Meet the NETELLER VIP team
Leanne here! I am the Senior Marketing Program Manager of NETELLER’s loyalty and retention programs. My team and I are constantly making updates and changes to VIP program benefits and offers based on VIP activities, requests and suggestions. I joined NETELLER in August 2005 and moved to the Marketing team where I later became the VIP program lead in September 2008. I’ve always had a passion for member loyalty programs and enjoy every moment working with my amazing colleagues and interacting with our VIP members.
When I’m not working I’m learning computer programming, reading endless books on my Kindle, playing Diablo II (can’t WAIT for III to come out… if it ever does) and visiting local markets for the fresh ingredients I like to use in my daily kitchen experiments.
I’m really excited to introduce you to some of the great individuals from the team that serves our VIPs 24/7. They are a dedicated and hard working bunch, full of energy and enthusiasm for giving our VIPs top notch service.
Alex
My name is Alex and I provide phone and email support. You will also find me assisting members on our Facebook and Twitter pages. I joined the NETELLER customer support team in 2005, and was an original member of the VIP team when it was formed in 2006. In my spare time, you will find me online playing poker and MMOGs such as World of Warcraft and Starcraft II. I also enjoy playing and watching all varieties of sports. I have been providing service to our VIP members for nearly 4 years, so you can rely on me to promptly assist you with your all inquiries. I hope to assist you in the near future!
Trevor
My name Is Trevor. I come from a small farming community in a Canadian province called Saskatchewan. Twelve years ago I moved to the big city of Calgary, Alberta, which is home to our global contact center. After years of education and experience in Customer Service roles, I accepted a position at NETELLER and have called it home for almost five years.
I get up each day at 4:00 in the morning to head to work and supervise my highly skilled agents, including members of the VIP team. During my down time you will find me researching the web for the latest and newest gadgets, spending time with friends, painting abstract art, and of course playing with my dog.
NETELLER makes me feel modern and with the times. I live vicariously through a great group of individuals that have joined the NETELLER team from many nations, to serve our many amazing members around the world. I love it!
My passion is providing a better experience, digging deep to find solutions, and being a voice for our members. I’m always willing to help out and look forward to assisting you.
Pedram
My name is Pedram! I am a VIP Account Manager at NETELLER. I was born in Teheran, Iran, however I’ve lived most of my life here in Canada. I used to travel a lot, however I have been on a dry spell until recently, when I went to Montreal and Las Vegas. I am planning on going to Ibiza and Sydney. I really want to learn how to surf and I’ve heard the parties are pretty crazy there. If I am not traveling or working, I usually just hang out with friends and I am very active in the nightlife scene. I play a lot of sports, mainly European football (soccer as we call it here in North America). I am currently on 1 men’s rec team and 2 co-ed soccer teams. I believe I am the best striker in the world so if we have any football managers out there looking for a great player do not hesitate to comment on this blog
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I joined NETELLER back in January 2007 as a Contact Center representative. As I grew at the company I decided to join the VIP team. What I really like about the VIP team is that we are very close to each other. We have barbeques at each other’s houses and go out to have a good time. We are a great big happy family. It is never quiet in the VIP department. My role in the VIP team is to deal with emails, phone calls and emails to myvipstatus@neteller.com.
Tanya
My name is Tanya. I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, which I love to call home. I am the graveyard supervisor that manages phone and email support to our VIP members, as well answering inquiries on our Twitter and Facebook pages. I have been with NETELLER for almost 4 ½ years in a customer service agent role, senior agent role and now my supervisor role, all within the Calgary, Alberta Contact Center.
In my spare time I love to swim, shop, watch movies and chat with friends on Facebook. My goal is to help each of our members to the best of my ability and if I do not know the answer I will find the appropriate information and follow up with our members.
Margaret
My name is Margaret and my co-workers call me an old school agent because I’ve been a VIP agent since 2007. I’m here to answer your calls and emails and to help out in other departments when I can. In my spare time I enjoy reading fashion blogs, trying out different cuisines and listening to house and jazz music. I’d like to be able to create a stronger relationship with each member so don’t hesitate to contact the VIP department if you have any questions or concerns!
Pablo
My name is Pablo. I am from Medellin, Colombia. I’ve been working at NETELLER since 2006 helping members from all over the world through phone calls, emails, and social media (Facebook and Twitter) in Spanish and English. I love playing and watching soccer. My favourite teams are Barcelona from Spain and Deportivo Independiente Medellin from Colombia. I usually work Monday to Friday from 6am to 2pm EST. I look forward to assisting you!
Kiva: loans that change lives
Can you actually make a difference?
Have you ever wondered where your donations have gone? Was your donation used to help those in need, or did it go to charity administration costs? Is it even worth it? Plumbing, electricity, movie nights with your friends, maybe a car, and a decent education; these seem like pretty standard necessities. What about the rest of the world? Imagine a life without plumbing, limited electricity, absolutely no movie nights with friends because you’re too busy gathering water 5 miles from home in order to feed your family.
If you could help provide those essentials for families, helping children go to school, creating jobs within communities, food and shelter, and your donations actually helped communities develop in the long term, would you donate?
Penny’s success story
"Penny," a 27 year old single mother of 2 was like many women in her community, finding it difficult to support herself and her children. Although Penny had many disadvantages, she never gave up hope. Through the support of 7 kindhearted lenders, Penny was able to open up her own café shop, employ 1 assistant, and send her children to school. Penny’s donations not only went to support 1 individual or family, but reached an entire community.
Kiva has made it possible for individuals, and organizations like NETELLER, to donate through the use of micro-financing loans, supporting entrepreneurs like Penny across the globe. As of 2009, Kiva has facilitated over 100 million USD in loans.
How does Kiva work so well?
Kiva’s success has been based on their belief that:
a) People are generous by nature, and will help out others if given the opportunity, especially if that opportunity is transparent
b) The poor are highly motivated and very successful when given an opportunity
Combining those 2 schools of thought, Kiva then follows these steps:
- Kiva partners with a micro-finance institution(called ‘field partners’)
- Field partners disburse loans and upload stories
- Lenders (that’s you) browse profiles and lend
- Kiva disburses lenders’ funds to the field partner
- Entrepreneurs repay their loans
- Kiva provides repayments to lenders
Did you know?
Micro-financing actually has a rate of repayments that averages over 95%, which is a better rate of return than that of traditional loans, student loans, and credit cards.
NETELLER: helping local entrepreneurs, globally.
Wouldn’t it be nice to give 100 USD, and know that that 100 would turn into 500, 1000, and so forth to support an entire community? NETELLER has taken a leadership role in doing just that by helping over 50 entrepreneurs across the globe make changes in their lives, communities, and possibly even future generations.
Here’s a picture of a few donation stories just like Penny’s at our NETELLER office.
In my opinion, Kiva is 1 of the best ways anyone can help those in need. It’s amazing what a little compassion and cash can do if utilized in the right way. If you’re interested in donating to someone like Penny, please click here.
Today's blog is by Ashton. She’s a strong charity advocate, loves Pilates, long walks on the beach… Oh yeah, and she’s a typical red head.
Back to school without breaking the bank
Posted by Jag in Prepaid cards, Products on August 23rd, 2010
Having the student tuition blues? Going to school nowadays can be quite expensive. Last year I was feeling pretty down about my cash flow situation. I did some research, looked around, and finally came up with these 10 tips that helped keep my budget and my stress on track.
10 tips to help students save money
1. Drop the fancy data and phone plans
We are told through the media that we need fancy data plans, unlimited SMS, and free calling. Communications companies even have plans specifically for students. I recommend dropping the big data plan, as most phones come equipped with Wi-Fi, and your campus usually provides free Wi-Fi. Keep your phone for important calls. You can use online calling services such as Skype and ooVoo to make free calls PC to PC, or use your Net+ Prepaid MasterCard® to set up a paid account.
2. Laptops and Gadgets
Shop early. Typically by August all of the major electronics retailers have their back to school sales for computers. Buy what you need, don’t get lured into fancy features that usually end up costing you more. Keep an eye out for exclusive student deals.
3. Meals on us
Ever heard about the school meal plans? Try to avoid these if you can. School meal plans are more expensive than they sound, and will actually end up costing you more. On the other hand, having your grocery money lying around your house might vanish too quickly on video games, booze and parties. Instead, I use my Net+ card as my meal card; it’s accepted anywhere you can use MasterCard. I buy all my groceries on my card, putting 150 USD on my card every month. This way I can ensure I don’t spend beyond my means.
4. Avoid fancy gyms
Doctors recommend 1 hour of physical activity each day. There’s many alternative ways of getting this physical activity other than paying 30+ EUR for a gym membership every month. Your school will typically have a free gym for students – check that out first. Second, drop by the athletics department; most student organizations offer several intramural teams and pick-up games to join. It’s great way to stay active and make new friends, all for free.
5. Leave the car at home
The cost of gas, insurance, car payments, and parking are just too much for any student to afford. You don’t need a car, especially when there’s public transportation available at a fraction of the cost. Don’t forget, skateboarding, rollerblading, biking and walking can also get your around for free.
6. Buy used books
After my first semester, I realized that new textbooks were a waste, especially since I would never open them again. You can save a small fortune by buying used books. Shop online for books with your Net+ virtual card, or try finding a peer who might have taken the class before. Click here if you’d like to compare textbooks.
7. Don’t pay bank fees
You need to store all your hard earned cash, scholarship, or student loan money somewhere. Most banks offer a student account; however, these accounts only offer you limited transactions, only a few free transactions per month, as well as a monthly account service fee. With a NETELLER eWallet, you can keep your funds in your account and pay for all your needs for free using the Net+ Prepaid MasterCard.
8. Avoid the credit cards
As students we love anything free. This is how most high-interest rate credit card companies take advantage of us. They’ll offer a free water bottle, shirt or a chance to win something for just signing up for a credit card. Credit card companies offer you high limits so you’re enticed to spend beyond your means and then are stuck paying off a loan with a very high interest rate. Avoid paying interest and spending beyond your means with a Net+ prepaid card.
9. Watch it online
It’s pointless to pay for cable TV when you barely have time to sit in front of the TV. Nowadays you can purchase tons of music, TV shows and even movies directly online. You can make your entertainment purchases securely online using your Net+ virtual card.
10. Control your spending.
There’s no better way to stay on budget than to know what you’re spending your money on. Keep your receipts. Set yourself up with a monthly budget for your expenses, deposit the amount you have to spend into your NETELLER account and use your Net+ card to track and control your spending. The Net+ cards won’t allow you to spend more than what you have in your account.
I hope these tips help you out as much as they have helped me. Good luck with the upcoming semester!
Today’s post was written by Jag, a Marketing Manager. Jag loves driving her big truck and visiting Las Vegas (but not necessarily both at the same time).
Getting paid without the pain
Posted by Ashton in How-to, Prepaid cards on August 19th, 2010
Have you ever gone on a trip or ate at a restaurant with friends and dreaded splitting up the final bill? Who owes what, did Mark eat the pizza or the salad? Someone always ends up paying too much or too little, and if you pay for the entire bill it’s not always easy to ask for your money back.
I recently went on a trip to the Canadian Rockies with a bunch of my friends. Instead of having to go through each of our food, drink, gas and hotel bills, we decided to put all of our expenses on my Net+ card and worry about the details later.
Anything from a round of drinks to a quick coffee to a weekend car rental can be effortlessly purchased and split up with NETELLER. NETELLER’s eWallet provides an e-receipt of all of your purchases, which makes splitting the bill simple.
My friends easily owed me over 100 CAD, but since I followed these 3 easy steps, I haven’t had any issues with my friends paying me back.
3 easy steps to getting your money back
- Talk about it before hand: Before you lend, think to yourself – are you sharing expenses? If yes, then discuss the costs and how you’re going to share them before you go. No one likes a surprise. You should also set the ground rules. How much does your friend need, can you afford to lend this amount?
- Set a payback timeline: Set specific dates for when your friend(s) will pay you back. Remember, don’t wait too long to get paid back.
- Give reminders: Remind people in advance of when the payment is due; it’s easy to forget to pay back, especially when it’s your friend.
If you like the idea of fewer payment hassles, click here to learn more about NETELLER’s simple Money Transfer service.
Oh, and if your friend doesn’t have a NETELLER account, send them an invite to join NETELLER and take advantage of our Refer a Friend program. Click here for more information.
Today's blog is by Ashton. She’s a strong charity advocate, loves Pilates, long walks on the beach… Oh yeah, and she’s a typical red head.
Raise your game with XPlay
Posted by Sarah in Gaming & sports, Poker, Tournaments on August 16th, 2010
Alright poker players, have we got something for you! Ever wanted to join some of the pros at the big live events like the European Poker Tour? Now is your chance to raise your game to a new level. From 16-30 August, NETELLER is offering our members the chance to win a full package to the Pokerstars.com European Poker Tour in London, 29 September-4 October, 2010.
Besides the chance of a lifetime, what’s in it for you?
- A seat at the Pokerstars.com European Poker Tour in London on 29 September, 2010 for a share of a multimillion dollar pot
- 8 nights’ accommodation for 2 at the Hilton Metropole
- 1,000 GBP awarded straight to your NETELLER account to cover travel expenses
- Private poker coaching from one of NETELLER’s very own poker pros
How does it work?
- Step 1- Make sure you register your NETELLER e-mail address at promotions.neteller.com between now and 30 August.
- Step 2- Looking for more ballots? Receive an extra 10 ballots for every 500 USD you transfer to any merchant* between now and 30 August.
- Step 3- Keep your calendar clear from 29 September to 4 October so you will be free to attend the event.
Act fast to take advantage: this could be the big break you have been waiting for. *Not valid with all merchants. View a list of excluded merchants. Today’s post was written by Sarah. She is a Marketing Manager and currently works to develop business-to-business programs for NEOVIA merchants.
Holiday planning done securely
Posted by Suzanne in Prepaid cards, Products, Travel on August 13th, 2010
Vacation season is in full swing, and this year you may have decided to forgo the travel agent by booking your trip online. Booking your own vacation may be fun, but it's important not to let that distract you from spending securely online. It's easy to purchase on an unsecure site, but it is not easy to reverse the damages it can do to your bank account and sometimes your credit.
Taking precautions
It takes just a few precautions to protect yourself when booking your holidays online. This small effort will benefit you in the long run. To ensure you are spending securely and responsibly online, just ask yourself the following questions before you press that "buy" button:
- Is my PC secure? Make sure your browser is updated and your PC is protected with a reliable and up-to-date security program.
- Who am I buying from? If you are booking a flight, hotel or car reservation on a website that you've never used or are not familiar with, do some research to make sure they are legitimate.
- Is the site secure? Secure sites will often have a secure symbol like an unbroken lock or key and a secure URL that begins with https://.
- Will my personal information remain private? Make sure you have read the site's privacy policy. If the site plans to share your information with a third party, it will be stated in the privacy policy.
- Do I have proof of my booking/reservation? Once the transaction has been processed, the site will provide a confirmation of your booking or reservation. Print this out for your records.
Secure payments
The final step you can take in protecting yourself while booking your vacation online is to use the most secure payment method. Credit cards will do the trick, but can potentially give access to your personal information or credit. A prepaid card is the most secure method of payment because there is no attachment to your bank account or your credit. These few simple steps will help you plan your trip while keeping your personal information safe. Small price to pay for peace of mind, wouldn't you say?
Today’s post was written by Suzanne. She is a Marketing Program Manager and loves to shop and drive around town in her new Mini.




