Energy Company Issues $38M In Cash-Back Loyalty Rewards Annually

A Texas-based energy leader uses a variety of Onbe solutions to achieve seamless payment experiences for customers and sales teams across its growing number of subsidiaries. After working with another payment provider since 2008, the client decided to switch to Onbe in 2011 for its largest consumer loyalty rewards program. Today, the client issues approximately 600 thousand loyalty rewards payments totaling about $38 million annually and continues to add new Onbe payment programs.

The Opportunity

Because energy is deregulated in Texas, energy companies in the state can offer incentives to win customer loyalty. Onbe's client wanted a simple, cost-effective way to pay consumers back for a percentage of their energy costs each year. Customer service was a top priority, and the timeline was tight since payments needed to be issued over a period of three weeks every January. Finally, the client wanted a payment partner with the scalability to support a growing number of disbursement programs.

The Solution

The client has worked with Onbe since 2011 to deliver innovative payment experiences across multiple use cases:

Cash-Back Incentives

The client’s largest loyalty rewards program features non-reloadable prepaid cards that customers love to receive and spend. Onbe’s white-label customer service ensures consistency with the client’s brand and promotes customer satisfaction with every interaction. Other features of the program include:

• Custom-designed cards
• Payment choice and mobile wallet compatibility
• Rapid fulfillment over a three-week timeline

Refer-a-Friend Incentives

This popular program awards $50 to customers who refer a friend, plus $50 for the friend. Program participants simply fill out an online validation form, and incentives are issued via non-reloadable prepaid cards. Features of the program include:

• Seamless UX
• Payment choice and mobile wallet compatibility
• Fully managed customer service by Onbe

Energy Direct Selling

One of the client’s subsidiaries launched a direct-selling program to pay commissions to field workers. Funds are issued to virtual prepaid card accounts, and workers also have the option to request a reloadable physical card. Features of the program include:

• Unparalleled speed to payment
• Access to both a virtual and physical card
• Fully managed customer service by Onbe

Consumer Refunds

Starting in 2019, the client began to migrate check-based refund programs for all of its subsidiaries to the Onbe platform. By delivering a digital-first refund experience, the client is equipped to offer its customers their choice of payment modality and faster access to funds. The client was also able to offload its escheatment management responsibilities to Onbe, reducing program risk and administrative labor.

Results

After migrating its subsidiary’s flagship consumer loyalty rewards program to Onbe, the client now achieves annual program issuance of approximately 600 thousand loyalty rewards payments totaling about $38 million. The client has also seen success with its other consumer and sales incentive programs and is in the process of replicating these results across its subsidiaries. Recently, the client migrated refund programs for two other subsidiaries to the Onbe platform and is in the process of migrating additional programs.