It is the nationwide first district-wide bonus payment system that SMG intends to introduce in the district of Miesbach: the Oberland-Card.
The start date is March 15, 2021.
With the Oberland Card, customers can collect credit when shopping in regional shops.
Employers can post tax-free benefits in kind to their employees.
The project aims to strengthen the regional economy.
Miesbach / Landkreis
- More net from gross: "As an employer, this is one of our most important goals," says Anton Stetter, chairman of the Miesbach employers' association (UVM).
So far, one has often resorted to fuel vouchers.
But that, in Stetter's opinion, is actually only an emergency solution.
"We would rather that our employees use the money to strengthen the regional economy instead of just filling it up."
That is the goal
The right remedy will soon be available.
The Oberland Card will be launched on March 15, 2021.
The first district-wide bonus payment system in Germany, as project manager Florian Brunner from the location marketing company (SMG) in the Miesbach district proudly emphasized yesterday at the press conference in the district office.
The aim of the blue card with a mountain panorama is to reward local purchases and thus support retailers, direct marketers and restaurateurs.
Employers in the district should also use the Oberland Card: They can book tax-free benefits in kind of up to 44 euros per month on their employees' cards and thus also contribute to strengthening the economic cycle.
And anyone looking for a gift idea will in future use the green equivalent of the Oberland Card - the Oberland voucher, which is worth between five and 100 euros.
As reported, SMG has been working on such a model for a long time.
“The stationary retail trade is coming under increasing pressure due to the online boom,” explains Brunner.
As a result, there is a threat of vacancies in the town centers.
The corona crisis has further reinforced this trend.
The situation is fragile, but not yet hopeless, says Brunner.
So now is the right time to take countermeasures with the Oberland Card.
This is how it works
The system is deliberately kept simple.
Those who shop in one of the participating stores receive a discount of at least two percent.
However, this is not simply deducted from the price, but credited to the card in the form of Oberland points.
One cent corresponds to one point.
So if you spend ten euros, you collect 20 Oberland points or 20 cents credit.
Anyone who has at least one euro on their card can redeem it with any partner.
Participation is free of charge for customers, and partners have to pay a monthly fee of EUR 24.95.
“We use it to finance the technical infrastructure,” explains Brunner.
This is supervised by a service provider commissioned by SMG.
The dealers should also be able to tap into new target groups with newsletters and joint marketing campaigns.
However, customer data remains with SMG and is strictly protected.
“We do not create any purchasing profiles,” emphasizes the project manager.
If you want, you can even use the Oberland Card completely anonymously.
Employers can request the cards for their employees free of charge.
So that they can also advertise their products, the SMG wants to award participating companies a seal of quality.
Working title: "Home Investor".
So it goes on
Brunner and his colleague Patricia Karling want to use the months up to the start of the Oberland Card to acquire as many partners as possible.
It should be 100 at the start, says Brunner.
"With every additional partner, my smile becomes even wider," says the project manager.
SMG boss Alexander Schmid, who later wants to expand the Oberland Card to the neighboring district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen and in the future also to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Weilheim-Schongau, is in good spirits.
Alone on the "Now zamhelfen" platform launched with the support of SMG during the corona lockdown, around 170 companies have already committed themselves.
“That shows us that now is exactly the right time to get started.” For Schmid, the blue card is a “multifunctional concept”: It promotes regional value-added cycles, strengthens awareness and identification with the region and helps prevent the town centers from becoming extinct opposite.
District Administrator Olaf von Löwis assures the project of his full support.
“Despite the mask, it is much more fun to shop in local shops than to hang around in front of the screen alone at home,” said Löwis.
The aim of the Oberland Card must be to establish itself sustainably in the district.
Only then can the goals set be achieved.
The card itself is also sustainable, added Karling with a smile: "It consists of 95 percent biodegradable materials and decomposes on the compost in five days." Everyone involved agreed that the Oberland Card should, however do not land.
If you don't always want to take it with you in your wallet, you can save it in your smartphone.
so called
