Remit2India’s Power20 – Get $10* EXTRA on each of your first two transaction

If you have just registered with Remit2India.com or registered before but haven’t yet used the services, Remit2India brings you a limited period offer to ensure that you get the best when you send money through it. Get up to $20 extra while sending money home all through this month. This special offer is valid till 30th March 2012.

So, hurry and make sure that you make the most of this offer. To know more click http://bit.ly/r2ip20

*Conditions Apply

Remit2India’s FXvoucher ‘the power to get EXTRA’ is back

Currency fluctuationshave been one of the prime concerns for NRIs when they look at sending money home. If one looks at the trend of the US$ in the past few months, it has been extremely volatile. From INR 44.5 in Feb’11 to touching highs of INR 49.3 a few days back against 1 US$, the fluctuations impact a NRI. This is true for most currencies and markets around the world. Compare that with the increasing inflation that has gone up from 1.5% – Feb’11 to 3.75% – Sept’11 in the US. The Inflation in India has also peaked to 8.43% in recent time thereby increasing the cost of living. NRIs who remit money to their family back home need to shell out extra, which becomes an expensive affair.The volatile nature of these currencies coupled with increasing inflation makes a NRI anxious to maximize his remittance.
At Remit2India, we understand this concern and to aid it, we have launched the FXvoucher- an assured way to earn EXTRA money. It helps a NRI gain 3 times as much back of the initial investment he makes. This festive season we re-introduce the FXvoucher with improved features and hope our NRI customers make the most of it.

Click here to purchase the FXvoucher

Remit2India celebrates NRI Family Day

Remit2India, as part of its endeavour to build a bond with the families of NRIs, recently celebrated another chapter of its ‘Remit2India – NRI Family Day’ in Bengaluru. Known for being the pioneer in offering an online money transfer service for NRIs, the Remit2India – NRI Family Day was created as an occasion to celebrate & bond with the families who have their loved ones across the globe. Touted as an evening full of fun & entertainment, the event lived up to the hype with over 300 families in attendance. Held at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru, it included live performances by Indian Idol star Rehan Khan as well as Bollywood actress Smiley Suri.

Also part of the evening celebrations was a range of activities from free health check-ups, tattoo artists, Tarot card readers, live international video chats etc. The icing on the cake was an elaborate spread of delicacies to suit the different tastes of the family members.

Speaking at the event, Avijit Nanda, President – TimesofMoney said “Every one of us miss not having our loved ones around. The Remit2India NRI Family Day is our way of trying to bridge the physical distance between the NRI & his family in India. We are overwhelmed with the response & really delighted to see the families having such a wonderful time”

The event would be extended to other cities. Key partners for the Bengaluru event include Clarks Exotica, Life Insurance Corporation, Mallya Hospital, Volkswagen, Chromozome Network, Jet Airways & Times Card.

Remit2India adopts innovative ways to connect with its NRI audience

Participates in community associations & events to increase brand presence and engage its audience

Believing in the philosophy of engaging with its customers Remit2India, pioneer in online money transfers, has adopted a novel way of reaching out to the Indian disapora by partnering with Indian communities such as the ‘Bruhan Maharashtra Mandal of North America’ (BMM), ‘Telugu Association of North America’ (TANA) and participating in their annual events in US. Associating with these communities provided the opportunity to interact with NRIs who send money back home.

The BMM and TANA events were held in Chicago and California respectively where a sizable NRI population resides, thereby providing the perfect platform for services such as Remit2India to interact with potential customers. Both events attracted thousands of locals who turned out in large strengths at the venues that showcased their cultural and Indian roots.

Remit2India’s booth at these events gave the audience a flavour of the ease and convenience of its services that NRIs could benefit from when sending money to their home country. This on-ground activity was targeted at effectively connecting, interacting and engaging with the NRI community. Several product demos were conducted and promotion brand collaterals were given out to excite the customers. Commenting on this initiative, Avijit Nanda, President of TimesofMoney said, “We have traditionally followed extensive online marketing activities, but over the last couple of months, we have adopted a more focused approach that allows us to interact with our consumers directly and educate them on transferring money in a safe and secure manner online. Remit2India has always been innovative in interacting with its audience and sharing relevant product information. For these events, we aided our representatives with iPads that allowed us to provide a real time service demo along with a chance for customer to signup for FREE on the spot. The feedback has been very promising and we hope to continue reaching out to our audience in an innovative manner”.

Remit2India’s MOR(Money on Referral) Hat-Trick Offer is back

And certainly with a bang…

Remit2India gives you MOR reasons to smile and earn with its referral program ‘Money On Referral’ (MOR). All one has to do is refer his/her NRI friends and he/she can earn Rs. 1,000/- per referral. Your friends also get Rs. 500 for using our service through your referral.

And the good part is one can refer as many NRI friends as possible. Which means more the friends one refers, more money he/she can earn.

So what are you waiting for. Start referring now and make an unlimited amount of money!

The customer also has the choice to redeem this as extra money sent as remittance or even as a Gift Voucher against a host of gifting items from a special catalog.

So, spread the smile with Remit2India’s unique referral program ‘MOR’.

The Online Success Story

India’s growth rate is escalating and is on an indefinite rise. Although there are stark disparities, this is an indisputable fact. Also more people today are going abroad for jobs and other motivations. With increasing number of NRIs over the years who invest in the growing Indian market, consumer behavior has evolved. 

In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Avijit Nanda, President of TimesofMoney dwells about this space and gives an insightful understanding.

Nanda said, “Consumer behavior has shifted from merely using a remittance channel for family maintenance needs to a wider spectrum such as gifting, real estate investments, etc. TimesofMoney is a digital payment service provider that started in India and today serves a varied clientele in India and abroad. “ 

It offers NRIs services such as online remittances, gifting, and property services. In the domestic market it offers e-payments and co-branded cards. Incorporated in 2001, TimesofMoney commenced operations with its brand Remit2India, the online money transfer service for NRIs from the U.S. It further launched the first ACH (Automated Clearing House) based direct debit remittance service in the U.S. Furthermore in 2003, TimesofMoney extended services to NRIs in UK, Europe & Australia. Today Remit2India allows NRIs from 23 countries to send money to India. Over the years it has created a mark for itself both with customers as well as the industry by introducing features like direct debits, SMS alerts, transaction insurance, 24×7 support, etc. 

Nanda further added, “In September 2003, TimesofMoney expanded the scope of its operations by creating a white-label remittance engine for other banks and exchange houses to use. This enabled TimesofMoney to offer their technology, operations and service platform to its partners. This move has enabled TimesofMoney to contribute extensively to the field of remittances by empowering other players to extend their remittance service offerings. Key bank partners are Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Citi Bank, Yes Bank, Etc.” 

During the last few years TimesofMoney has diversified into global remittances services with Remit2Home.com, its global online money transfer service. Along with home based products like DirecPay, that acts as a one-stop payment gateway solution that accepts payments from over 72 payment options including credit cards, debit cards, net banking transfers using the Internet, Mobile Phone or an IVR. TimesofMoney also operates co-branded card service ‘Times Cards’ which is in partnership with Barclays, It’s an infotainment card that provides discounts and offers across restaurants, movies theatre, apparel stores and others. 

Commenting on the marketing initiatives, Nanda said, “We have traditionally followed extensive marketing activities online. A well-defined and measured matrix is followed to check results of campaigns executed. From modern tools of acquiring to conversion of its in-house managed system to track every movement of the customer life cycle. “ 

TimesofMoney also has an in-house customer services call center that not only takes care of customer queries but also serves as active on call sales force. While the business is online, it has also carried out Above the line (ATL) & Below the line (BTL) activities to reach out to its audience. From television, print, radio campaigns to local area catchment activity to participating in India based community shows, TimesofMoney has always been innovative when it comes to acquiring customers which are spread around the world. “Marking its 10th anniversary this year, it institutionalized an award called ‘Remit2India The Light of India Awards’ to recognize and honor the contribution of the Global Indian community,” he explained further. 

TimesofMoney has brands and offerings like Remit2India – facilitates money transfers to India for Non-Resident Indians from around the world, Window2India – exclusive service for Non-Resident Indians, Remit2Home- global money transfer service provider, Times Card- India’s first entertainment credit card service, DirecPay – unique payment gateway service in the e-commerce space of India.

Nanda then stated, “With a unique challenge of targeting NRIs globally without a physical presence, Remit2India has relied online to reach out to its target audience. With focus approach through carefully learning their behaviors Remit2India has extensively targeted its base through modern modes of search engine optimization (SEO), social media optimization (SMO) and Online advertising through partners and publishers.”

He also added, “However with the NRI community (Remit2India’s target audience) being spread across the world its major challenge has been to optimize its marketing spends and acquisition strategies. Not to mention communicating across continents with a non-personal approach in itself is challenging.” 

Talking of plans going forward, Nanda said, “We would want to reach out to our audiences more selectively, through our PR efforts constantly educate our customer on the benefits of online money transfer, streamline our operations and customer experience on our site. We also have some exciting new product launches and innovations this FY to enhance our service offerings.”

Remit2India’s focus has been to build affinity with its audience, educate the nuances and benefits of online money transfer, participate in industry forums and spread the word

Remit2India ‘The Light of India Awards’ 2011 Winners Announced

A beautiful evening in New York mirrored the excitement resonating around the first ever Remit2India ‘The Light of India Awards’ 2011 held on 22^nd April. The awards were constituted by Remit2India, ranked the world’s #1 online money transfer portal for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) by AC Nielsen, to recognize exemplary achievements by NRIs in the fields of business leadership, corporate leadership, political leadership, science and technology, journalism and literature and arts and entertainment.

The event received an overwhelming response, from the who’s who of the South Asian community in New York to special dignitaries and performers fromIndia. The attendance of celebrated personalities like Javed Akhtar, Salman Rushdie, Ajay Banga, Naveen Jain, Vinod Khosla, Harman Baweja, Vivek Kundra, Mukesh Majmudar and Vinod Dham made the night a runaway success.

Special chief guest, Her Excellency Meera Shankar, the Indian Ambassador to theUnited States, was honored by legendary Indian film and stage actor Shabana Azmi. Indian musician and singer, Raghav Sachar, wowed the audience with his patriotic tunes while actor and comedian Aasif Mandvi, of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, entertained the crowd with his anecdotes of being a first generation American-Indian. The venue the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel was as grand as the sentiment attached with the award ceremony.

Speaking on the success of the event Avijit Nanda, President of TimesofMoney, said, “One of the definitions of the word ‘Light’ in the dictionary is ‘a person who is an outstanding leader, celebrity or luminary – The Light of India Awards is just about that.Indiais on the path of being a major superpower – and one of the main reasons behind this is our global Indian community. The philosophy of the Times Group has always been to recognize excellence in various fields be it movies, business or beauty. And being a part of the Group’s global arm serving the Indian diaspora, it seemed logical for us to create this platform.” 

Winners were announced in 6 categories ranging from corporate excellence to arts & entertainment. The esteemed Jury comprising of names like Sulaja Firodia Motwani, Javed Akhtar, Priya Paul, Prasoon Joshi, Shiv Khera, Mahesh Dattani, Shabana Azmi, Pranay Gupte and Madhu Trehan chose their winners from each category. In accordance with the Jury Awards, NRIs and Indians across the world voted online to choose their ‘Light of India’ People’s Choice Awards.

A Special Award called the “Power of Influence” was also created to honor a special person in some of these categories who has influenced his or her field in such a prominent way that it has changed the course of that field.

Remit2India Introduces ‘The Light of India Awards 2011’

An endeavor to recognize the Indians abroad

Remit2India, the online money transfer service for NRIs, recently announced a brand new initiative to recognize the Global Indian community.

Over the years, the Indian community abroad has contributed significantly not only to their country of residence but also to the Indian economy back home. Worldwide, Indians are recognized as the most valued ethnic community in terms of their intellectual capital. Their efforts in infusing capital, ideas and international practices have also contributed significantly to the Indian economy apart from keeping alive the Indian traditions and culture far and wide. Indians today have done the country proud through their contribution in various fields like art, science, technology and politics the world over.

Aptly titled the Light of India Awards, the objective of this platform is to recognize & reward these NRIs who have excelled in their respective domains. Presented by the Amrapali Group, the awards are a unique combination where the winners would be chosen in 2 categories – A Jury of eminent names & also online by the NRIs themselves.

Covering 6 categories ranging from corporate excellence to arts & entertainment, the Jury comprising of names like Sulaja Firodia Motwani, Javed Akhtar, Priya Paul, Prasoon Joshi, Shiv Khera, Mahesh Dattani, Shabana Azmi, Pranay Gupte and Madhu Trehan who would choose a winner from each category. Simultaneously, NRIs and Indians across the world would be able to vote online on who they choose as their ‘Light of India’. The entire process would be validated by KPMG.

A culmination of the entire voting process is a grand awards event on the 22^nd April’11 in New York City. With the Indian Ambassador to the U.S, Ms Meera Shankar, as the Chief Guest, the event would be graced with the presence of some of the biggest names from the NRI community.

Giving his take on the initiative, Avijit Nanda – President, TimesofMoney, said “NRIs have always been one of the reasons for which India has been shining. Having catered to this community with our Remit2India service, it is only logical for us to create a platform to recognize these shining lights. What is even more unique is that for the first time this community is being recognized by a combination of a distinguished Jury & most importantly, by the very members of this community – the NRIs.”

Commenting on the platform, Mr. Anil Kumar Sharma, Chairman – Amrapali Group said “We are extremely delighted to be a part of this commendable endeavour. Its great to see Indians succeeding across the globe and get recognized through this initiative. It also fits in perfectly with our philosophy of ‘Developing India’ as NRIs are key contributors to our nation’s success & development.”

The other key partners to the event include Sony Entertainment Television, Asia as the Exclusive Television Partner, Etihad Airways as the International Travel Partner, TimesofIndia.com as the online partner, Comcast and Goa Tourism as Associate Sponsors.

More details on the event & the voting process are available on the website, www.lightofindiaawards.com.

 

Remit2India turns 10 years old

Longevity in the Internet space has always been a challenge for most ventures, especially the Indian ones. There are, however, a few prominent exceptions. Remit2India, the flagship brand from TimesofMoney, recently completed 10 years of helping NRIs bringing money safely back home.

India has always been one of the largest receivers of remittances thanks to the large NRI community across the globe. At the turn of the century, the options to send money home were limited and restricted to cumbersome & inefficient ‘offline’ methods, which even came at a huge price to the sender of the money. And that is when Remit2India was created to change the way the industry functions. Riding the online wave, Remit2India was the pioneer in creating a proposition that allowed the sender to use the efficiencies & convenience of the Internet to send money home. Gone were the days of endless waits for cheques to credit & also paying high fees to wire the money from overseas.

Today, Remit2India continues to be a leader in the online remittance space, which in turn is the fastest growing option for NRIs to send money. With a customer base of over 500,000 loyal NRIs, Remit2India has always thrived on being the innovator in this space. Right from introducing first-of-its-kind products like Direct Debits, Remittance Cards, SMS Alerts to getting industry recognitions like Brand Leadership Awards and a recognition of ‘World’s No.1 Independent Online Money Transfer Portal for NRIs’ in an AC Nielsen study, Remit2India has become the chosen option for NRIs looking for a safe & trusted option to send money.

To mark its celebrations, Remit2India has chosen to reward the people who have helped it become such a huge brand – its customers. All this month, Remit2India is running ‘The Perfect 10’ offer where apart from the customer getting a guaranteed extra amount per transfer, there are a host of engaging offers based on the theme of ‘10’. NRIs from all over the world are invited to participate in the offer & join in the festivities.

 

Remit2India’s MOR campaign is back!

And certainly with a bang…

With the festive season round the corner, Remit2India gives you MOR reasons to smile and earn with its  referral program ‘Money On Referral’ (MOR). All one has to do is refer his NRI friends and he/she can earn upto Rs. 1,000/- per referral. And the good part is one can refer as many NRI friends as possible. Which means more the friends one refers, more money he/she can earn.

This festive season, MOR has doubled its benefit to Rs. 1000/- instead of Rs. 500/- with the MOR the MERRIER program.

The customer also has the choice to redeem this as extra money sent as remittance or even as a Gift Voucher against a host of gifting items from a special catalog.

So, spread the smile with Remit2India’s unique referral program ‘MOR’ because MOR is MERRIER.