Sodexo digitizes gift-giving
Sodexo+app for paperless gift certificate transactions
For housewife Lor Carpio, maintaining family expenses within budget has been a constant struggle, especially since her husband, who works as a family driver, is earning just enough for their needs.
To help save money, she uses gift certificates (GCs) or gift cards that her husband’s employer gives on special occasions, for groceries or school supplies for her two sons.
“The gift certificates help a lot since I can save our money instead for emergency or for other expenses. I can also set them aside for future use since they have no expiration date,” she says.
People like Carpio benefit from the convenience and practicality of GCs, making these a widely popular choice for gifts for any occasion.
But when the world turned upside down after the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the planet last year, schools were halted, businesses where shut down and daily lives were put on pause. Suddenly, people found themselves not only in fear of contracting a deadly, infectious virus, but also on the verge of losing their livelihoods.
With her husband’s job stability uncertain, Carpio now more than ever relies on her GCs for their groceries and other needs to save money. But it also means risking her family’s health as she ventures out of their home to get their supplies.
“I want to save as much money as I could, for my husband could lose his job anytime, so I use my Sodexo GCs for groceries. But I’m also afraid of bringing the COVID virus home to my two little kids whenever I go out,” Carpio says.
With health and safety as everyone’s top priority, majority of the world’s population turned to online shopping for their basic and not-so-basic necessities. Payments have also gone digital.
Digital upgrade
To help people like Carpio use their paper GCs for online purchases in the safety of their own homes, leading benefits and rewards services Sodexo is now offering digital upgrades for GCs via its Sodexo+ app, which can be used for transactions with Sodexo partner merchants around the Philippines. Consumers can now have easier access to rewards and benefits, also in time for the coming holiday season.
“Sodexo invested in talent, time and technology to digitalize and ensure that our consumers can maximize their GCs. Using their feedback as our compass, we continue to enhance Sodexo+ to make their experience hassle-free, and much more convenient,” says Mert Cetin, chief executive officer of Sodexo Philippines.
To minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19, Sodexo will replace their paper gift certificates with Sodexo+ credits. This means people also do not have to worry about lost, damaged or expired GCs as their credits are now safely stored in their app. Consumers just have to download the Sodexo+ app on the Apple Store or Google Play Store and follow the instructions on how to register and have their paper GCs converted to digital.
Sodexo vouchers such as Sodexo Premium Pass, Sodexo Gift Pass and Miniso Gift Pass can be revalidated in the Sodexo Makati office.
Sodexo+ users also do not have to fret about redeeming their digital GCS in full as the app allows partial redemption and saves the balance for future use. Another noteworthy feature is the “Share GC,” which allows users to send any amount of GC to anyone.
Through the “Shop” feature of the Sodexo+ app, users can also now convert their digital GCs into e-vouchers of leading e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Zalora, Grab and FlowerStore.ph. This is especially convenient as people continue to stay at home and online shopping is becoming the new normal.
The SM Gift Pass, Sodexo’s cobranded paper GC, has also gone digital and is available on the Sodexo+ app for contactless transactions at SM Department stores, SM Supermarkets and SM retail affiliates such as Miniso, Forever21 and Our Home, among others.
Consumers can also avail of holiday exclusive deals and promos for other leading brands with their Sodexo paper and digital GCs.
Joy of Gifting 2021
In time for the coming Christmas season, Sodexo+ is also offering corporate clients a more convenient option in giving rewards through its “Joy of Gifting” campaign.
“With Christmas just around the corner, we wanted to collaborate with our clients in recognizing the grit and perseverance of their recipients throughout these trying times by sending high-value rewards they can be proud to give. After all, sending out meaningful gifts should not have to be unsafe or complicated,” says Sodexo marketing director, Sharon Kayanan.
For this year’s campaign, Sodexo is offering a variety of deals. The early bird promo entitles the client to enjoy 2-percent rebate and as much as 80-percent off on portal fees until Nov. 30. For those who prefer sending out traditional holiday gifts such as ham and Christmas baskets, the mobile pass feature can be used to send vouchers to recipients. This promo runs until Dec. 20.
Lastly, from Dec. 1 to Dec. 31, clients can avail themselves of the end-of-season sale, where they can get up to P2,000 Sodexo+ rebate for every P1-million purchase of Sodexo+ digital GCs.
“This year, Sodexo’s ‘Joy of Gifting’ campaign celebrates the importance of appreciating simple pleasures and what really matters. It promotes looking beyond ourselves, caring for others and sharing our blessings, because the joy we give to others will always find its way back to us,” Kayanan says.
