Loyalty programs target the popular class
Valor Econômico
After the success of Multiplus, the customer loyalty programs now land strongly in the popular class. Cia. Bozano, shareholder of Embraer and Azul, and a group of seven executives of the market launch this month a loyalty program focused on such public. The difference of this program - called netpoints - is that the base of clients will form from a social network in which friends benefit from the purchases made among them. In other words: when the indicated friend makes a purchase, the person who indicated him/her also accumulate points in the program. For instance, a person who spends on average R$ 300 (US$ 187.50) a month and has the five other friends who make purchases on the same value, for six months, can redeem the points for a domestic airline ticket.
"The points of netpoints does not expire. The great difficulty of the popular class, which does not make high-value purchases, is exchanging the points of the credit card before they expire. At the same time the popular class is more and more traveling by plane and aims to get tickets by means of loyalty programs", said Carlos Formigari, President and partner of netpoints. The company is receiving investments of nearly R$ 10 million (US$ 6.25 million) for the development of the platform and social network, besides marketing - tool considered essential in the segment. Cia Bozano, which owns 30% of the capital of the company, made a main investment in technology of netpoints.
Other features of netpoints to attract the popular class is the possibility of transferring points to friends, accumulating points in physical establishments and offer, for example, services such as towing and locksmith to the users. The Executive believes the greatest interest will be for plane tickets and travel packages, but the points of netpoints may also be exchanged for products such as electronics, home appliances, credit for cell phones, books, among other items that normally attract internet shoppers. Notwithstanding Cia. Bozano is a shareholder of Azul and netpoints, Formigari guarantees the users of the program will be able to redeem tickets from other airlines. A travel agency, whose name has not been revealed, will be responsible for negotiating.