Arguably, big banks and financial institutions are reluctant to work with the cannabis industry because weed is still illegal under federal laws, thus, forcing businesses to accept cash for the bulk of their transactions. This can be very dangerous not only for the business and its people, but the industry as a whole. The proliferation of violence in this space is fueling calls for a U.S. banking bill to seek tolerance. While the call for marijuana banking reforms is on the table, the industry is still on the waiting end. 

So as responsible business owners, dispensaries should set their own mechanisms to ensure the safety of their business and more importantly, the safety of those behind the registers.

One way is by using accessible technology like dispensary mobile apps to revamp the way you do business in order to keep your dispensary and its stakeholders safe, secure and thriving all year long.

5 Ways Mobile Apps Can Reduce Security Risks

Mobile apps can help you transition to full curbside

Keep your dispensary safe by going full curbside. By doing so, you’re reducing the risks of your team getting ambushed by armed robbers inside the store. Customers must shop through the app and select their mode of payment – either cash upon pick up or pay through an integrated contactless payment channel such as Aeropay among others. Comparable to Target,  shoppers can place their orders through the app and notify the staff of their arrival with just a tap of a button. 

Dispensary mobile apps can limit exposure between budtenders and customers and only service customers who made their orders prior. With that said, dubious individuals wouldn’t have the opportunity to go inside and monitor business activities for potential attacks.

Safe Customer Care Communication

Many customers go in-store to shop around, learn about pot products and chat with budtenders to help them choose the right one. Potentially dangerous people do the same to scout the area and assess certain operational weaknesses. Limit physical store access by moving all communication through the app.

• Inquiries - with live in-app chat features, customers will be able to send messages to a store’s budtender. Budtenders can attend to inquiries about product recommendations and send them product links on the thread. Common guest queries such as pick-up hours and mode of payments can be automated through chatbots to manage traffic, while budtenders are on standby to assist with other concerns for a personalized experience. 
• Product Education - Apart from live in-app chats, you can use the app to pull up your website’s blog content to help with product education. They can also get notified when new content is published. Content platforms like this can promote a better appreciation for recreational pot products – and that can add real value for existing and potential customers. 

Lessen cash on hand

Less cash, less risk. That’s the goal. Niche contactless payment channels have surfaced to provide the industry with secure ways of transacting with customers. 

Providers like Aeropay enable bank-to-bank transfers (ACH payments) through its partnership with Safe Harbor, the leading compliance-based banking for cannabis businesses. Dispensaries can use QR codes to let customers quickly pay when they come to pick up their curbside orders.  Alternatively, integrated options are made available to dispensaries through Flowhub and Jane technologies for better efficiency. And if you’re using Dutchie, the service provider has its own contactless payment solutions to serve the same purpose. 

With dispensary mobile apps, our developers can seamlessly integrate with existing software providers. This allows customers to shop online and pay in advance prior to a pick-up.
 

Safe and secure advertising

No need to display special offers in-store. Send promotional messages directly through push notifications or in-app inboxes. Depending on how your dispensary app is built, you can get creative on how to push for offers in a way that is customized, targeted and effective. Plus, you wouldn’t have to make such an effort to produce marketing materials in-store. You can create custom categories, filters, and a custom UI to ensure that your best offers shine at first glance.

Use loyalty to grow a safe customer base

By migrating your loyalty program to one integrated platform, you can enhance customer experience by a mile. Your loyal customers can shop, earn rewards and stay engaged with your dispensary and fellow users. Not to mention, with Digital Awesome’s API expertise, we can build upon your current systems and add functionalities to elevate your rewards program. 

With a custom app, you can create milestones. Milestones work like punch cards wherein a customer would have to accomplish a series of activities in order to get a reward. Typical punch cards only require repeat purchases to get rewarded. Digital milestones on the other hand enable you to customize conditions of varying nature. Milestones may include sharing the app with 3 friends, then making a repeat purchase worth $20, and finally making a review about it. Once they’ve accomplished all three, they can get a reward. 

With milestones, customers are rewarded with enhanced loyalty experiences that allow your brand to stay engaged and expand your reach with the help of your loyal fan base. 

So what does this have to do with reducing security risks? Well, establishing a set of engaged customers can help keep your community secure. You provide value for your customers and that cultivates positive brand affinity in the process. 

There are many functions you can ask our awesome developers to include. But these are the most practical ways we can help your dispensary business safeguard its employees, business interest and brand reputation. If you wish to know how else a custom cannabis dispensary app can help your business grow, check this blog out to see features and early adopter prices. You can contact us here as well to get in touch!

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