Barclays-backed loyalty platform strikes deal with Wasabi

The deal comes as restaurants reopen and look to go on customer loyalty drives.

Barclays-backed loyalty payment platform Bink has struck a deal with sushi restaurant brand Wasabi to revamp its loyalty programme.

The partnership will be effective from Q3 this year and comes as restaurants reopen their doors following coronavirus and are likely to make a land grab for loyalty members.

For Wasabi customers, it means that stamps will be automatically added to their account when they make a qualifying purchase with a linked payment product.

Bink’s technology uses technology which allows customers to link payment cards to loyalty programmes, allowing them to automatically collect points in a “frictionless experience” when they make a purchase.

The partnership will initially launch across Bink’s mobile app, before rolling out across other channels in 2021.

Marc Allsop, chief commercial officer at Bink, said: "As retailers, including restaurants and shops, open up again, getting customers shopping safely in stores will be of the utmost importance. At the same time, however, the challenge of driving engagement and loyalty remains critical.”

“Offering an easy-to-use loyalty programme that automatically collects stamps in the background with each and every payment, is a great way to do that. Our partnership with Wasabi will enable them to identify more customers and reward them for their loyalty.”

Brendan McKeown, IT director at Wasabi, said: “We know that Wasabi customers are loyal - we've seen that as we've opened up and welcomed back many regular visitors for takeaways."

"We're also constantly on the look-out for clever, new ways to make our customer experience better and to reward people for that loyalty, so it's great to be able to partner with Bink.”

“Their technology allows customers to easily build up loyalty rewards and never miss out."

Barclays took a minority stake in Bink last year as part of a wider partnership. The bank said it was committed to making a “significant” investment in Bink.