Referral Credit Settings
Configure your referral program to reward customers who bring in new business. Referral credits are an effective way to encourage word-of-mouth marketing and build customer loyalty.
Configure referral program settings including credit amounts and notification preferences
Overview of the Referral Program
The RAD Repairs referral program rewards your existing customers when they refer new customers to your shop. When a referred customer creates their first ticket, the referring customer automatically receives store credit that can be applied to future services.
Automatic Credits
Credits are automatically added when a referred customer creates their first ticket.
Flexible Amounts
Set any credit amount that works for your business model and margins.
Email Notifications
Automatically notify customers when they earn referral credits.
Detailed Tracking
Track all referrals, credits earned, and credits used in comprehensive reports.
How Referral Credits Work
The referral credit system is designed to be simple and automatic. Here is how the process works:
An existing customer tells a friend or family member about your repair shop. When you create a new customer record for this referred person, you select the referring customer in the "Referred By" field.
When the referred customer brings in their first repair or creates their first ticket, the system recognizes this as a successful referral conversion.
The referring customer automatically receives the configured credit amount. This credit is added to their account balance immediately.
If email notifications are enabled, the referring customer receives an email letting them know they earned a referral credit and thanking them for their recommendation.
Once configured, the referral program runs automatically. Credits are applied without staff needing to remember or manually add them.
Setting the Credit Amount Per Referral
The referral credit amount should be set based on your average ticket value, profit margins, and what will motivate customers to make referrals.
How to Configure the Credit Amount
- Navigate to Admin Settings from the main menu
- Click on Referral Credits in the settings grid
- Locate the Credit Amount Per Referral field
- Enter your desired amount (e.g., $10.00, $25.00, $50.00)
- Click Save Settings to apply the change
Recommended Credit Amounts
| Average Ticket Value | Suggested Credit | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Under $100 | $5 - $10 | Meaningful but proportional to service value |
| $100 - $250 | $10 - $25 | Good incentive without significant margin impact |
| $250 - $500 | $25 - $50 | Strong incentive for higher-value referrals |
| Over $500 | $50 - $100 | Premium reward for high-value customer referrals |
A new customer referred to your shop often becomes a repeat customer. Consider the long-term value when setting your referral credit amount, not just the single transaction.
Enabling or Disabling the Referral Program
You have full control over when the referral program is active. You can enable or disable it at any time without losing existing credit balances.
To Enable the Referral Program
- Go to Admin Settings then Referral Credits
- Toggle the Enable Referral Program switch to ON
- Configure the credit amount if not already set
- Optionally enable email notifications
- Click Save Settings
To Disable the Referral Program
- Go to Admin Settings then Referral Credits
- Toggle the Enable Referral Program switch to OFF
- Click Save Settings
When you disable the referral program, no new credits will be earned, but customers keep any credits they have already earned. These credits can still be applied to invoices.
Tracking Referrals
RAD Repairs provides comprehensive tracking for all referral activity. You can see who referred whom, when credits were earned, and how credits have been used.
Viewing Referral Information
There are several places to view referral data:
- Customer Detail Page - Shows who referred this customer and lists any customers they have referred
- Referral Report - Comprehensive report of all referral activity (see Reports section)
- Credit History - Each customer's credit history shows referral credit transactions
Referral Information Tracked
| Data Point | Description |
|---|---|
| Referring Customer | The customer who made the referral |
| Referred Customer | The new customer who was referred |
| Referral Date | When the new customer record was created |
| Conversion Date | When the first ticket was created (credit earned) |
| Credit Amount | The amount of credit awarded |
| Status | Pending (no ticket yet) or Completed (credit awarded) |
Applying Credits to Invoices
When a customer has referral credits available, they can be applied to reduce the amount owed on an invoice.
How to Apply Credits During Invoicing
When creating a new invoice or editing a draft invoice for a customer with available credits, the system displays their current credit balance.
In the Payment section, you will see the customer's available credit balance highlighted. This includes referral credits and any other store credits.
Click the Apply Credit button. You can apply the full credit balance or enter a specific amount to use.
The invoice total updates to reflect the credit applied. The remaining balance shows what the customer still owes after the credit is applied.
If the customer has enough credit, it can cover the entire invoice amount. The invoice will be marked as Paid once the credit is applied.
Referral Email Notifications
Keep your customers informed when they earn referral credits by enabling automatic email notifications.
Notification Settings
In the Referral Credit Settings, you can configure:
- Enable Referral Notifications - Turn email notifications on or off
- Notification Template - Customize the email content sent to customers
- Include Credit Balance - Show the customer's total available credit in the email
Email Template Customization
The referral notification email can be customized in Admin Settings then Email Templates. Look for the "Referral Credit Earned" template. Available merge fields include:
| Merge Field | Description |
|---|---|
{{customer_name}} |
The referring customer's name |
{{credit_amount}} |
The amount of credit earned |
{{referred_customer}} |
The name of the person they referred |
{{total_credit}} |
Their total available credit balance |
{{company_name}} |
Your company name |
A well-written notification email not only thanks the customer but also encourages them to continue making referrals. Consider including a call-to-action in your template.
Viewing Referral Reports
The Referral Report provides insights into the performance of your referral program over time.
Accessing the Referral Report
- Navigate to Reports from the main menu
- Select Referral Report from the available reports
- Set the date range for the period you want to analyze
- Click Generate Report
Report Metrics
The referral report includes the following key metrics:
- Total Referrals - Number of new customers marked as referred
- Converted Referrals - Referrals that resulted in at least one ticket
- Conversion Rate - Percentage of referrals that converted
- Credits Earned - Total value of referral credits awarded
- Credits Used - Total value of referral credits applied to invoices
- Outstanding Credits - Credits earned but not yet used
- Top Referrers - Customers who have made the most referrals
- Revenue from Referrals - Total revenue from referred customers
The referral report can be exported to CSV for further analysis or to PDF for sharing with stakeholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a customer earn multiple referral credits?
Yes, there is no limit to how many referral credits a customer can earn. Each successful referral (new customer who creates a ticket) earns them a credit.
Do referral credits expire?
By default, referral credits do not expire. However, you can configure an expiration period in the settings if desired. Credits will be automatically removed after the expiration period if unused.
Can I manually add referral credits?
Yes, you can manually add credits to any customer's account from their customer detail page. Click Add Credit and select "Referral Credit" as the type.
What if the referred customer was already in the system?
Referral credits are only awarded for new customers. If someone is already in your customer database, marking them as referred will not trigger a credit. The referral must be set when creating a new customer.
Can I change the credit amount after the program is running?
Yes, you can change the credit amount at any time. The new amount applies to future referrals only. Credits already earned are not affected by changes to the amount.
How do I handle referral disputes?
You can manually adjust credits from any customer's profile. If a credit was awarded in error, you can remove it. If a credit was missed, you can manually add it.
Can the referred customer also get a discount?
The built-in referral program rewards the referrer. To offer a discount to new referred customers, you can manually apply a discount to their first invoice or create a coupon code for referred customers.
Are referral credits taxable?
Referral credits function as a discount, reducing the taxable amount of an invoice. Consult with your accountant regarding the tax treatment in your jurisdiction.
Can I see which customers have pending referrals?
Yes, the Referral Report shows pending referrals (referred customers who have not yet created a ticket). You can filter the customer list by referral status as well.
Need Help with Referral Settings?
If you have questions about configuring your referral program or need assistance with credit management, our support team is here to help.
Contact Support