New bonus benefits for Absa Rewards customers

Putting more cash back into Absa Rewards members’ pockets - well needed as we approach the Easter break.

Members of Absa Rewards will automatically be entitled access to two new bonus benefits that will subsidise home emergency assistance and offer a lifeline of medical practitioners at discounted prices.

“A home assistance benefit will afford Absa Rewards members a 24-hour helpline providing assistance for emergency home repairs such as plumbing, locksmith, electrical and appliance services that could result in consequential damage. The service can be used 3 times a year at a specific value. The call-out fee and first hour of labour will be free to members,” explains Arrie Rautenbach, Absa’s Head of Retail Banking.

He adds: “A healthy lifestyle benefit will also afford customers a guaranteed 20% discount on consultation fees from selected optometrists, dentists and GPs. This service has vast national footprint. If on medical aid, rewards member simply pay the discounted rate of the consultation fee and then claim this amount back from their medical aid scheme.”

The announcement comes on the back foot of a 192% redemption growth rate for the Absa Rewards programme for the year ended December 2012. The rewards programme that recently celebrated its 1 millionth customer milestone, has also just extended its promotion in partnership with Pick n’ Pay that offers 5% discount on purchases in the store till the end of July.

Rautenbach noted that as a relatively new entrant in the market, the growth of the bank’s reward programme was phenomenal. He added that in the introduction of two new benefits, Absa’s older ranges of free value added services forming part of the holistic rewards offer had not completely been discontinued, but enhanced to offer more fitting aspects to increase value to customers.

He said the bank’s lifestyle concierge service which assists members with information on sourcing of products and services including bookings for theatre tickets‚ concerts‚ events and restaurants as well as a Dial-A-Discount service that searches for the best prices on any item or service near customers would remain.

The bank says the complement of both old and new bonus benefits will help South Africans take charge with even more ways to save money and make life easier. Rautenbach argued that this was not just simply because of a set of new bonus benefits with its rewards programme, but because the rewards were ‘richer’.

“As a customer-centric organisation, the emphasis is on investing in essential services and economic stimulus as a great way to show the power of enhanced service, both as a direct service model Absa has adopted in line with a focus on the customer, and as a cost effective investment to help the nation to live within their means, especially as we approach the Easter break,” says Rautenbach.

“In support of the Absa Rewards strategy that strives to “make customer’s lives easier” we needed to ensure that the benefits offered are relevant, and most importantly provide convenience not only to customers banking and shopping but also in their daily lives,” concludes Rautenbach.

Available immediately, customers can make the most of improved bonus benefits by contacting the Absa Rewards contact centre on 0861 78 88 88.