Snapper Refunds Customers Affected By Incorrect Penalty Charge.

Wellington, 29 August 2010.

Snapper commenced the process of refunding customers affected by an incorrect penalty charge on Friday 27th August.

Snapper CEO Miki Szikszai said “As a result of a software error during a recent upgrade, some 5000 Snapper customers have been incorrectly charged a penalty amount on their Snapper for bus travel between 10th and 20th August. The error affected 145 buses on the GO Wellington fleet. We’ve implemented a fix to resolve this issue and identified all the Snappers affected. We are now in the process of refunding affected customers”

“We’re sincerely sorry for this error on our part and the inconvenience it has caused our customers.”

Registered Customers Have Been Contacted Directly

“On Friday we directly emailed all affected customers that have registered with Snapper with advice on how they can claim their refund. The average refund is about $2.”

“We’re also encouraging non-registered customers to check their card details to see if they are owed a refund. There’s a number of ways they can do this.

Several Ways for Unregistered Customers to Find Out If They've Been Affected

"Customers can visit www.snapper.co.nz/refunds and enter their 16-digit Snapper number.

"Customers can send a text message to 590 with their 16-digit Snapper number. There is no charge for the text message.

"Customers can call our contact centre on 0800, or

"Customers can visit our offices at Level 3, 33 Cuba St"

“Because we don’t have contact details for these customers, we are making information available today on how to determine if they have been affected and how to collect their refund.”

Refunds Can Be Claimed Several Ways

Affected customers can collect their refund in three ways:

Option 1

Customers who use a Snapper Feeder or Snapper USB can go to www.snapper.co.nz and use the MySnapper application to collect their refund. This will automatically detect if a penalty has been incorrectly charged and place the refund directly onto their Snapper.

Option 2

Customers can bring their Snapper into one of three central city locations to check their Snapper and have their refund automatically applied onto their card until 6.00pm Friday 3rd September. The three locations are:

1. Grand Arcade, Ground Floor (next to Fix)
2.Snapper HQ, Level 3, 33 Cuba St
3. Courtenay Central, Ground Floor (next to Whitcoulls).

From Monday 6th September card holders should go to the Snapper HQ.

Option 3

Customers can provide us with their 16-digit Snapper card number and bank account details by calling 0800 555 345 or emailing refunds@snapper.co.nz. Snapper will deposit the refund direct into their bank account overnight.

“Some customers have asked us if we can donate the refund to charity. We are pleased to do so and have decided to support the work of Jigsaw - www.jigsaw.org.nz - helping children and families in New Zealand.

“Snapper will match any refunds that are donated and make a contribution to Jigsaw’s work in September. Customers can select this option by simply emailing refunds@snapper.co.nz with the subject line of ‘Please donate my refund to Jigsaw’ and their 16-digit Snapper card number in the body of the email.”

Further Information

“We are disappointed with this error and we understand it has inconvenienced our customers. It doesn’t meet our own standards for service and performance. We’re confident we have fixed the problem and we’ve also reviewed and made changes to how we test our systems. We appreciate our customers’ patience while we make the refunds to them. If customers want any further information please go to www.snapper.co.nz/refunds, call 0800 555 345 or visit one of the three refund locations.”

About Snapper.

Snapper has created a brand new payment category in New Zealand, based on small value payments using contactless smart media.

Over 130,000 Snappers have been issued, generating over 25 million transactions, across over 400 buses and hundreds of retailers in New Zealand.

Snapper offers customers integrated ticketing and instant small value payments. The Snapper system is 99.99% accurate, providing valuable journey data that can be
used to plan better transport services for passengers.
Snapper Services Limited was formed in 2006 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Infratil Limited. Snapper has offices in Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand and employs over 40 people.

ENDS

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