The Best Reward
People want to help, says Anne Calma, and Globe Rewards App made it as easy as opening an app and sharing points
Words by RHYS BUCCAT
Anne Calma, Loyalty Program Manager at Globe Telecom, was awestruck. The result of the virtual bayanihan campaign gave her goosebumps, and it had only been three days since they launched.
“We did not expect the unprecedented results of the campaign,” Anne said. “Imagine, we were able to raise P5 million on Day Three.”
Anne leads the squad that pivoted the Globe Rewards App into an online donation platform that converted one point to one peso. This program was launched in 2017 to raise funds for military orphans via HERO Foundation. In 2018, they raised P1.1 million to support victims of Typhoon Ompong. In 2019, Hineleban Foundation was able to plant 16,000 trees in Bukidnon after they raised P1.6 million.
Platform for change. Globe customers were able to convert their points to help send food to communities affected by the Taal volcano eruption and plant trees in Hineleban .
“More people have been actually responding to our invites to our calls to use their points for donations,” Anne said. “Our biggest yet is the donation drive for COVID relief effort.”
On March 19, four days after the Luzon-wide lockdown, Anne’s squad launched the virtual donation drive for medical frontliners. They were able to generate P36.4 million from 491,828 subscribers during its 30-day run. Their first beneficiary was the Philippine General Hospital, which was then in dire need of essential supplies, such as surgical masks, face shields, and surgical gowns.
In total, Globe Rewards was able to help 11 hospitals. “What's good about it was we were able to turn over the much-needed funds even during the campaign,” Anne said.
Message sent. Through Globe, everyone could make a concrete difference—even if they were just at home, with just a phone. (Source: Globe Bridging Communities Facebook page)
Great equalizer
Anne said both prepaid and postpaid subscribers participated in the virtual donation drive. Even those who had not been using their points suddenly participated.
“Generally, people want to help,” said Anne. “It's just that they are challenged to share financial aid or even they are challenged to volunteer their time.”
Points from Globe Rewards, which people normally use to buy meals from a fastfood chain or items from retail stores, empowered people with a digital currency that they could use for a greater cause. Everyone, regardless of how little they had, could participate in a virtual bayanihan. In fact, many of the donors were prepaid subscribers who could have used their points to subscribe to promos, but they chose to donate.
To be updated with painting treatment
Anne believes that transparency, which includes regularly posting updates and “thank you” videos from frontliners who received donations, was the main reason why many people trusted the platform.
“It also paved the way for for more loyalty programs to use such a system to enable their customers to help,” Anne said.
““Generally, people want to help. It’s just that they are challenged to share financial aid or even they are challenged to volunteer their time.” ”
Pivoting to the future
Anne sees virtual donation drives are part of the New Normal. People can participate in bayanihan without leaving their homes and writing a check.
“The experience of donating via Globe Rewards is very digital,” she said. “It's actually very accessible, and you can just open the app and donate.”
Such innovations are enabled by constant retooling, which according to Anne, is the very core of Globe. “I appreciate the constant retooling that Ayala companies instill among their employees,” she said. “Encouraging retooling means inspiring change and adaptability.” And, in the pandemic, it also gives Globe subscribers the best possible reward of all: knowing that they made a difference. #
PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
