Reviving the Lynq: Adapting to New Dining Trends Post-Pandemic

Overview

Lynq is a Toronto-based startup with a unique approach to improving customer experience and profitability for restaurants and bars. By using Lynq Restaurant, customers are able to automatically earn cash back when they spend with their regular credit card. The process is seamless as Lynq works with the credit card networks. The customers simply connect their credit card to the Lynq app, use the card at a Lynq partner location to earn, and redeem their cash rewards.

The collaboration between our team at Synergo Group and Lynq started when the client was looking for a team to take over the development of the mobile app and get it ready for launch. They had collaborated with other development teams for the mobile app but were not pleased with what was delivered. One of the owners was also directly involved in the development process, guiding the team with the product vision & mission, and wanted to focus on more strategic priorities.

The client aimed for a team that understood their goals and could handle the mobile development process with little or no involvement from the base team. Synergo Group was perfect for this product.

Synergo - full service web & mobile solutions team.

The challenge

Lynq was created with two major goals in mind: To help the local restaurant industry continue their recovery from the pandemic. To develop a rewards program for consumers, offering appealing incentives for those interested in returning to indoor dining.

Initial Assessment and Strategic Planning

This involved several meetings with one of the owners to gain insights into the business goals, the vision for the product, and the behaviors of the end users. This foundational understanding gave us the necessary perspective to form a dedicated development team tailored to address the critical issues and propose beneficial improvements.

Agile Development and Prioritization

Adopting an agile methodology, we crafted a plan that prioritized the main concerns and outlined user stories that reflected these priorities. This approach allowed for flexible and efficient management of the development process, ensuring that essential features and fixes were implemented effectively.

Continuous Improvement and Threat Mitigation

Throughout the development phase, the team identified and addressed potential threats and areas for improvement. Our commitment to the product's overarching goals ensured that any new suggestions were thoughtfully considered. These were regularly discussed and prioritized in weekly meetings with the base team, maintaining a clear focus on strategic objectives.

Client Collaboration and Value-driven Development

A key aspect of our approach was the continuous focus on developing tactical features that deliver tangible value to the end users. The client appreciated this focus, as it aligned with their objective to launch an improved and fully-functional app in the store.

The solutions

Resolving Third-Party API Synchronization Issues

A significant early challenge we faced involved a synchronization problem with a third-party API, which resulted in discrepancies between merchants’ promotional intervals and the system’s calendar. Specifically, the issue arose when a merchant aimed to offer a special promotion, such as 10% cashback between 3-5 PM, but the calendar plugin failed to account for daylight saving changes. Our team quickly identified that the root of the problem lay in a plugin used within the platform, compounded by custom code built on top of it. By updating both the plugin and the code using React Native, we successfully resolved the synchronization issue, ensuring that promotional intervals accurately reflected merchants’ intentions.

Enhancing the Rewards System for Greater Flexibility

Another pivotal task our team undertook was the diversification of the app’s rewards system. Initially, the app offered a static cashback reward scheme, providing 10% back during promotional periods and 1% at other times. Recognizing the need for more dynamic incentives, we developed and implemented a feature that allowed restaurants to offer variable rewards based on the amount a customer spent. For example, outside of promotional hours, users could earn 5% cashback if their spending exceeded a certain threshold. This functionality not only provided users with additional reasons to engage with the app but also supported our client’s goal of enhancing the app’s appeal and utility prior to its launch.

Technologies

Comprehensive Frontend and Backend Development: Our services encompassed both frontend and backend development, ensuring a seamless and integrated user experience. By focusing on both aspects of development, we created a robust infrastructure for the app that supported its complex functionalities and user interactions.
Specialized UI/UX Design for Mobile: Understanding the critical importance of user experience, particularly in mobile applications, our team dedicated significant efforts to UI/UX design. This focus ensured that the app was not only visually appealing but also intuitive and user-friendly, catering to the needs and preferences of the end users.
Utilization of Cutting-Edge Technologies: We employed the latest technologies for mobile and web application development, including React Native for cross-platform mobile development. This choice allowed us to build a high-quality, responsive, and efficient app that operates smoothly across different devices and platforms.
Customized Solutions and High-Standard Integrations: Keeping the end users in mind, we tailored our development approach to implement the most suitable solutions for the app. This included careful selection and integration of various technologies and services to meet high standards of functionality and performance, ensuring the app’s success and user satisfaction.

The Team

Our team had one Senior Software Engineer, a Mobile Developer, a Backend Developer, and a Project Manager. During the development process, we also collaborated with two DevOps Engineers. Together they maintained good communication with the client, always asked questions, voiced their concerns, and delivered a product that the client was happy to launch to the world.

Client’s Feedback

“Within four months of working with Synergo Group, the company has established a more stable environment and improved its UI/UX. The team is highly professional and easy to work with. They manage the project efficiently and genuinely care about the success of the company and their products.

The team asks questions about what we want to build in order to understand and solve the broader problem. That’s really valuable. You don’t get that from many contractors.”

Mark Jones

Founder, Lynq