The Card Awards winners announced
Innovations in rewards, CRM and green marketing recognised Innovations in rewards, CRM and environmentally friendly credit cards were recognised at this year’s The Card Awards payment card industry event in London.
American Express won in the categeries of Best Customer Relationship Management Strategy, Best Online Initiative for their rewards scheme redemption site and Best Cross-selling Programme with Card Defence – a product designed to give customers better security of personal documents.
Two environmentally-friendly cards also won awards, with Bank of America (MBNA) and WWF securing Best Charity Credit Card which supports WWF’s conservation work around the world. The Best Corporate Social Responsibility Programme award was given to Barclaycard for its Breathe card which is the first credit card to encourage consumers to help tackle climate change.
Nationwide took the award for Most Responsible Credit Card Lending Practices for their overall risk management and transparency strategy having saved customers £2.1m in extra interest through their positive approach to “order of payments”.
Roger Alexander, president at Elavon Merchant Services was honoured as Industry Personality of the Year for pioneering innovative card payment initiatives over four decades, especially in the areas of e-commerce and anti-fraud.
Barclaycard won in four categories including for Best Security or Anti-Fraud Development for their encrypted PINsentry product which reduces cardholder not present fraud for online banking and online payments. Two of Barclaycard’s other wins were in the Industry Innovation and Technology categories for contactless payments – the OnePulse credit card which incorporates an Oyster card (for use on London Transport) and contactless payments, and Barclaycard’s OneTouch acquiring capability.
The Royal Bank of Scotland was a joint winner in the Best Technology category having also been one of the first to market with contactless acquiring, where customers can simply swipe their payment card to pay for low value transactions under £10 such as sandwiches and newspapers, without entering a PIN number.
There were three winners from the pre-paid card sector, which targets travellers, immigrants, corporate purchasers and insurance claimants amongst others. Tuxedo Money Solutions with their Blue Diamond card issued by Newcastle Building Society won for Best Pre-paid Card Marketing Campaign and Lloyds TSB took the trophy for Best Pre-paid Card Programme for the Silver Account and Money Transfer Card which helps immigrants, especially from Eastern Europe, to set up a bank account more easily and also transfer funds to family back home using a pre-paid card. Advanced Payment Solutions with their cashplus prepaid card outshone all the credit and debit card providers to take the Best Customer Service trophy.
The event attracted over 1300 guests including many leading industry figures.
The full list of award winners is as follows:
Best Credit Card CRM Strategy – American Express
Best Affinity/Co-branded/Retail Credit Card Programme – Home Retail Group Personal Finance
Best Credit Card Benefits Programme of the Year – Capital One
Most Responsible Credit Card Lending Practices – Nationwide Building Society
Industry Personality of the Year – Roger Alexander
Best New Credit Card Product of the Year – Lloyds TSB
Best Credit Card Design of the Year – Thomas Cook Personal Finance
Best Credit Card Marketing Campaign of the Year – Marks & Spencer Money
Best Pre-paid Card Marketing Campaign of the Year – Tuxedo Money Solutions and Newcastle Building Society
Best Charity Credit Card Programme – WWF and Bank of America
Best Pre-paid Card Programme – Lloyds TSB
Best Business Card Programme – HSBC
Best Credit Card Cross-selling Programme of the Year – American Express
Best Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of the Year – Barclaycard
Best Online Initiative – American Express
Best Security or Anti-Fraud Development – Barclaycard
Best Technology Initiative of the Year- Barclaycard Business – The Royal Bank of Scotland
Best Achievement in Customer Service – Advanced Payment Solutions and Broadcastle Bank
Best Industry Innovation of the Year – Barclaycard
The independent judging panel of industry experts included Card World managing editor Annich McIntosh and was chaired by Moneyfacts Group Chairman, John Woods. The panel selected winners from a host of payment card companies and partner organisations who entered. In each case they looked for evidence of best practice and innovation in each of the individual categories.
The Card Awards winners were all praised for their achievements in the industry and for their work improving the quality of the customer experience.
Martin Fielding, CEO of Card Partnerships (organisers of The Card Awards), commented: “The awards have given the industry the opportunity to showcase examples of best practice in terms of customer service, protection, innovation in payment methods and responsible lending strategies. We are delighted with the industry’s response to the awards with participation up by over thirty per cent and with the dedication and commitment displayed by all those involved in the judging and submission process.”
The entry process for The Card Awards 2009 will be launched later this year in June 2008.
For more information visit www.thecardawards.com