How to Prepare for Your Huggg Voucher Scheme

When you are going to be delivering financial support to your community, preparation is key to ensuring that the process runs smoothly. If you’re planning to use Huggg vouchers to distribute funds, setting up the right foundation will help you maximise efficiency and ensure that recipients understand and trust the process.

Huggg makes it simple to deliver vouchers quickly and securely via text or email, but a little preparation on your side can make the rollout even smoother. This article will walk you through the key steps to get your community ready for Huggg vouchers, from identifying recipients to tracking redemptions.

1. Identify Your List of Recipients

The first step in preparing for a Huggg voucher rollout is to build a clear, well-organised list of recipients. You may already have a list from applications, previous support schemes or outreach efforts—now is the time to ensure that it’s complete and accurate.

What to Include in the List:

✅ Name or unique identifier – (Optional) Each person could have a unique ID such as a name or case number. This helps you track distribution and redemption.
✅ Phone number or email address – Huggg only requires a phone number or email address to send the voucher.
✅ Spreadsheet format – If you plan to send in bulk it’s helpful to have a list in a spreadsheet format (e.g., CSV file). This makes it easy to upload in one go. (Templates on the order page).
✅ Check for duplicates – Ensure that no one is listed more than once to avoid sending multiple vouchers to the same person.

This list will form the foundation of your voucher delivery process, making it easy to track who has received a voucher and who has redeemed it.

2. Familiarise Yourself with the Software

Before you start distributing vouchers, take some time to get comfortable with the Huggg platform. It’s designed to be intuitive and easy to use, but knowing how it works in advance will save you time and stress when it’s time to send out vouchers.

How to Get Started:

• Log into Huggg and explore the dashboard.
• Watch the how-to videos there including how to send vouchers.
• Top up funds into the Huggg wallet by card or bank transfer.
• Try uploading a small test list to see how the process works. 
• Review the “Voucher History” page to see how data is displayed once vouchers are sent.
• The Help link in the left hand menu takes you to all the Huggg support materials and live chat for support.

Need a chat?

If you’d like a walkthrough or have any questions about the platform, get in touch with Huggg. We’re available to walk you through the process and answer any questions you have before you go live - (email: disbursements@huggg.me).

💡 Pro Tip: Doing a test run with a small group of staff or volunteers helps you identify any issues before launching at scale. You can cancel the links later in Voucher History.

3. Invite Your Team to Huggg

If you have a team helping with the fund disbursement, it’s important to give them access to Huggg so they can assist with managing the process and answering questions from recipients.

Steps to Add Team Members:

✅ Go to your Huggg teams dashboard and invite team members via email.

✅ After they accept the invitation, get in touch with support@huggg.me to upgrade any team member to have team admin access along with you.

✅ Make sure they understand how to send voucher links and know how to track voucher redemptions.

Why add team members?

• Sharing responsibility ensures faster processing and better coverage.
• Having multiple team members familiar with the system prevents delays if someone is unavailable.
• More hands on deck means quicker resolution of any recipient issues. 

4. Prepare Your Recipients with Communication

Recipients may be hesitant to click on a voucher link they don’t recognise. Proactive communication can help build trust and ensure higher redemption rates.

What to Include in the Message:

✅ Clear explanation – Explain what Huggg is and why they are receiving a voucher.
✅ Timing – Let them know when to expect the voucher.
✅ Sender identification – Inform them that the message will come from Huggg and that it’s safe to open.
✅ Instructions – Optional - Huggg vouchers come with instructions. If you think it’s necessary though, explain where they can use the voucher links.
✅ Contact information – Include a contact point in case they have questions.

📢 Example Message:
 “Hi [Recipient Name],
 You will be receiving a voucher link from Huggg on [Date]. This is part of our [Support Fund Name] to help with [Food/Utility/Clothing] costs. The link will be safe to open, and you can redeem the voucher at [list of participating stores]. If you have any questions, contact us at [Phone/Email].”

5. Choose the Right Time to Send the First Links

Timing matters when rolling out a new program. The last thing you want is for recipients to have questions over the weekend when no one is available to help.

Best Practices for Timing:

✅ Avoid Friday afternoons if you don’t work weekends  – If recipients have questions, your staff may not be available to answer them until Monday.
✅ Choose mid-week mornings – This allows recipients to act on the voucher the same day and reach out if they have issues.
✅ Stagger the rollout if necessary – If you have a large recipient list, consider sending vouchers in batches to manage the response more effectively.

The Huggg customer support team will help with any queries about how to redeem vouchers but not about the amount given or whether they can expect another, for example.

6. Monitor and Measure Redemption

Once vouchers are sent, the Huggg platform makes it easy to monitor activity and measure success.

Use the Voucher History Page:

• Track when vouchers are opened and redeemed in real-time.
• See how many vouchers expire before they can be used.
• Identify any delays or redemption issues.

Download Detailed Reports:

You can filter and download a CSV file at any time for deeper insights into fund usage, including:
 ✅ Who redeemed their voucher.
 ✅ When and where it was redeemed.
 ✅ How long it took to redeem.

Respond to Issues Quickly:

If you notice that certain vouchers aren’t being redeemed or if recipients report issues, you can investigate and resolve them quickly using the data available in Huggg.

💡 Pro Tip: Redemption patterns can also help you refine your future outreach strategies. For example, if redemption rates are low in certain areas, you may need to improve communication or adjust targeting.

7. Celebrate Your Success and Refine for Next Time

Once your first batch of vouchers has been distributed and redeemed, take time to reflect on what worked and what could be improved.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Were the vouchers redeemed quickly?
• Did recipients contact you with questions or issues?
• Were they the right kind of vouchers? (Food/energy etc.)
• Was the communication strategy effective?
• Did team members feel well-supported?

Use the Data to Improve:

• If redemption rates were lower than expected, consider improving communication.
• If vouchers weren’t redeemed quickly, the delivery timing may need to be adjusted.
• If vouchers were left unopened consider changing sending type, e.g. text vs email.
• If recipients had trouble redeeming vouchers, simplify the instructions.

Ready to Roll Out Huggg Vouchers?

With the right preparation, delivering Huggg vouchers to your community can be quick, easy, and impactful. Start your Huggg rollout today and make a real difference in your community—quickly, securely, and with full transparency.

Do you have any questions? Get in touch today to talk through how you can roll out a voucher scheme with your team.