"20% off with this bank's credit card, up to Rs 1,000" brings in customers, but only if you actually recover the bank's share. Here is how to run these offers without losing money in claims and card-machine settlements.
Bank card offers are everywhere in Pakistani retail and food: a percentage off for a bank's cardholders, often with a cap, on certain days or at certain branches. The bank usually funds part of the discount and the merchant funds the rest. The customer sees one discount; your accounts need to see two.
Where money leaks
- The wrong offer at the till. Cashiers guess which card qualifies, apply the wrong percentage or forget the cap.
- Claims never sent. The bank's share is only paid when you claim it with the right transaction details. Many businesses claim late, or not at all.
- Deposits don't match sales. Card machines settle into your bank account after the bank's charges. Without a daily check, short deposits go unnoticed.
- Discounts nobody approved. When card offers, promotions and manual discounts mix, it becomes hard to see who gave what.
A process that works
- Record each bank and its card ranges. Card numbers start with digits that identify the issuing bank and card type. Keep these ranges in your system rather than in the cashier's head.
- Set up each offer once. Percentage, cap, days, branches, and the bank's share versus yours.
- Let the till recognise the card. When the first digits are entered or swiped, the system applies the right offer and records the bank's share against the sale.
- Claim in batches. At the end of each period, produce a claim for each bank listing every qualifying transaction, and send it to the bank's claims email.
- Reconcile card machines daily. Compare each day's card sales by machine with what the bank deposited, and follow up differences while they are fresh.
- Report every discount. One report for card offers, promotions, coupons and manual discounts, with who gave each one and why.
How Hayat ERP does it
Hayat ERP's Loyalty & cards module includes bank card offers, claims and settlements. You record each bank with its code, contacts, claims email and the account its payments land in. Hayat recognises the card from its first digits, gives the right offer at the till and at service desks, records the bank's share, and helps you raise the claim. It also checks each day's card-machine deposit against your card sales.
The same module runs points and tiers, member cards and prepaid store and gift cards, and Hayat's discount controls cover reasons, limits, supervisor approval, single-use coupons and one report for every discount given, at the till, in the online shop and at hotel, travel, school and hospital desks. Co-branded loyalty cards with a bank can earn extra points.
See Hayat ERP or book a demo to see an offer, a claim and a settlement end to end.