Picture this: It’s the first of the month. You’ve promised yourself—this is the month you start saving. A little here, a little there. You open your banking app, check your transactions, maybe even move a bit into a savings jar.
But by the second week, you’re lured by a sale notification. You tell yourself you deserve it. And suddenly, that noble savings plan is forgotten.
You’re not alone. In fact, your brain is wired this way. We’re creatures of instant gratification. Waiting months or years for a payoff? That’s like asking a kid to ignore a cookie on the table.
The Quiet Genius of Gamification
Now imagine if saving wasn’t a chore. Imagine if it was exciting, rewarding, even… addictive.
Enter gamification—a way to layer progress, surprise, and rewards over the dull parts of financial discipline. It taps into something ancient and joyful. Milestones. Achievements. Wins.
That’s where Perx comes in—turning financial goals into journeys. Add to that the real-time, hyper-personalized insights from Strands’ PFM engine, designed to identify savings opportunities and financial milestones, and you’ve got the formula not just for awareness, but for meaningful action.
Meet Sofia – The New-Age Saver
Sofia is 27. She’s smart with her money, but like most of us, saving isn’t second nature. Her goal? A holiday in Bali. The problem? Staying motivated. She sets a savings goal in her PFM dashboard, powered by Strands’ intelligent recommendations. Each week, when Strands detects she’s on track, it triggers a rewarding interaction from Perx, like earning a digital stamp. In week three, she gets a surprise: a $5 voucher for her favorite café. Her eyes light up – the progress bar moves. The dopamine hits.
By the end of the month, Sofia isn’t just $500 richer in her savings account—she’s more confident, more loyal to her bank, and telling her friends. Why did this work so well for Sofia? Because each gamified mechanic served a purpose:
- The stamp card gave her a visual sense of consistency—every deposit felt like progress.
- The midway reward kept her emotionally invested, leveraging the power of surprise and reinforcement.
- The progress bar helped her stay focused and feel the momentum building.
It wasn’t random—it was rooted in behavioral psychology. Her bank didn’t just ask her to save—they gave her a reason to keep saving.
Why This Matters for Banks Today
In a hyper-digital world, banks are no longer just custodians of money—they’re expected to be partners in financial wellness. Yet, most digital banking apps still struggle with low engagement and high churn.
That’s because insight alone doesn’t drive action. Strands empowers banks with granular insights into customers’ financial behavior, helping users understand where their money goes and when to act. Perx closes the loop by transforming those moments into motivating, gamified experiences that drive action.
By combining actionable data with game mechanics, banks can:
- Boost app stickiness with habit-forming engagement loops
- Reduce customer attrition by turning mundane financial tasks into emotional wins
- Drive monetization by linking saving habits with spend-related rewards or cross-sell journeys
This isn’t just about delight—it’s about survival. In a crowded landscape of neobanks, embedded finance, and super apps, the banks that entertain and empower their users are the ones that stay relevant.
Not Just a Story—Real Business Impact
This isn’t fiction. Banks around the world are already rewriting their customers’ saving stories—with measurable results.
- Customers spent 67% more than the national average
- $599M in actual transaction value generated across 13.4M campaign triggers
- Achieved a 55% earn-to-burn ratio for loyalty points
Singapore’s Fastest Growing Digital Bank
- Ran 15+ gamified campaigns monthly with 70% average engagement
- 72% customer return rate year-over-year
- Achieved 33x CAC reduction through gamified referrals and stamp campaigns
South Africa’s Largest Retail Bank
- Powered 8.2M transactions across 85 campaigns
- Delivered $67.9M in transaction value via progress campaigns alone
- Ranked as the #1 loyalty rewards program across all industries in South Africa
These aren’t just metrics—they’re proof that meaningful, gamified engagement works—and wins.
The Choice Banks Must Make
With Strands, banks don’t just surface data, they deliver timely nudges and predictive insights that prime users for action. That’s when Perx’s gamified experiences strike the perfect emotional chord. Perx ensures they act—with joy, consistency, and intention.
The real question is: What story are you helping your customers tell themselves? One of friction and forgetfulness? Or one of growth, achievement, and reward? If it’s the latter, and you’re wondering where to start, our gamification eBook is a great first step. Packed with ideas, proven strategies, and campaign breakdowns, it’s built to spark inspiration. And if you’d rather chat with us directly, we’d love to help you craft your own gamified journey:
Let’s make saving feel like winning.
