The Hindu Business Line : Aircel to reward `loyal' customers

The programme - Frequent Buyers Scheme - is meant to reward pre-paid subscribers and to ensure that they remain with Aircel, according to Mr K.V.P. Baskar, Director & Chief Executive Officer, Aircel Cellular.

Under the scheme, to be launched on Wednesday, any subscriber who buys a recharge coupon three times within a calendar month will get additional talk time of the highest value recharge coupon that he or she purchases free. For instance, if a subscribers buy three recharge coupons within a calendar month of Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 300 denominations, he or she will get an additional talk time of the Rs 300 coupon added to his or her balance.

Unlike other loyalty programmes, Aircel Cellular's scheme does not have an entry fee. Also, a subscriber can avail of the scheme in one month and not do so the next, but will still be eligible to get the benefits later when he or she buys three recharge coupons in a month, according to Mr Baskar.

According to him, Aircel is the only cellular operator to offer such a loyalty programme for pre-paid users so that they are treated on a par with post-paid customers, who are generally more loyal to their operator for a longer time than pre-paid ones.

Of Aircel Cellular's subscriber base of 3.26 lakh at the end of April (as per figures published by the Cellular Operators Association of India), 55 per cent are pre-paid and the balance post-paid. More than 60 per cent of its pre-paid subscribers recharge their talk time balance at least twice a month. Through this scheme, Aircel Cellular hopes to get them to recharge more than what they normally do.

Depending on the success of this scheme, Aircel will also introduce it in Tamil Nadu circle. Aircel, a Sterling group company, offers the service in the Tamil Nadu circle through Aircel Ltd and in Chennai circle through Aircel Cellular Ltd. It may be recalled that Aircel acquired the operation of RPG Cellular in Chennai in December 2003 and renamed the company Aircel Cellular Ltd.

Aircel, according to Mr Baskar, has managed to successfully establish its brand in Chennai after it took over the service from RPG. It has changed the brand name of the pre-paid service from Wings to Easy Deal.

Mr Baskar said Aircel was also working on introducing an SMS-based (Short Message Service) recharge facility for pre-paid customers. Under this, subscribers would not have to buy recharge coupons and could top up their talk time by paying money to the retailer who would send an SMS message to confirm that the balance has been increased.

More Stories on : Promotions & Offers | Telecommunications | Tamil Nadu

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
HLL's strategy for its toothpaste brands

Spl packages from Image Hospitals

Bombay Dyeing's new ad campaign

Dabur files contempt petition against Emami

UTV unveils logo for kids channel

Samsung plans to sponsor other popular sports — To enhance brand viability

Aircel to reward `loyal' customers

TI launches cycle with turbo drive

HLL launches new cleaner in Kerala