Launch of Zapa loyalty label as Insomnia tags on
At the launch were John Nagle, former CEO of card payment services company Alphyra, and Insomnia Coffee Company CEO Bobby Kerr
Thursday October 01 2009
JOHN Nagle's fledgling Zapa Technology has secured its maiden customer and aims to do another eight major deals before Christmas.
The former Payzone chief executive yesterday announced coffee chain Insomnia had begun using the customer loyalty tags developed by his new venture with €2.5m in backing.
The tiny tags look like regular stickers to the naked eye but when they're affixed to a mobile phone they can be used to collect data like a traditional loyalty card.
The stickers have the potential to simultaneously act as loyalty cards for several retailers and can also be used as membership swipes and for electronic payments.
Zapa yesterday said its "initial focus" was on the loyalty card market, where 12,000 Insomnia customers have begun using the technology since its soft launch three weeks ago.
A spokeswoman said the company is in talks with five major retailers and expects to sign them up to Zapa before Christmas.
Talks are also in play with three towns, with a view to getting all the retailers in given areas to sign up to the scheme.
The company ultimately plans to role out its technology in the UK and in continental Europe.
Zapa's consumer launch comes two months after raising €2.5m worth of venture capital from Delta Partners.
Mr Nagle yesterday described the initial signing as a "very exiting move" for both Zapa and the "future of loyalty and bonus schemes in this country".
Insomnia boss Bobby Kerr, meanwhile, said his firm was "delighted" to be the first retailer to offer the scheme. "We operate in a very competitive market and, as well as offering the highest quality products and service, we've always been keen to offer our customers great loyalty bonuses to help us maintain an edge over the competition," he added.
"The ZapaTag appealed to us because it's so convenient for our customers and gives them much more certainty that they are availing of all their bonuses from Insomnia."
- Laura Noonan
Irish Independent
