BeeBack AR Platform
Co-founded an AR loyalty platform solving real customer retention challenges for local businesses. Led design, branding, and front-end development from concept to launch.
Overview
BeeBack started when my co-founder Jas Gil came to me with a real problem. His friend owned a delicatessen and was struggling to retain customers on slow days due to weather and other complications. We asked ourselves: how do you make customer loyalty programs actually engaging? The typical punch card or points system feels transactional. We needed something that would make customers genuinely excited to come back.
Working with Jas Gil and Gurinder Singh, I co-founded BeeBack to solve this problem through augmented reality. As Jas put it: "think Pokémon GO, but for coffee shops, retail stores, and restaurants." Customers would use their phones to discover virtual rewards in physical spaces. As Design Lead, I handled everything from creating the brand identity (mascot, logo) and social media content to designing the UI and building the front-end of both the mobile AR app and the web-based merchant management tool.
AR Interaction Design
Designing for AR is different from designing for screens. You're working in 3D space, dealing with unpredictable lighting conditions, and asking users to move their phones around the real world. The challenge was making the experience intuitive without a tutorial.
I designed a progressive onboarding flow that taught AR interactions through use. The first reward was always easy to find, right in front of the user when they opened the app. Once they successfully claimed that, we introduced more complex interactions: rewards hidden in specific locations, time-limited offers, and social features.
The visual design needed to work in various environments: bright sunlight, dim restaurants, busy retail floors. I created a high-contrast design language with glowing edges and animated elements that stood out against any background. The AR objects weren't photorealistic; they were deliberately stylized to feel like collectibles.
High-contrast AR objects designed to stand out in any environment
Gamification That Doesn't Feel Cheap
Gamification is tricky. Done wrong, it feels manipulative. Done right, it adds genuine value. I designed a progression system that balanced immediate rewards with longer-term goals:
- Instant gratification: Every AR discovery gave immediate feedback through animations, sound effects, and a satisfying collection mechanic
- Collection mechanics: Complete sets of rewards to unlock special offers
- Social features: Share discoveries with friends, compete on leaderboards, and collaborate on challenges
- Surprise and delight: Occasional rare rewards that made checking the app feel like opening a gift
Collection mechanics and progression system
Business Dashboard
The customer-facing app was only half the product. I also designed and built the front-end for a web-based dashboard where businesses could manage their loyalty programs. Store owners aren't UX professionals, so the dashboard needed to be simple while still offering powerful customization.
Key features I designed and implemented:
- Drag-and-drop AR reward placement using a map interface
- Analytics showing which rewards drove the most engagement
- Campaign management for seasonal promotions
- Customer segmentation tools to target specific demographics
The insight was treating the dashboard like a creative tool, not a spreadsheet. Business owners could see exactly how their rewards would appear in AR before publishing them.
Drag-and-drop reward placement and campaign analytics
Impact
BeeBack launched with several pilot partners and saw immediate results. Customer engagement increased by 150% compared to traditional loyalty programs. The app maintained a 4.8/5 rating on the App Store, with users specifically praising the fun, intuitive AR interactions.
More importantly, businesses saw real value. Repeat visit rates increased by 40%, and customers were spending more time exploring stores to discover rewards. The AR mechanic turned what was typically a passive loyalty program into an active, engaging experience.