210,000 people hold a Rotterdampas, giving them access to free or discounted activities in and around Rotterdam. Each year, they have the option to renew their pass. Since 2022, Rotterdampas has made that process easier using PayByLink. Communications Advisor Maciel Toorenvliet explains: “PayByLink helps us serve our cardholders better and gives us more insight into how they pay”
The Rotterdampas is for everyone
Rotterdampas is an initiative by the Municipality of Rotterdam. It provides access to free or discounted activities in and around the city — from swimming and dining out to theatre visits. Anyone can purchase a Rotterdampas for €65. Students and residents with lower incomes qualify for a discounted rate. Rotterdampas now has 210,000 cardholders who can easily renew their pass using a QR code.
From giro collection form to QR code
As Communications Advisor for Rotterdampas at the Municipality of Rotterdam, Maciel Toorenvliet is closely involved with the renewal process: “About 58,000 households will then receive a letter from us with a QR code offering them the option to renew their pass for another year. Previously, this involved a payment slip, but it could be made more user-friendly. With the Rotterdampas, we strive to be as digital as possible, and we also have two physical stores where we help people with limited (digital) language skills.
Online payments, instantly activated
Cardholders can apply for or renew their card in various ways: in stores, through the website and app, or via the renewal letter with a QR code. “This can now be done in just a few clicks, by scanning the QR code and paying online. The same card is then active again for another year. This has greatly increased the user experience. For us, this was a new, customer-friendly, and additional option for our cardholders to renew their card; we encountered no resistance, and it works very smoothly.”
Insight into payment behavior
Maciel also highlights PayByLink’s reporting as an added value: “We don’t want to overburden our physical stores, so it’s important for us to make it as easy as possible for cardholders to renew their accounts upfront. PayByLink provides us with all the data from online payments via QR codes. This gives us insight into how our cardholders pay and allows us to separate these payments into payments at our counters, via the bank, online, and via QR code,” Maciel explains.
More convenience for everyone
The biggest advantage of using PayByLink for renewals? Maciel: “It allows us to be even more service-oriented toward our cardholders — and we’re really pleased with that. We have a diverse target audience, and renewing via QR code lowers the threshold, making it easier for everyone to complete the process in one go. As a result, we’ve also seen fewer visitors at our service desks, which is a big plus.”
PayByLink for other municipal passes
“If the card involves a payment transaction, I would definitely recommend PayByLink to other municipalities with such a card. The ability to scan a QR code makes it easier for cardholders to renew their card. PayByLink is also a very pleasant company; they’re very helpful and respond quickly. Great!”
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