Client Situation

Our client is a leading financial institution in the UAE formed out of the merger of two banks in 2007. As of 30th September 2020, our client’s total assets were valued at AED 692 billion. Our client operates over 925 branches globally having approximately 4,100 ATM’s/SDM’s employing over 25,000 people. The merged entity had a strong card offering with over 300,000 cards combined. Cedar worked with the bank to ensure its aims of taking its cards loyalty program to the next level while introducing best-in class chip enabled offerings were successfully met.

Cedar’s Approach

In this program, Cedar was mandated to realign and design a best-in-class loyalty program in context of the merged entity.

  • Reviewed the program and performance of the 3 existing loyalty programs of the two separate entities.
  • Assessed and defined the key metrics and features which were to be retained.
  • Undertook a global and regional loyalty program review, studying 15 global best in class cases with a focus on chip-based programs.
  • Determined the importance and salient features of chip-based programs.
  • Identified trends and technology factors from the global, regional cases reviewed and understood chip technology functionality using an end-to-end value chain.

Outcome

This resulted in two program designs being developed, to suit the interim and final aims of the organisation.

  • Provided a detailed and accurate representation of both, global and local loyalty programs.
  • Showcased the benefits and importance towards a shift to a chip-based program.
  • The interim stage program developed was an integrated offering synergizing key features of existing programs leveraging the existing strengths of both.
  • Designed a partner selection framework and identified potential alliance opportunities with 20 partners.
  • Developed conservative and aggressive financial projections reflecting incremental revenue and costs on a 5-year basis.
  • Developed a best-in-class chip based multi merchant loyalty program to be used as the bank’s ‘flagship’ service.
  • Provided advisory services for the name and branding strategy for the final program.
  • Formulated an additional section on future opportunities the client could leverage including contactless card technology, chip-based debit card with a differentiated bonus structure.

Relevant Client Cases