Case Studies
The Perfect Blend of Consumer Incentives
KitchenAid®, U.S.A. – A division of Whirlpool Corporation, KitchenAid has been a leading manufacturer of cooking and cleaning products for over 90 years with a focus on quality craftsmanship, versatile technology and timeless style. With a strong focus on their customers, KitchenAid turned to Citi Prepaid Services to cook up the perfect solution for their rebates.
The Challenge
As a leader in cooking and cleaning products, KitchenAid is focused on the experience of their customers. As such the company was looking for a more convenient, effective and ultimately economical solution for the disbursement of their consumer product rebates. The traditional method of paper checks proved to be a challenging process to manage for the organization and cumbersome for their customers. The cost and effort to produce, distribute and reconcile these rebate checks was unreasonable and the delivery delays and inconvenience of having to go to the bank to get the rebate funds was not aligned with the overall focus KitchenAid places on its customers.
The Solution
KitchenAid wanted a rebate delivery solution designed to provide a strong customer experience with faster payment delivery, greater convenience and immediate rebate fund access. KitchenAid was also looking for a program that would allow them to streamline their rebate payment processes with fewer administrative resources to ultimately reduce the costs required to manage and distribute paper rebate checks. Citi Prepaid Services rapidly implemented a comprehensive, custom solution that quickly eliminated paper rebate checks and transitioned 100 percent of their rebate payments to electronic delivery loaded directly to KitchenAid Visa® Rebate Cards. This automated solution facilitates easier and faster rebate delivery through a single, streamlined file process and creates a better overall customer rebate experience. Even greater, the custom program packaging delivers strong brand extension. The fully branded KitchenAid Rebate Card creates a more positive and lasting impression on their consumer base than paper checks, and provides a compelling marketing tool for their retail distribution partners.
The Result
The Citi Prepaid Services' enhanced rebate program for KitchenAid, launched in August 2008, quickly eliminated the need for their organization to produce, distribute, reconcile and reissue paper rebate checks, making their internal operations more streamlined and efficient, while outsourcing program management and customer service to Citi Prepaid Services.
More importantly, the rebate solution aligns with KitchenAid's strong focus on customer experience, providing rebate payments that are delivered three times faster than traditional paper rebate checks. To date, KitchenAid has issued over $3 million in rebates to over 80,000 consumer cards. These consumers enjoy instant fund access and purchasing power everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted worldwide immediately upon arrival.