Citi revolutionizes the way people pay

Just wave and go. That’s how fast, safe and reliable credit card transactions are now made using a breakthrough contactless credit card payment technology that’s set to change the local payments landscape for both retailers and consumers.

Citi, the leading global bank, is driving contactless payments in the Philippines with the issuance of the country’s first Visa PayWave credit card, which makes everyday purchases — in supermarkets, coffee shops, drug stores, fast food chains, even in cinemas — a walk in the park. All you have to do is bring the goods to the cashier, wave your Citi Visa PayWave credit card over the card reader, grab your purchases and go! No swiping, signing or entering your PIN (for transactions below P2,000). Visa PayWave transactions can be up to three times faster than cash payments, reducing queuing times for both cardholders and retailers.

Bea Teh Tan, Citi Philippines consumer business manager, explained “it’s very convenient for people on the go. With Citi Visa PayWave you don’t have to fumble through your wallets for small bills and coins to pay for small ticket items like a cup of coffee or an aspirin. It’s like always having the exact amount in your pocket to pay for the goods.”

Iain Jamieson, Visa country manager, said contactless payments will spur the country’s evolution towards a cashless society, reducing time waiting in checkout queues for “everyday” purchases, such as groceries, fastfood meals, coffee and movie tickets.

The best part is there’s no minimum purchase required. You can buy honey stick for only P10 at The Coffee Bean or Tea Leaf, or P2,000 worth of grocery items at Robinsons Supermarket Expresslane using your Citi Visa PayWave card.  For purchases over US$100, cardholders are required to enter their PIN to authorize the transaction.

“In that way, cardholders will be protected against credit card fraud,” added Tan. Visa PayWave cards are embedded with an antenna and microchip allowing it to communicate with a secure contactless radar when held within close proximity. And since Visa PayWave payments are also processed through the same reliable network as swipe transactions, the purchases are monitored continuously for suspicious activity. If your card is ever lost or stolen, you’re protected with zero liability for unauthorized purchases.

Batara Sianturi, Citi Country Officer for the Philippines, is confident that their customers will embrace this new technology. “We understand our customers and know the demands on their time and how their lifestyles are changing. Our latest innovations will empower our clients to access the latest technology in credit card payments — all while enjoying best in class rewards that they can only have with Citibank credit cards,” Sianturi said.

The Citi never sleeps

Citi spends a great deal of its resources listening to their clients, giving them what they want, and more importantly, anticipating their needs. Acknowledged as a leader in the digital banking space, Citi has pioneered in recent years real-time account inquiry with SMS, knowing the Filipinos’ heavy use of mobile phones; account management convenience with combined credit limit for multiple Citi cardholders so you don’t have to bring several plastics when you travel; and mobile-based payments with credit cards, where you can pay without swiping your plastic, but simply sending SMS.

“For more than two decades now, we have consistently raised the bar in the credit card industry by bringing to Philippine shores the latest in technology and one innovation after the other,” said Sianturi, during the Citi Visa PayWave technology launch at The Bahia Ballroom of Intercontinental Hotel. “Today, we are so delighted to introduce Visa PayWave, another exciting innovation to our more than one million Citi cardholders in the Philippines.”

“The launch of Visa PayWave marks a tremendous step forward in transforming the Philippines into a modern, cashless society,” added Jamieson. “Our research shows that cardholders appreciate Visa PayWave because they don’t have to carry cash for small-value purchases — and it is as secure as paying with a regular Visa chip card.”

For this undertaking, Citi has partnered with Robinsons Supermarket Express Lanes, Mercury Drug (starting off with their Metro Manila branches first), Eastwood and Lucky Chinatown Cinemas, and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf to allow their cardholders to experience the convenience of making contactless transactions using their Citi Visa  PayWave credit cards. In November, cardholders can use the technology at McDonald’s and Newport Cinemas.

“What we did was look into where our customers shop. From there, we actually built a merchant ecosystem to allow our customers to enjoy this particular technology in more merchants across the nation,” enthused Tan.

Robinsons Retail Holdings COO Robina Gokongwei Pe believes that the Visa PayWave technology will definitely revolutionize the way people do their shopping, especially at Robinsons Supermarket express lanes.

“Now, shoppers need not wait in line that long to pay for their purchases. Retailers will likewise benefit from faster checkouts, reduced queuing and lowering cash handling costs. And since this technology is available at Robinsons Supermarket express lanes, customers are assured they’ll be done shopping in a blink of an eye,” Pe says with an impish grin.

Indeed, there’s a reason why many call their Citi credit cards “fantastic plastic.” When used responsibly, your Citi credit card can take you places and allow you to sample the best life has to offer in a fun, safe, fast and convenient manner. “At Citi, your time is valuable to us. And with this latest innovation (the PayWave technology), we want to show you that we value not just your time but your loyalty and continued patronage as well,” enthused Citi CEO Batara Sianturi.