Modern loyalty programs of commercial banks
In the modern world, it is difficult to imagine a person who would not use bank cards. Due to its advantages and wide possibilities, this means of cashless payment has become widespread. The use of bank cards greatly simplifies the work and activities of organizations, companies, individual entrepreneurs and individuals. Due to non-cash payments, payments are made more quickly and transparently.
The number of cash withdrawals and payment transactions for goods and services is growing every year. In 2015, the Russian market of bank cards maintained a steady trend towards an increase in the number and volume of transactions performed using a payment card.
One of the main advantages of using a bank card is a reduction in cash in circulation, which leads to a decrease in inflation. Therefore, it is necessary to improve not only the market of bank cards and their infrastructure, but also to distribute bank cards among the population.
To achieve this goal, that is, the mass distribution of payment cards, banks create various incentive programs for clients, cooperate with various organizations and companies, and develop infrastructure. For more distribution of their cards and to attract customers, issuers use various loyalty programs and incentives for their bank card holders. In this direction, co-branded cards are the most promising.
To stimulate cashless payments, the Russian card market has been applying the experience of more developed countries, in which the bank card market began its history a long time ago. For example, Western banks have created a cash-back scheme (returning part of the money spent on non-cash purchases) to encourage cardholders to increase card transactions.
1) Loyalty program, according to which a certain percentage of the purchase made by him is returned to the bank account to the client.
2) Loyalty program, involving the accrual of points for using a bank card when paying for purchases. The client can redeem these points for any certificates, cinema tickets or a plane, or dinner at a restaurant.
This foreign experience successfully functions in the Russian market of bank cards. For example, the range of bonus programs of MTS – Bank, VTB24, Sberbank of Russia, Russian Standard and many others is wide and diverse.
In 2015, according to a survey by the Frank Research Group agency, among the 50 largest Russian banks, the MTS Bank bonus program took the 1st place in two categories of the banking loyalty program rating. Cashback card “MTS Money Deposit” with the option “Shopping” was recognized as the best. The second place is the “Student Card” of the bank, and the “Journey” option of the MTS Money Contribution card is the best program for travelers.
On this card, the client can connect the option “Mobile”, “Shopping”, “Travel”, “Nako-pittelnaya +”. Depending on the option chosen, the client can receive 3% of the money spent on the MTS phone account or in the form of cash-back back to the card, cash-back on the amount of points accumulated during the journey, income up to 14% per annum on the balance on the card. The “Accumulative +” option can be combined with any of the other three options. The MTS Bonus program allows you to accumulate bonus points and exchange them for MTS service packages – mobile communications, the Internet, to pay for bank services, to gift cards of program partners or to use to pay for purchases at partner stores.
