To symbolize the company’s new ownership by Discover Financial Services
and to reinvigorate the brand, Diners Club International announced in December
2009, the launch of a new global branding campaign that includes a refreshed
logo, redesigned card art and new print, out-of-home and broadcast advertisements.
The new campaign symbolizes a continuation of delivering on the Diners Club
brand promise – which is to empower members to enrich their personal
and business experiences through access to superior services and exclusive
privileges – while evolving with the ever-changing needs of card members.
The ads reflect a move beyond Diners Club’s traditional focus of travel
and entertainment to everyday card use.
The new ads have launched in a number of markets in Q4 2009, including Austria,
Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Norway, South Africa and Sweden and will
continue to roll out in other international markets throughout 2010.
The message the ads convey to card members and prospects is that Diners
Club recognizes, honors and celebrates the values of their journey, including
the experience and sacrifices required of people to reach success. To that
end, the broadcast spots, called “Map of the World,” portray
card members as citizens of the world who are always expanding their horizons
through experiences large and small. The print spots depict everyday moments
in life for card members with photography that aims to capture the richness
of the card experience. The out-of-home creative elements reflect the idea
of a global community and represent the club as a whole, in which card members
“Belong.”
Notice for members travelling to Zimbabwe
The Diners Club card will no longer be in use in Zimbabwe
due to currency fluctuations in the market as from 1 January 2009. Members
travelling to Zimbabwe are advised to make the necessary financial arrangements
prior to departure.
For more information, please contact Grant Evans at +27 11 358 8495.
Diners Club International
sale gets thumbs up
Standard Bank has welcomed the
purchase of Diners Club International (DCI) by Discover Financial Services,
a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Standard Bank owns the
Diners Club International franchise in South Africa.
Discover one of the most recognised brands in US financial services, purchased
Diners Club International from Citi for US$165 million.
Says Linda Manzini, Managing Director of Diners Club South Africa (DCSA):
"The sale of the Diners Club International business will bring significant
benefits for DCSA as we will see much needed global investment in the
DCI brand, marketing, technology, product development and improved global
acceptance. We look forward to working with Discover."
"We expect this acquisition to significantly improve our competitive
position by giving us global reach and accelerating growth in our payment
network revenues," said David Nelms, Chief Executive Officer of Discover.
Diners Club cardholders can continue to use their cards as usual and will
maintain all benefits related to their current card programmes.
Over the next two-to-three years, Discover expects to integrate both networks
to allow Discover Network cardholders to use their cards at merchants
that accept Diners Club cards around the world, and Diners Club cardholders
to use their cards on the Discover Network in North America.
The combined company will bring together two respected brands with experienced
merchant acceptance networks that will enable card members to use their
cards in more than 185 countries and territories. The acquisition is expected
to close within 90 days, subject to required regulatory approvals.
About Discover Financial Services:
Discover Financial Services is a leading credit card issuer and electronic
payment services company. The company operates the Discover Card, with
more than 50 million card members. Since its inception in 1986, the company
has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States.
Posted: 8 April 2008
About Us
Diners Club International is a well respected
global brand with a proud heritage as the world’s first charge card.
Offering a myriad of benefits to the individual and the business client,
it has earned premium brand status and is recognised as one of the most
comprehensive travel and entertainment expense management solutions. The
Diners Club Card is issued in more than 200 countries and accepted by 14
million establishments around the world. In South Africa, Diners Club is
recognised as one of the top franchises among the 158 in the world.
It was over 50 years ago that the first multi-use charge card, the Diners
Club Card, was introduced in New York. Shortly after its inception, Diners
Club became the first card to provide services to the business traveller
and in 1955, Diners Club was the first charge card accepted by airlines.
It's 1949. Businessman Frank McNamara arranges a dinner with guests at Major's
Cabin Grill, a New York City restaurant. When the dinner is over, Frank
realises he has left his wallet in his other suit. Luckily, the restaurant
owner knows him and lets him leave his business card as an IOU. He resolves
never to face this embarrassment again.
In February 1950, Frank McNamara and his partner Ralph Schneider return
to Major's Cabin Grill. When the bill comes, Frank presents a small, cardboard
card a Diners Club Card - and signs for the meal. In the credit card industry,
this event is known as the First Supper.
Personal offering
Diners Club is the smart payment solution for
financially astute individuals, business people and companies. It is the
only card payment solution provider that combines a superior product package
and unsurpassed service with universal acceptance.
With a wealth of experience and heritage behind us, we have developed a
series of tools and products that offer prestige, convenience and security.
Over the years Diners Club has formed many partnerships and alliances with
other leading companies in order to consistently add value and convenience
to their personal card members, corporate clients and merchants.
Through these partnerships, Diners Club is able to offer such extended benefits
as rewarding members with Frequent Flyer Miles on all their eligible purchases
through the SAA Voyager programme and the BA Executive Club programme, pass
on special rates from car rental companies, hotel groups and restaurants
and many more merchants that are aligned with Diners Club International.
Patronage to improve standards
One of Diners Club’s core values is to enhance the lifestyle experiences
of its members. In order to deliver on this promise and to facilitate better
levels of service in the various areas that touch member’s lives,
Diners Club has become involved in, and in some instances sponsor entirely,
certain programmes and awards that improve service and enhance overall standards.
One such programme is the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year and Young Winemaker
of the Year competition. Designed to lift the standards of wine and wine-making
throughout South Africa, these awards have become the benchmark by which
good wines are judged in this country. In the course of its proud 25 year
history, these awards have become highly coveted by the wine industry and
have recognised and produced some of the countries top vintners and wines
this country has to offer.
Continuing with the theme of wine, Diners Club also sponsors the Diners
Club Winelist of the Year Awards. These Awards encourage food and wine-serving
establishments to improve the standards of the wine selection they offer
patrons. The award categories and competition requirements are in line with
global market trends and Diners Club’s ongoing contribution towards
service excellence in the hospitality and tourism industries.
When it comes to restaurants and service quality Diners Club has aligned
itself with the Dine Awards, an annual event that identifies those restaurants,
bistros and cafés whose good food, top service and superior wines
have earned them inclusion among the Top 100 Restaurants as rated in Dine,
the annual SA restaurant guide from WINE magazine and Diners Club.
In line with Diners Club’s social responsibility policy, we are the
sole sponsor of the Diners Club Waiter Training programme. Besides raising
standards in the service industry, the school trains people from previously
disadvantaged backgrounds free of charge, to become expert waiters, capable
of serving with confidence. This year alone, almost 500 individuals –
primarily from rural areas – have qualified.
Diners Club is committed to providing superior
service to our clients and merchants, working closely with them and taking
a partnership approach to business.
This ultimately enables us to provide solutions that are tailored to the
specific needs of our many members and merchants.
In South Africa, Diners Club has successfully captured the business travel
market by effectively managing executive’s business travel expenses
with their range of products and services. To achieve this, Diners Club
has developed tools and products that simplify and streamline the management
of travel and entertainment expenses offering the capabilities to track
staff adherence to travel policies and procedures.
Beyond the financial benefits to your company, these tools and services
ensure the traveller is also well taken care of while his transactions are
being monitored and managed securely by the department or company he or
she represents. Not only does this result in the smooth and efficient facilitation
of third party payments, it allows for secure checks and balances on transactions,
and also ensures peace-of-mind for the traveller, wherever he/she may be
in the world.
In addition to the various product offerings, Diners Club continuously strives
to deliver new services and benefits that will enable solutions through
service excellence. Our dedicated relationship managers and Member Service
Centre ensure that our clients receive our full attention at all times –
allowing for complete control with minimum effort.
Registered details of Diners Club (SA) (PTY) Limited in association
with Standard
Bank of South Africa appear below:
Registration number:
1956/000068/07
Diners Club is an authorised financial services and registered credit provider
(NCRCP983)
Registered office:
Diners Club South Africa
Group secretarial services
Physical
Floor -3
35 Symons Road
Auckland Park, 2092
Postal
Private Bag X67
Auckland Park
2006
Leadership
Chairman:
L.F. Barnard
Managing Director:
E. Matthews
Board members:
L. Fourie
J.K. Griffin
A.J. Hockley
F.N. Khanyile
R.G.R. Lascaris
F. Regnani
A. Zaayman
Diners Club South Africa
Diners Club SA supports the Code
of Banking Practice and the protection it gives you, our valued member.
Diners Club and the National Credit Act
(Act 34 of 2005)
The National Credit Act (NCA) came into effect
on 1 June 2007. The purpose of the Act, among other things, is to: •
Protect you from borrowing more than you can afford or from becoming over-indebted
• Prevent credit providers from lending recklessly
• Ensure that you understand your rights and obligations
when you enter into credit agreements
We are fully supportive of the objectives of the NCA and below you will
find an outline how the NCA may affect your existing agreement with us,
i.e. any agreement that was entered into before 1 June 2007.
Please note that the terms and conditions of your existing agreement with
us remain unchanged.
Please note that if you are a Juristic Natural Trust Person (a company,
trust, excluding close corporation or other business entity) then this information
does not apply to you.
How NCA impacts existing credit agreements (entered into before
1 June 2007)
General
•
Interest rates, fees and charges will not change, except
in accordance with your original credit agreement. In the event that
these do change, we will notify you.
•
You may pay any amount owed to us in advance or settle your outstanding
balance at any time. An early termination fee may be levied if such
fee is provided for in the original agreement and permitted in terms
of the NCA.
•
You may contact the Credit Bureaux and have your credit record disclosed
to you free of charge once a year. Should this information be incorrect,
you may contact the Credit Bureaux to correct it.
Default
•
Should you fail to meet your obligations in terms of
the agreement, you will be considered to be in default. We will notify
you of default in writing and of our intention to submit your information
to the Credit Bureaux. The Credit Bureaux may in turn provide your
unfavourable credit information to other bureaux users.
•
Once we have notified you of your default you have the following
options available to you:
-
You may make arrangements with us to bring your payment up to date.
-
You may consult an independent debt counsellor, or
-
You may contact an alternative dispute resolution agent, consumer
court or ombudsman for banking services to resolve any dispute.
•
You will become liable for default administration costs and in the
event of legal action being instituted against you, collection costs
will be charged to you as well.
•
We may also suspend your limit without notice to you or withdraw
all or part of your limit on notice to you.
Contact Information
Credit
Bureaux
Experian: 0861 10 56 65
Trans Union ITC: 011 214 6000
For Complaints/Disputes:
Ombudsman for banking service: 0860 800 900
National Credit Regulator: 0860 627 627
Print
or Download the National Credit Act (1.4 MB) - click
here
Bilingual
Notice to Existing Personal Card Members (agreements before 1 June 2007)
173 KB - click here
Bilingual
Notice to Existing Corporate Card Members (agreements before 1 June 2007)
171 KB - click here
Diners Club’s official BEE compliance documents are now available
for print or download below.
Any companies requiring information on our BEE or Financial Sector Charter
compliance are requested to download this information.
Print
or Download the Empowerdex BEE Certificate (430 KB) - click
here
Print
or Download the National Credit Act (1.4 MB) -