Barely a month after Airtel launched a rewarding scheme for their most valued subscribers, Airtel Premier, Safaricom also launched a similar product over the weekend, Platinum Club.

As a platinum member, a subscriber gets to enjoy among other perks direct customer care access, a personal relationship manager and access to the VIP platinum lounge that was opened at the Safaricom retail center in Nairobi’s Sarit Center.

The Platinum Club is exclusive for the firm’s top tier of corporate and individual subscribers and according to Safaricom’s CEO, Bob Collymore, the threshold for customers to be invited to join the platinum club is a monthly bill of at least Sh15,000.

“We are simply expanding the services we already had available. We want to provide personalized customer care for this segment of the market,” said Mr Collymore.

However with Airtel Premier Members, the premier outlets are operating within the existing Airtel customer care centers which make the facilities more accessible.

Since its inception, Airtel Premier Club customers are already enjoying personalized services such as credit facilities, a rewards programme, an exclusive website, free sim replacement, priority services and discounts with preferred partners. The most recent discount Premier members are enjoying is a 10 per cent discount at Crowne Plaza Hotel.

BANKING

With this innovation, the local mobile telecom companies are joining a trend that has gained popularity in the financial services sector. In 2009, Equity Bank launched Supreme Banking, targeting its high end clients and the bank has since then been increasing the supreme branches countywide.

Early this year, it opened its 10th supreme banking branch in Nairobi Central Business District. Customers are required to maintain a minimum deposit of Sh200, 000 to qualify for the VIP service.

The branches have classy lounges with free Wi-Fi internet; customers have personal relationship managers and a choice to operate their accounts in the local currency or any of the major global currencies including the US dollar, British pound and Euro.