PLDT Inc. and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. are partnering with Capillary Technologies to consolidate their loyalty programs across mobile, broadband, and partner engagement platforms. The companies say the PLDT Smart loyalty ecosystem will bring together PLDT Home, Smart, and Ka-Partner programs through a single platform.
A consolidated loyalty platform
Under the partnership, Capillary will provide the technology for a loyalty platform that PLDT and Smart describe as AI-enabled, personalized, and capable of real-time engagement. The companies say the system is intended to support rewards and interactions across their customer and partner programs rather than keeping those experiences in separate loyalty environments.
The platform is also expected to cover different groups connected to PLDT and Smart. These include PLDT Home customers, Smart subscribers, Smart retailers, and e-load partners. Together, these programs form the PLDT Smart loyalty ecosystem. According to the companies, the consolidation is intended to create a foundation for more connected rewards and experiences across the group’s mobile, broadband, and partner channels.
Capillary’s platform is being positioned by PLDT and Smart as a way to use artificial intelligence, customer personalization, and real-time engagement capabilities in their loyalty operations. The companies selected Capillary based on what they described as its loyalty expertise, scalable enterprise architecture, and experience in high-growth markets.
Customer and partner engagement
Menardo G. Jimenez, Jr., PLDT chief operating officer, said customer loyalty is important to the PLDT Group’s long-term growth. He said the collaboration is intended to help the group respond to changing customer expectations, strengthen relationships through its products and services, and provide greater value throughout the customer journey.
Jimenez also connected the investment in loyalty with customer retention and sustainable growth. These points are company-stated objectives for the partnership, rather than reported results from the new platform. The source announcement does not provide performance figures, specific reward mechanics, or details about how customers will access the consolidated program.
John Y. Palanca, head of PLDT Home, said the platform could support more personalized rewards for subscribers and partners. He cited exclusive perks, curated offers, partner benefits, and experiences tailored to customer preferences as examples of the types of engagement the company aims to provide.
Lloyd R. Manaloto, officer-in-charge of Smart, said the new loyalty platform is intended to recognize Smart retailers and e-load partners in addition to subscribers. He said bringing Smart and PLDT into one loyalty ecosystem would establish a basis for more seamless, converged rewards and experiences in the future.
Phased rollout
Santosh Reddy, president for APAC at Capillary Technologies, said the company will bring its experience with loyalty programs for brands in APAC and other markets to the collaboration. His comments characterized the project as an effort to develop a more connected loyalty experience for the companies’ subscribers.
The PLDT Smart loyalty ecosystem will not launch through a single disclosed nationwide date. Instead, PLDT and Smart said the rollout will use a phased implementation approach over the next year. The announcement does not specify the first participating program, customer eligibility rules, reward catalog, pricing, or the timing of each phase. Further details will depend on the implementation schedule announced by the companies.
