have configured your app settings and are ready to review your app, you can inform CRM.COM by clicking on the Request app to review button. We will provide you with an app to review, and when you are satisfied, we will submit it to the stores for approval (applicable for the Contact App and Merchant App, not for the Contact Portal). If you are configuring a portal, we will send you a link to review your portal.

Configuring the Merchant App

Once the App has been created, select the options button, then View to view and edit the merchant app settings.

There are three main areas to configure:

• Appearance - Configure colours for the Merchant app user interface, which is very similar to the Contact App and Contact Portal settings.

• Features - Configure the options available to the Merchant app users.

• Platform Details - App Store and Google Play publishing details.

Appearance

Set the colours for the Merchant app UI.

Colours

Select the colours to be used. All users (whether business or merchant users) will see the same colour settings.

• Background Colour - Select your preferred colour for your landing page (sign-in screen) background.

• Primary Colour - This colour will be applied to buttons, text links, and selectable options.

• Secondary Colour - Select the colour of the text on the landing page and the dashboard screen.

Features

Feature settings vary slightly, depending on whether the Merchant app has been configured on the Service Owner or Business level.

App Actions

The selected options affect the spending actions available to the contact via the Merchant app.

CUSTOMER EVENTS

• Allow spending by manually entering the desired amount - This option enables the Merchant app user to manually enter the specific amount that the contact wishes to spend from their wallet.

• Allow automatic spending - The amount to be spent can be determined either by an OTP provided by the contact (via the contact app or portal) or automatically calculated based on the available funds in the CRM.COM Wallet.

• Allow spending the full purchase amount - The entire transaction amount is paid for using the CRM.COM Wallet, which may draw from the contact’s payment method if needed. Funds are first sourced from the Business Commerce Pocket, followed by the Business Pocket. If these balances are insufficient to cover the full purchase amount, then the contact's payment method linked to their CRM.COM Wallet will be charged for the remaining balance.

TRANSACTION RESTRICTION

• Allow purchase only if requested spend amount is fully covered from the available wallet balance - This option only appears if either the ‘Allow automatic spending’ or ‘Allow spending the full purchase amount’ options are enabled, and works as follows:

  • Enabled - The Purchase Event transaction will only be successfully submitted if the contact’s available wallet funds can cover (pay) for the whole amount of the purchase. If not, then the Purchase Event will fail.

  • Disabled - The Purchase Event transaction is submitted and the system will consume as much of the contact’s wallet funds as possible. The Merchant app will respond with the amount actually spent, and the remaining amount can be paid for by the contact using another payment method, e.g. cash.

Platform Details

CRM.COM will manage these settings for you and provide a unique App ID that will be used for publishing the app.

Using the Merchant App

A user can log into the Merchant app using the same email and password used for the CRM.COM back-end system. If the user is associated with multiple businesses, they will be prompted to select the business for which they want to submit purchases. If the selected business has multiple venues, or the user is a merchant user, they will be asked to choose a venue.

Submitting a Purchase

When the user has successfully logged in, they will see the main screen with four action buttons:

• Identify - The contact is simply identified using their CRM.COM Wallet code which is available as a QR code or barcode on the contact app or contact web portal or mobile pass card (based on configuration). The purchase is submitted and the contact is awarded by the relevant reward offers. There is no option to spend from the contact’s CRM.COM Wallet.

• Accept Payment - The contact is identified and pays for their purchase using their CRM.COM Wallet funds.

• Accept Payment with Gift Pass - The contact is identified using their physical gift card number and payment is made using the gift card.

• Merchant Tools - Provides the ability for the user to see the transactions they have submitted for the day, and an option to cancel a purchase based on User Role permissions.

Regardless of which of the first three options is chosen, it is necessary to identify the Contact. A contact can be recognised by using the Merchant app to scan or manually enter one of these three codes:

• CRM.COM Wallet code - This is visible to the contact when they sign-in to the Contact App, Contact Portal or open their Mobile Pass card, and can be in the form of a barcode or QR code. For the Contact App and Portal, the wallet code is a dynamically generated 16 digit code. On the Mobile Pass, it’s a static code (must be configured to show this code).

• Contact OTP - Identify the Contact using the OTP generated through the Contact App, Contact Portal or Mobile Pass Card (must be configured to show OTP). Subject to system settings, the Contact can generate an OTP with/out the spend amount and provide the OTP to the Merchant app user.

• Gift Pass Code - Identify the Contact by inputting or scanning the barcode of the gift pass they present.

Merchant Tools

This screen shows the transactions submitted by the logged-in user for the day.

Business users can cancel purchase transactions by swiping left on a specific transaction. When a purchase is cancelled, the associated rewards and spends are also reversed.

To block a user from cancelling Purchase Events, assign them a User Role with the Manage Customer Events option disabled. Navigate to User Roles via Settings > Security > User Roles to do this.

Switching to Another Business

A signed-in user can switch to another Business without signing out of the app, by clicking on their profile icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen and selecting the Switch Business option.

Other Settings Impacting the Merchant App

Aside from the Merchant app settings mentioned above, reviewing the following back-end system settings is recommended to ensure smooth functionality of the Merchant app and proper submission of Purchase Events to CRM.COM.

Contact App and Contact Portal

Navigate to Settings > Platform > Apps > select an app > Features > Modules.

• Support spending (with an OTP and an alternative token code) - The spend option is always enabled on the Contact App and Contact Portal, however, the business can also select whether the amount to be spent can be set by the contact, as well as the format of the OTP code.

Mobile Pass Cards

Navigate to Settings > Platform > Mobile Pass Cards > Apple Design/Google Design.

• Back - Add a field for One Time Password to allow contacts to generate an OTP using their mobile pass card (if supported by your business).

Learn more about Mobile Pass Cards here.

Auto Top-up Wallet

Navigate to Settings > Financials > Auto Top-Up.

Mange how the contacts CRM.COM Wallet is used as a payment method.

• Enable Automatic Top-up - The CRM.COM Wallet for the contact will automatically top up from its funding source when a payment is made, but only if the wallet does not have enough funds to cover the total amount. The amount topped up will be equal to the remaining balance. This option is applicable if the Allow spending the full purchase amount setting is enabled in the Customer Events options for the Merchant app. The purchase submission will fail in cases where the contact doesn’t have a funding method linked to their CRM.COM Wallet.

Configuring the Captive Portal

Reference Material

You may also find it useful to refer to the following manuals for further reading in relation to the CRM.COM Apps.

Contacts

Contacts

Orders

Orders

Reward Offers

Reward Offers

Business Network

Business Network

Publishing Apps

Publishing Apps

CRM.COM Wallet

CRM.COM Wallet