Market conditions for the development of the plastic card business are favorable for the Russian market at the present time. The wide range of services (financial, telecommunication, etc.) is increasing every day and is based on providing clients with plastic card s containing the definite data.

According to the organizers of the Forum , nowadays it’s very difficult to surprise clients with a wide range of goods and services. This is why every company and enterprise needs to use new marketing methods and technologies, to offer additional services in order to attract clients. One of the best marketing instruments is plastic cards and discount systems. Of course, they are not new marketing technologies but their efficiency is still high as new ideas are bursting into the market. Plastic cards and discount systems as any other serious instrument cannot work efficiently without considerable intellectual investments of the company’s management. It’s necessary to inject the card marketing strategy of the company with new ideas and technologies.

The main focus of the Forum was its practical orientation and know how: the emphasis was given to solving practical problems in order to attract and keep clients. The conference program contained reports of Western and Russian experts on plastic cards and discount systems.

Sergey Gavriluk, HRS Loyalty Systems Product Manager, made a report on the subject “The system of automatic calculation of discounts and cashless payments in the restaurants, clubs and entertainment complexes”.

This report was dedicated to the HRS own development - TRAKO system (www.trako.com ). This system allow hospitality professionals to keep track of the " customers and to market effectively to this loyal client base. It’s functionality is varied: users can build a database of clients with details about client requirements and preferences; issue member cards which are usable in all property outlets and which allow for card member discounts and other privileges; set up client accounts which record customer activity and hold earned bonus points. In short, cards issued from TRAKO act as a credit account, a debit account, a discount card and a registration vehicle all at the same time. And users may also set up family accounts and corporate accounts allowing for the issuance of multiple cards all reporting to the same account.

Significant attention at the Forum was paid to Smart Cards as the most perspective technology with the highest functionality. In the sphere of smart cards HRS also offer its solution - smart cards CISA mykey and contactless tags.«Smart Tag technology can be used as part of a comprehensive solution with TRAKO account management and Micros, or with Micros alone. Tags integrate with TRAKO club functions such as discounts, allowances and client statistics or, in the case of Micros, with a cashless "electronic purse" system. Balances and client activity is electronically stored directly on the tag," said Sergey Gavriluk.

Owners of many hospitality establishments not only within the CIS territory but in other countries all over the world have already chosen TRAKO to keep them competitive in their industry. Among them «Metelitza Casino» in Moscow, Radisson SAS Lazurnaya Hotel in Sochi, «Malakhit» in Ekaternburg, Hotel Coral Bay in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, Senato della Repubblica in Rome, Italy, Burroughs & Chapin Company Inc in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, etc. Increasing number of clients, rapidly growing demand for the plastic cards technologies and discount system marketing materials allow to consider this type of business highly promising.