Introducing Telstra’s Telstra Plus
Telstra Plus is a customer reward system designed by the company to appreciate its existing consumers. It was introduced in April to replace the Telstra Thanks program. Telstra Plus is a loyalty program that allows customers to rack up points per purchase of Telstra products/services. These points can then be used to redeem select products and services. This service came into operation on the 2nd of April.
Introducing Optus’s Optus Perks
Optus Perks is a customer reward system created by Optus mobile. It grants subscribers the opportunity to purchase special offers and rewards through the network’s official loyalty program website or mobile application. This service has been operational since 2015.
Optus Perks offers a number of rewards and can be accessed via its website. Source
Comparing Telstra Plus and Optus Perks
Telstra and Optus are two of the three major telcos that dominate the Australian market. These telcos have all created valuable reward schemes for their customer base to reward continuous loyalty.
Each rewards program has its own set of conditions and rewards. Determining the better scheme – if any is better than the other at all – requires an examination of certain factors to help draw a conclusion.
Eligibility and registration: Existing members on the Telstra network are automatically eligible to sign up for the loyalty scheme, Telstra Plus. All existing costumers must meet three crucial parameters to sign up:
- You must be 18 or older.
- You must have an active Telstra personal/consumer service.
- You must have a Telstra ID
Business accounts are currently ineligible to join Telstra Plus.
Optus Perks is accessible to all Optus subscribers who have an active eligible service. Consumers can register for the service via the loyalty program’s official website or the network’s official mobile application.
Customers on certain services, including the following, are not eligible to register for Optus Perks:
- Optus TV
- Optus Thuraya customers
- Complex Fixed Services (Fleet and Macro)
- All Optus Corporate Products
Offers and rewards: On Telstra Plus, offers and rewards are available per membership category. Currently, Telstra Plus offers three membership categories which are assigned to individuals upon registration. This assignment is based on the average yearly expenditure of the individual customer. The higher the category, the more valuable the reward.It is important to note that membership categories can be upgraded during the membership year.These membership tiers are:
- All Members
- Silver Members
- Gold Members
Telstra Plus membership tier and rewards. Source
The exact variety of rewards available to each category is yet to be announced by the telco. However, Telstra has stated that the reward programs will be inclusive of discounts on tickets, special packages, actual devices, and VIP services.
Optus Perks presents consumers with tailored offers and rewards whenever available. This could be on a daily/weekly basis. Unlike Telstra, Optus has no membership tiers. Instead, subscribers can purchase special offers and rewards from the network.
Subscribers can access special gifts and rewards through the Optus Mobile App or the Optus Perks Official Website. Each gift/reward comes with its own unique set of terms and conditions.
These rewards include:
- Discounts on tickets – movie or concert
- Trips – both within and outside the continent
And more.
From time to time, perks not mentioned on the terms and conditions of the scheme are offered. These perks – referred to as Other Perks – are often one-off offers. These perks are subject to their availability.
Consumer responsibilities: The consumer responsibilities on Telstra Plus are less than those of Optus Perks. A required minimum monthly/yearly expenditure is required by Telstra Plus Subscribers to maintain the membership tier they wish to keep. The higher the tier, the higher the minimum average expenditure.With Optus Perks, subscribers are advised to closely monitor their perks. This is because Optus reserves the right to withdraw, limit, modify, cancel or increase the availability of any perk without advanced notice. The price of each perk can also be modified.
Offers which require payments will only be processed after full payments have been issued. Optus will also not be held liable to sending rewards for incorrect addresses.
Final words: making a choice
Telstra Plus and Optus perks offer amazing rewards and valuable incentives to their consumers. However, after an in-depth look at each scheme, we can highlight where they fall short of each other.
In terms of inclusivity, Optus Perks holds better than Telstra Plus. Unlike Telstra Plus, Optus does not save the biggest benefits for the biggest customers. Instead, offers are available with a unique set of terms and conditions which subscribers can consider before purchasing.
Offers on Optus are a bit unpredictable. The network reserves the right to modify offers without any prior prompts and this can be an inconvenience to subscribers.
Telstra Plus is still unclear as to what offers are available of the network and when consumers can start reaping rewards. This lack of clarity poses a discouragement to subscribers.
In the end, it is advisable to explore your wants and needs as a subscriber before opting to commit to a loyalty scheme.
Sources
- https://www.telstra.com.au/plus
- https://www.optusperks.com.au/
- https://woptusperks.com.au/terms-and-conditions