Case studies
E.ON
Challenge
To reward loyal E.ON customers, who could not benefit from dual-fuel contracts as they live in areas where a mains gas supply is not available, in the form of a cash rebate.
Solution
The solution needed to be cost effective, convenient and accessible as this was a varied audience. The delivery method also needed to work hard to explain to retailers how to process this new type of transaction. E.ON opted for a traditional approach using direct mail. Each customer received a personalised letter that contained a unique barcode together with instructions for the retailer.
Results
An immediate success with over 70% of customers using their vouchers within the first month. The real-time nature of the system allowed the small number of customer issues to be dealt with by E.ON and PayPoint quickly and proactively.
E.ON operated two payout schemes with PayPoint in 2010 and both have been simple and straightforward to get up and running. Our customers can cash their voucher at a time and location that suits them and it’s quick and easy for them to do this.
Kevin Crabb
Commercial Manager, Metering & Industry Management, E.ON
Telegraph Media Group
Challenge
Newsagents were spending too much time manually collating vouchers and then posting them to a handling house as part of the Telegraph Media Groups Home News Delivery service. It was an inefficient use of the newsagent’s time and impacted their cash-flow as retailers must pay the newspaper wholesaler ahead of receiving reimbursement from the newspaper issuing the vouchers.
Solution
Each week i-movo were notified of all subscribers expecting delivery of The Telegraph. This information was then communicated to stores by email. Each store was sent a plastic card with a magnetic strip on the back and a barcode printed on the front. To claim their weekly payment the store simply had to swipe the card through their PayPoint terminal. A receipt showed how much that retailer would be credited and they received payment within 6 days.
Results
From spending a day manually collating and posting vouchers, the entire time-consuming process was condensed into a single swipe of a magnetic-stripe card.
The retailers who deliver the Telegraph to our readers are a vital part of our business and, with the
Martin Harris
i-movo/PayPoint scheme, we have shown how we can make their lives easier by saving them time as well as getting them paid more promptly.
Subscriptions Manager, Telegraph Media Group
Evening Standard Eros Reward Card
Challenge
To offer Evening Standard readers a cashless method of paying for the paper at a network of street vendors as well as third party retailers.
Solution
300 contactless terminals were deployed to cover the Evening Standard’s own vendor distribution network, to add to the 1,200 retailers with epay and PayPoint terminals who sell the title. Both were integrated to the i-movo system to allow readers to use their prepaid contactless card to buy the paper. The Eros Card was the world’s first dedicated, contactless and cashless newspaper payment card.
Results
Less than three months from when the project was given the go-ahead the Eros Card was launched. A highly innovative and ground-breaking solution to a key strategic problem for all newspapers of increasing frequency of purchase.
Over the next two years in London, Zone One will increasingly become a cashless payment zone and the Evening Standard will be helping drive and lead this trend.
Andrew Mullins
Managing Director, Evening Standard