QNB Promoting NFC through Incentives

• Until 10 July 2012, through a specially designed communication campaign, Qatar National Bank (QNB) focused on pushing customers into adopting NFC contactless payment through upholding loyalty offers.

• New users were granted bonuses in cash when activating their payment methods and when making their first contactless payment transactions: full refund within a 100 riyals Qataris limit (roughly 22 euros). The amounts were transferred to the customer’s bank account once the promotion campaign over.

• These subscribers may also opt for an NFC SIM card (Qtel SIM embedding MasterCard PayPass), a natively equipped mobile device (BlackBerry 9900 or 9790 for instance) or an NFC sticker. The use of PINless and signature-less NFC is limited to 100 riyals.

Source: The Wise Marketer

• This approach highlights the importance of incentive tools to favour the adoption of contactless solutions. The bank aims at triggering a virtuous circle on its customers’ side, while following up its infrastructures.

• Customers wishing to opt for this solution may request it in branches to be instantly granted a free NFC sticker or SIM card (their phone number remains the same): service activation only requires about an hour. MasterCard PayPass compatible POS devices are to be rolled out nationwide.

• This is a pioneering NFC-based enterprise in Qatar: the PayPass-oriented solution launched in March with the help of Oberthur Technologies, MasterCard Worldwide and mobile carrier Qtel, should be applied in all Qatar.

• QNB’s contactless app was nominated Best Mobile Application at the Smart Card Awards Middle East 2012 in Abu Dhabi last May.