Telstra Deny Copycatting Optus

Telco insists new loyalty scheme isn’t copying its rival. Last week, Telstra gave Thanks to customers introducing a loyalty scheme

Pictured: UK telco Orange advertisement for loyalty movie tickets

SmartHouse suggested Telstra was possibly following rival Optus’ lead, who already have a heavily promoted loyalty scheme, Movie Rewards, flogging cheapie $10 movie tickets in place for some time.

However, Telstra’s spokesperson was quick to refute this saying the loyalty program was, in fact, mirrored on UK telco O2’s scheme, and gave ‘Thanks’, largely due to customer feedback.

“Our program has been developed over many months in response to customer feedback and in doing so, we have looked closely at the success of the O2 loyalty program in the UK,” a Telstra spokesperson told SmartHouse.

Such loyalty schemes usually reduce churn rates among telco customers, as they are less likely to leave the network and go elsewhere, thanks to the freebies.

Interestingly, O2 customer loyalty app was at one stage No. 29 in Apple’s App Store, such was its popularity among Britons, and it also offers ‘Priority Moments’ for gigs at O2 venues and local services.

The spokesperson insists the scheme is “unique domestically for a number of reasons” and said its ‘Thanks’ flicks tics will be available across 680 cinemas nationwide.

“Tickets can be redeemed online, all in the one location irrespective of state or venue, which means people can go to the movies when they want to go. There are no time limits or expiry,” he said.

“Our customers can choose the cinema, movie and time and either print their ticket or send it to their phone. This basically means if you wanted to go to the movies right now and there was a spare seat, you could.”

Oh, that’s ok then.

Optus would not comment on competitors activity but said the scheme has been going for a “number of years” and is going well (and recently updated it new Hoyts partnership) as is its new Rockcorps ‘gigs for good deeds’ program, but didn’t have any figures at hand at the time of writing.