Customer Accounts and Credit at the Till
How to create customer profiles by capturing phone numbers at the till, build a customer database in AskBiz, and use customer accounts for account sales and store credit.
Key Takeaways
- Customer profiles are created automatically when a cashier captures a phone number at the till.
- Each profile tracks purchase history, lifetime value, and loyalty points.
- Account credit can be applied to a customer's profile for use on future purchases.
- The Customers dashboard shows all profiles, purchase history, and customer segments.
Building your customer database from the till
The Customers page in AskBiz shows all customer profiles created from your POS. Profiles are created automatically when a cashier captures a customer's phone number during a sale — the prompt appears at the payment step. Once a phone number is entered, AskBiz creates or updates the customer record with the transaction details. Over time this builds a complete purchase history per customer, visible in Operations > Customers. The page currently shows 'No customers yet' — profiles grow as cashiers capture numbers.
Capturing a customer's number at the till
When completing a sale, the till shows a prompt: 'Add customer number for receipt and loyalty?' The cashier can type the number directly or ask the customer to tap their phone on an NFC reader if available. Once entered, AskBiz links the transaction to that customer's profile. If the phone number already exists in the system, the customer's name and previous purchase history appear — useful for recognising regular customers and personalising service. This step is optional — if the customer declines, the sale completes normally without a profile link.
What's stored in a customer profile
Each customer profile contains: name, phone number, total spend (lifetime value), number of purchases, first and last visit dates, average spend per visit, loyalty points balance, and a full transaction history. Managers can view individual profiles by clicking on a customer name in the Customers list. This data feeds the Customer report (under Operations > Reports) which shows retention rates, top spenders, and customer segments — letting you identify who your most valuable customers are.
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AskBiz tracks these metrics automatically — just connect your data and start asking questions.
Start for free →Applying store credit to a customer account
When a refund is processed and the manager chooses store credit instead of cash back, the credit amount is added to the customer's profile. At the next purchase, the cashier can search for the customer by phone number at the till, see the available credit, and apply it to the basket. Store credit reduces the payment required and the balance is deducted from the customer's profile automatically. The credit balance and all usage is visible in the customer's profile history.
Using the Customer Loyalty dashboard
Operations > Customer Loyalty shows: Total customers, Repeat customers, Repeat rate (%), and Avg lifetime value. These metrics tell you how good your business is at retaining customers who come back. If Repeat rate is low, consider activating a loyalty programme — AskBiz's Loyalty feature (under Operations > Loyalty) lets you award points per KSh spent and redeem them as discounts. This gives customers an incentive to give their phone number at the till, growing your database faster.
Segmenting customers for targeted promotions
The Customer report under Operations > Reports shows customer segments — groups like 'High spenders', 'At risk of lapsing', and 'New customers'. Use these segments to target promotions: send a loyalty offer to your top 20 spenders via the Email marketing integration (Mailchimp or Brevo), or create a win-back offer for customers who haven't purchased in 60 days. Each promotion you run through these segments can be tracked against the Promotions & Discounts dashboard to measure uptake.