Assigning Existing VIPs

Manually assign your existing VIP customers to appropriate tiers

Recognize your existing loyal customers by manually assigning them to higher tiers, even before historical data sync places them automatically.

Why Manually Assign VIPs?

When you launch a loyalty program, your best customers have already earned their VIP status through past purchases. Manual assignment:

• Immediately rewards loyalty - No waiting for data sync

• Makes a great impression - VIPs feel recognized from day one

• Generates goodwill - Start with a positive relationship

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Identifying Your VIPs

From Shopify Analytics

1. Go to Shopify Admin → Analytics → Reports

2. Run Sales by customer report

3. Sort by total spent (descending)

4. Export your top customers

Quick VIP Criteria

Tier	Suggested Criteria
Top Tier (Platinum/VIP)	Top 10-20 customers by lifetime spend
High Tier (Gold)	Top 50-100 customers
Mid Tier (Silver)	Customers above your average spend

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Manual Assignment Process

Method 1: Individual Assignment

For a small number of VIP customers:

1. Go to Customers in RewardsPro

2. Search for the customer by email or name

3. Click on their profile

4. Click Change Tier

5. Select the appropriate tier

6. Add a note: "VIP - Assigned at program launch"

7. Save

Method 2: Bulk Assignment

For many customers at once:

1. Go to Customers in RewardsPro

2. Use filters to find qualifying customers

3. Select multiple customers using checkboxes

4. Click Bulk Actions → Change Tier

5. Select the tier

6. Confirm the change

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Assignment Strategy

The "VIP Launch" Approach

Assign your absolute top customers to your highest tier before any data sync:

Day 1: Install RewardsPro
Day 1: Manually assign top 10-20 customers to Platinum
Day 2: Run historical data sync
Day 2: Let sync handle remaining tier placements

The "Generous Start" Approach

Give customers the benefit of the doubt at launch:

Assign to one tier HIGHER than data suggests:
- If data says Bronze → Assign Silver
- If data says Silver → Assign Gold

Rationale: Builds goodwill, customers feel rewarded
Note: They maintain tier through normal spending

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What to Include in Customer Notes

When manually assigning, add a note explaining why:

Good notes:

• "VIP - Top 10 customer by lifetime spend at launch"

• "Loyalty recognition - Long-term customer since 2019"

• "Manual upgrade - Compensation for [issue]"

Why notes matter:

• Explains non-standard tier placements

• Helps future staff understand history

• Creates audit trail

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Communicating with VIPs

Option 1: Personal Email

Send a personal note to your top customers:

Subject: You've been upgraded to [Tier Name]!

Hi [Name],

We're launching our new loyalty program, and as one of our
most valued customers, you've been automatically placed in
our [Tier Name] tier.

This means you'll earn [X]% back on every purchase starting now.

Thank you for your continued support!

[Your Store]

Option 2: Let Them Discover

Simply assign the tier and let customers see their status when they:

• View the loyalty widget

• Check their account

• Make their next purchase

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Edge Cases

Customer Disputes Their Tier

If a customer thinks they deserve a higher tier:

1. Check their order history in Shopify

2. Verify the evaluation period matches

3. If legitimate, manually upgrade

4. If not, explain the tier criteria

Customer Was Incorrectly Assigned

To correct an assignment:

1. Go to their customer profile

2. Click Change Tier

3. Select the correct tier

4. Add a note explaining the correction

High-Value Customer with Few Orders

Some customers make few but large purchases. Consider:

• Manual upgrade if total spend qualifies them

• Note: "Upgraded based on high-value orders"

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Best Practices

Do This

• ✅ Assign your top 20 customers to top tier

• ✅ Add notes explaining manual assignments

• ✅ Communicate VIP status to key customers

• ✅ Review assignments after data sync completes

Avoid This

• ❌ Assigning hundreds of customers manually (use data sync)

• ❌ Promising specific tiers in marketing before setup

• ❌ Upgrading without documenting the reason

• ❌ Setting unrealistic expectations

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Next Steps

• Initial Data Sync - Let automation handle the rest

• Testing Your Setup - Verify everything works correctly