Milan Kosoric, MPC Properties – Loyalty Programs Attracting Generation Z as Well

In mid-November 2021, MPC Properties launched a unique loyalty platform, the “Tvoj Centar” app, which networked four large shopping centers owned by the company – USCE shopping center, BEO shopping center, Delta City and Mercator Centar.

We talked to Milan Kosoric, Technical Manager for IT and Telecommunications MPC Properties, about how this loyalty program improves the purchasers’ user experience and about the recently held “renovation” retail case challenge and including generation Z in planning the company’s development.

– MPC properties is dedicated to improving consumer experience in the centers it manages. One of the ways is the loyalty program for the most loyal customers. Tvoj Centar is a loyalty program that includes gifts, discounts and benefits at said centers, as well as access to the unique content through which the users of the app become part of the community gathered around the best brands in the country. You become a member of the program by downloading the app and registering, and points are collected by physically visiting any of said four shopping centers. This way, the users are able to get the most important information about the events at the centers, the discounts of their favorite brands, with an opportunity to win prizes, at a single click. The app has been downloaded around 70 thousand times so far, with the tendency of growth.

Recently, MPC Properties carried out the “renovation” retail case challenge with students from the Faculty of Organizational Sciences. What was the aim of this project?

– The work on developing new solutions never stops. The aim of the realized case study is based on consolidating the ideas and adding new perspectives to the entire idea of those gathered around the Tvoj Centar app. We were interested to learn how generation Z thinks and what would attract them within a loyalty program. As a result, we got interesting propositions and suggestions, as well as information which additionally facilitated the further work on the application.

How did the students fare in proposing solutions? Which solutions for improving the shopping experience were proposed by the winning team?

– After the project, with its advantages and limitations, was presented to the students, they were given four days to come up with the best solutions and prepare the presentation.

So, the project was organized so that the students did not have much time to design complex solutions, but to “come up” with several interesting ideas and develop concepts around them. I believe that, in this way, we transferred a lot of findings and knowledge to the students, without burdening them with unnecessary details or expectations which are not realistic.

This model brings ideas which are rarely revolutionary, but are often presented in a way which can bring closer and show another angle of seeing something already familiar to us. In order for those ideas to be further implemented, lots of iterations are required, but, as we’ve said, they can improve the focus.

The winning team did a good presentation and “covered” a lot of segments that should be paid attention to, especially when it comes to communicating with Gen Z and using TikTok for this purpose. It is especially interesting that the students have created an example of communication through this platform for the purposes of the presentation.

The awards for the best teams, as well as the best presenter, were provided by the partners of the contest: Titova vila, Sport Vision, Under Armour, ComputerLand, Barbolini, Mobile Outfitters, Sports Academy Kocovic and Optiplaza.

How does generation Z view the experience of shopping at shopping centers? Are they willing to replace it with online commerce? In what way can added value be offered to them when visiting shopping centers?

– Generation Z practically grew up in the time of the internet and online services, so it’s logical that online shopping is extremely close to them. However, like all generations, they like to see, touch and try out items and products, so physical locations, that is, shopping destinations, have their place in the future.

The general trends are heading toward shopping centers positioning themselves not just as places for shopping, but also as locations which offer a wider experience – various entertaining, educational and lifestyle features. MPC Properties does that, through centers in its portfolio, we promote and organize sports, educational and the most varied entertainment activations, which makes us favorite (shopping) places for the young to gather.

How important is it for a big company like MPC Properties to include generation Z in planning its development?

– It is very important. We believe that this, just like every previous generation, is the carrier of the current and the “herald” of future trends – a “window” to what’s coming. Also, in the past period, our company has taken part several times in the My First Salary programs, where the majority of the candidates found permanent employment at our company. As somebody who cooperates with a considerable number of colleagues – members of this generation, I would like to highlight the importance of new and different approaches that they bring along. Synergy is what’s most important, in all fields, and as such, it is a sure way to success.

Balkans Real Estate d.o.o. Beograd

COMPUTERLAND DOO BEOGRAD

Promoda Novi Beograd

Mobile Outfitters doo

Sport Vision d.o.o. Beograd

Sportska akademija Kočović

Ordinacija Optiplaza Beograd

Fakultet organizacionih nauka Beograd

MPC Properties

Titova vila

Sport Vision

Under Armour

ComputerLand

Barbolini

Mobile Outfitters

sports academy Kočović

Optiplaza

Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Milan Kosorić

UŠĆE SC

BEO SC

Delta City

Mercator Centar

rénovation retail case challenge

loyalty programs

loyalty apps