Image courtesy of Citi Philippines |
It was in 1990, (I was still in preparatory school then and my family does not know the concept of credit card yet) when Citi Philippines introduced the Citibank MasterCard, marking the global bank’s entry into the Philippine credit card market. Back then, Citi was also credited for changing the payment landscape, when it lowered the minimum income requirement to own a credit card, and turned what was once a financial tool only for the elite, into a payment product that empowered middle income Filipino cardholders.
During their press launch, the leaders of Citi confirmed that they remained the acknowledged industry leader, with an enviable track record of innovations and best-in-market offers and promotions, making many unforgettable stories possible for its Filipino customers. And what would be a better way to celebrate its 25th year than to reward its loyal clients with the campaign ‘My Unforgettable Story’?
Image courtesy of Citi Philippines |
Image courtesy of Citi Philippines |
A total of fifteen lucky cardholders will be chosen in three raffle draws, with five winners to be awarded in each set. The first set of winners can choose one of the Stories of Discovery prizes, including a gourmet food tour in Japan, journey to self-discovery in Bali, scuba diving in Palau, and China or Egypt exploration.
Meanwhile, 2nd raffle draw winners can have a spectacular celebration of love as they can choose one of the Stories of Romance prizes such as a honeymoon in Maldives, island escapade in Thailand and hot air balloon date in Dubai. Winners can also have their dream wedding gown designed by a top couturier, or make their most romantic proposal happen.
Image courtesy of Citi Philippines |
“It’s so easy to win – just use your card for any purchase, regardless of amount, and you will earn raffle entries. And because we want all our cardholders to have a chance to win, we are awarding raffle entries for nearly every use of a Citi card: from using Citibank Online to charging with Citi PayLite, and even when you apply for a Personal Loan,” explained David Stoughton, Credit Payments Head of Citi Philippines during the launch.
Image courtesy of Citi Philippines |
25 Years of Making Fantastic Plastics
Beyond putting a Citi Card into Filipinos’ wallets, Citi Philippines also opened up a host of world class services and set new benchmarks for the industry.
One of Citi’s game changing programs was the launch of Citi Rewards; Citi was the first credit card to introduce a loyalty program – offering rewards points to fuel rebates to air miles to shopping credits – for every spend made on the card.
Personally, I am happy that I'm seeing every month on my bill how many points I accumulated as I purchase from my card. Indeed, Citi’s Rewards Program has become so successful that today, clients think of three options when they pay: credit card, points or cash? I have never used though my points to date as I want to save it and when the time comes I will purchase it with my dream "reward".
The Road ahead…is Digital
Looking ahead to the future, its loyal cardholders can expect Citi and MasterCard to continue to invest in the digital payments space and leverage on technology to transform the way in which it serves clients.
In Asia, Citi has over 7 million digital banking registered users. Nearly 98% of all transactions in this region now take place outside the branch, or via non-branch channels. That’s roughly 20 million digital banking transactions a month in Asia – and the trend is expected to double in five years.
Closer to home, 47% of its customers in the Philippines are registered users of digital banking. Over the last decade, Citi has seen consistent growth in terms of the number of users of both the Citibank Online and Citibank Mobile Banking platforms year on year.
I am now using their mobile app on my Android device and I find it very useful especially for me who is on the go and usually on business travel.. It is also accessible that I can pay my Citibank card payment via fund transfer also on my mobile device. This is truly sending a remarkable experience for us customers.
Congratulations once again Citibank and hope to be your loyal customer until you reach your golden anniversary and beyond. Truly a happy customer here to blog about your remarkable presence not only in our country but more importantly on the hearts of our Filipino consumers.