Use case
Remind customers before their loyalty points expire on WhatsApp
A simple, factual WhatsApp reminder sent before a customer's loyalty points lapse, with their balance and how to redeem it before the deadline.
By Broadchat teamPublished 4 min read
How the flow works
Points and an expiry date are tracked per customer
Your loyalty programme, whether run in a POS system, an ecommerce platform or a spreadsheet export, already knows each customer's current point balance and when the oldest unredeemed points lapse.
A segment of soon-to-expire balances is built
A short time before points are due to lapse (for example, two to three weeks out and again a few days out), a segment or import identifies customers with a non-zero balance expiring in that window.
A reminder is sent with the exact balance
Each customer receives a message naming their specific point balance, its value if redeemable for a discount, and the expiry date, so the message is clearly about their own account, not a generic nudge.
Redemption is made easy from the chat
The message links to how to redeem (in-store, on checkout, or by replying to a chatbot step that applies the points to a draft order), so there is a one-tap path from reminder to use.
Unredeemed balances are tracked after expiry
Point lapses are logged so the business can see whether the reminder reduced how many points actually expire unused, and adjust timing or wording for the next cycle.
Business: Hi Priya, you have 450 reward points with Sunrise Clinic Wellness Store, worth ₹450 off your next order. They expire on 30 Nov. Reply REDEEM to use them on your next visit.
Customer: REDEEM
Business: Noted. Show this chat at the counter on your next visit, or if you're ordering online, your points will be applied automatically at checkout.
Customer: Can I combine it with the festive discount?
Business: I'll check with the team and confirm here shortly.
The problem this solves
Loyalty points that quietly expire unused help nobody: the customer loses value they earned, and the business loses a visit that redemption would likely have brought with it. Most loyalty programmes already know the balance and the expiry date; the only missing piece is telling the customer in time to act, which a single generic "check your points" email or app notification often fails to do.
A WhatsApp reminder works because it is read quickly and can carry the customer's own exact number and a clear next step, rather than a balance the customer has to log in somewhere else to see.
Writing the reminder
This is a marketing template if it is promotional in tone, or can be treated as a utility-style account notice if it strictly reports the customer's own existing balance and deadline without added promotion; check how your approved template reads and keep it factual either way: a figure, a value, a date and one action. Avoid pairing it with an unrelated sale announcement in the same message, which tips it toward marketing and should then only go to customers opted in for offers.
Building the flow in Broadchat
- Export or sync each customer's point balance and expiry date into a CRM → Super Field (or import it as a CSV against existing contacts).
- Build a CRM → Segment for contacts with a non-zero balance expiring within your chosen reminder window (for example, 14 to 21 days out).
- Send the reminder template to that segment from CRM → Bulk Campaign, timed so a second, shorter-notice reminder goes out a few days before expiry to anyone who has not redeemed yet.
- Add a chatbot keyword trigger on "REDEEM" that replies with how to use the points, and tags the contact so your team can follow up if needed.
- Re-run the segment after each expiry cycle and compare the balance that actually lapsed against the balance you reminded about.
What results to expect
The effect depends on your programme's typical balance size and how often customers already visit, so compare your own expired-unused rate before and after you start, rather than assuming a fixed improvement. A redemption also frequently comes with an additional purchase beyond the points' value, which is worth tracking separately from the reminder's direct effect.
Broadchat modules used
- Message templates
- CRM Super Fields
- CRM Segments
- Bulk Campaign
- Chatbot builder
Industries: Retail, Salons and spas, Restaurants, Ecommerce
What to measure
- Redemption rate: the share of reminded customers who use at least some of their points before expiry.
- Points expired unused, compared with the same cohort before you started sending reminders.
- Repeat-visit rate within the reminder window, since a redemption often comes with an additional purchase.
- Opt-out rate on loyalty messages, to check the reminder frequency is not seen as nagging.
Sources
- Get opt-in for WhatsApp — Meta for Developers, checked 5 November 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a loyalty points expiry reminder a marketing message?
It depends on how it reads. A message that strictly reports the customer's own existing balance and deadline, without added promotion, can be treated as a factual account notice; if it mixes in a sale pitch, treat it as marketing and send it only to customers opted in for offers.
How far before expiry should I send the reminder?
A first reminder two to three weeks before expiry and a second a few days before gives customers two chances to act without feeling nagged. More than that risks annoyance and opt-outs.
Can I automate the redemption itself inside WhatsApp?
You can automate telling the customer how to redeem and tagging that they intend to, but applying the discount usually happens at your point of sale or checkout system, not inside the chat itself, unless your ecommerce platform supports applying loyalty points to a WhatsApp-initiated order.
Does this work for a small business without a formal loyalty system?
Yes, as long as you track some version of a customer's accumulated value or visits and a point at which it would otherwise lapse. A spreadsheet export into Broadchat's CRM custom fields is enough to start.