Sushi King wanted to move away from a mix of basic CRM and homegrown tools that did not offer the level of personalization and automation required to convert and retain customers on its increasingly popular app.
We’ve partnered with CleverTap for over five years, and it has been instrumental in powering our app’s growth. For a restaurant app, keeping users engaged isn’t just about sign-ups; it’s about giving them reasons to return again and again. CleverTap helps us do this through numerous routes for personalization, turning occasional users into loyal customers, while its advanced features keep our engagement fresh and relevant.”
Starting with a single outlet in Kuala Lumpur three decades ago, Sushi King, Malaysia’s largest Halal Japanese restaurant chain, now caters to patrons across the country through more than 100 outlets. Known for affordable sushi and a warm dining experience, the brand has expanded its reach to digital platforms to meet the evolving needs of modern diners. With a fast-growing app user base, Sushi King wanted to drive deeper engagement, encourage repeat visits, and strengthen loyalty beyond transactions.
Sushi King wanted to move away from a mix of basic CRM and homegrown tools that did not offer the level of personalization and automation required to convert and retain customers on its increasingly popular app.
Aiming to make every customer feel valued, Sushi King sought an easy-to-use platform with powerful features to make its engagement tailored and responsive, based on real-time data-driven decision-making.
Using cohort analysis on CleverTap, Sushi King identifies where and when the users drop off and re-engages them with personalized campaigns. The outcomes follow quickly. With this strategy executed at scale on CleverTap, Sushi King’s Month 1 retention jumped to 75% for the strongest cohort and continued to be sustained at a 50% retention rate even after six months, beating earlier benchmarks.
Alongside cohort analysis, Sushi King builds live-behaviour segments using CleverTap, tailoring communication by purchase frequency, recency, and campaign response. For instance, based on purchase frequency, Casual users who have used the app once and Core users who have used it 2-5 times are nudged to move into the higher segment, while highly frequent Power users are recognized and rewarded to secure their advocacy and prevent churn.
To elevate user experiences to the next level, Sushi King uses CleverTap Journeys to automate contextual engagement across the customer lifecycle. By mapping user actions, inaction, and past behavior, the team triggers personalized messages at key moments that keep users connected and motivated to return. These timely, behavior-led journeys optimize engagement and conversion outcomes. For example, a re-engagement journey led to a 41% increase in returning users within just three months.
With CleverTap, Sushi King benefits from data-powered personalization. Targeted campaigns have boosted monthly app launches by 64%, while app open frequency per user increased 44%. Exhaustive capture of user data with the ability to group users precisely drove strong uplifts in repeat purchases and retention during the launch of their new Cheese Menu. Close integration with the CRM further enhances personalization. Additionally, A/B testing helps fine-tune communication.
To maximize reach and impact, Sushi King’s campaigns span email and push notifications. With CleverTap, Sushi King optimizes channel distribution with insights such as emails driving the highest conversion rates, while push notifications spark quick awareness and immediate actions.
Sushi King has successfully enhanced engagement through personalized campaigns and automated journeys, driving higher app usage and stronger retention. The brand now aims to take this further with smarter analytics and predictive insights, creating experiences that anticipate user needs and deepen loyalty.
