A young woman pays for an item online with her debit card.
03.10.2022

Your new Maestro debit card. Good news or bad news?

Your bank now offers a Maestro debit card. Why this change? What are the advantages of this new card that replaces your old Maestro?

 

I want to keep my Maestro card!

That will not be possible. The reason is simple; Mastercard, the company that owns the Maestro brand and Swiss banks have taken the decision to replace your Maestro card with a Maestro debit card.

Rest assured; It won't change your day-to-day life in a negative way. 

 

Advantages or just a business operation for banks?

Both, of course! Let's start with the advantages compared to your old Maestro card:

 

  • You will be able to use it for your online purchases. Where your credit card was needed, most merchant sites switch to accepting your Maestro debit card as a means of payment. This is a small downside for certain players such as the hotel and car rental sectors. They will ask you to use your credit card or, in some cases, provide credit card details as collateral in case of payment via your debit card.

 

  • The user fees are quite reasonable. Of course, it all depends on what you consider reasonable, but you will pay less when transacting abroad and when withdrawing from ATMs abroad. Truth be told, these fees are still high in our humble opinion, but at least it's more affordable than if you make the same transactions with a credit card.

 

  • Do you like tech and use apps such as Apple pay, Samsung pay, Google pay or tools such as Garmin and Swatch pay? You'll be happy to know that these new cards are compatible with these platforms.  

 

These benefits are appreciable and promote a more transversal use of your card when making purchases, both physically and digitally. Is this an advantage for Mastercard and your bank? Of course it is. The more you use your debit card, the higher the commissions and other compensation from technology partners.

 

In practice

Fear not. You don't have to do anything. If you haven't already done so, your bank will automatically replace your current Maestro card with the new Maestro debit card.

Depending on the bank, a replacement will be automatic and immediate; In other cases, your bank will simply wait for your current card to expire in order to replace it.

 

What about merchants?

This is less advantageous for merchants, especially small ones who struggle to generate the necessary income to negotiate lower transaction fees with the players concerned.

Because of the Covid period, which has favoured an increased use of cards to make purchases and given the expenses necessary to rent a terminal, pay for its maintenance and pay a percentage of commission to the debit and credit card issuing bodies, the bill is high.

Quite lively debates have been held on this subject and the various representative bodies of issuers and merchants continue to closely monitor the evolution of these fees.

 

Apple, Samsung, Google... rub their hands together!

The house always wins! For many years, American and Asian behemoths have been focusing on diversifying the services offered by their phones, watches, platforms, etc. 

Although the means of payment via smartphone or via your watch are not experiencing the surge seen in Asia, for example, it will not take long to become the usual payment method in Switzerland. 

The time and habits of a younger consumer population will lead inexorably towards a steady growth of this type of purchase.

As new debit cards are now associated with the services and tools offered by these brands, this will have an accelerating effect in terms of new purchasing and payment behaviors.

 

A platform for my children?

And yes, forget about a credit card for your toddler but solutions already exist via prepaid debit cards.

Imagine a website that collects  paid household chores for your children. The family car washed? 5 francs. The dishes done? 1 franc. Picking leaves in the garden? 2 francs.

It already exists. In the United States and Great Britain, parents pay for their children's services by paying money into the debit cards used by their children. This type of platform is accessible from 3 years old...

Brands have understood the advantage of associating a minor with their product, their platform, etc. in order to lay the foundation for early customer loyalty.

Pros or cons, these tools exist. We will have to get used to it and be discerning when the financial authorities open up access to the Swiss market to these online platforms.

 

Summarize

If you haven't already done so, your Maestro card  will be replaced by a Maestro debit card.

You will know how to shop online and link your new card to your smartphone or smartwatch.

User fees, especially abroad, will be more affordable than with your credit card, for example. Please note that you will always have to pay fees if you withdraw cash from an ATM of another bank in Switzerland.

Merchants will pay an additional fee. You don't. It remains to be seen if these additional fees will be reflected in the selling prices. Given the current inflation, however, it will be difficult to see if an increase is directly related to these fees.

Is it necessary to keep your credit card? Yes, because at this stage it will be requested if you want to book a hotel, a flight or a rental car.

 

I need credit

We're here for you! The solution should never be to use up all your cash reserves, use all your credit on your Visa, or make unsustainable commitments.

The Milenia loan, balanced, transparent and fast, is the result of an in-depth analysis of your file. Setting it up is easy, and you'll have a response within 24 hours. 

Sometimes, taking out a loan whose repayment over time respects your budget is the solution. 

If you want to finance a project and you prefer a partner based in Switzerland, recognized for its extensive network of banks and with proven experience in the field of lending for private individuals and SMEs, choose Milenia.

Your personal advisor will be able to study your needs and guide you towards a tailor-made solution that respects your reality.



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Telecommuting: flop or not?

Since the Covid pandemic, companies have multiplied remote working methods. The most widely used is telecommuting. Two years later, has this method been successful?

 

Let's take a step back

During the lockdown, the world of work experienced a real shift.

Companies had to adapt and various means were put in place to ensure the continuity of services, sales, and the very functioning of the organization.

Do you remember?

The famous cardboard box filled with a computer, a mouse and a screen that the employees took home...

We somehow settled down somewhere in our apartment or our house.

The less fortunate had to sit on an old table at the back of their bedroom.

Children screamed in the background and parents had to juggle their work responsibilities with those of being a mother or father.

Ah... What wonderful memories!

In addition, the schedules became confused. There was no beginning and no end. We were already connected before, but now the workplace had invited itself into our home, into the family, into our home.

However, not everything had to be thrown away.

The doctor's appointment, the receipt of the Zalando package, the visit of the plumber... What required us to take time off or organize ourselves differently simply fit into his work schedule, on site.

Above all, no more time wasted on the road or on the train. We earned two hours of our living every day. That's no small feat...

We weren't the only ones. Hundreds of millions of people around the world, by obligation or freely, switched to this new way of working.

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It was necessary to set up a teleworking policy to give directives on working hours, the availability of employees and managers so as not to be too intrusive in private life.

Finally, regular reviews were required to assess the effectiveness of telework policies and gather feedback from employees.

The big winners? Zoom, Teams, Skype, Webex... It was a good time and the number of users exploded

 

Video conferencing platforms

In order to establish clear and effective communication channels, it is necessary to have instant messaging and video conferencing tools to maintain smooth communication between team members. This transition is being made by different players who bring specificities specific to each sector.

You may have seen that.

Some companies will use the Zoom platform, which allows simple video conferences with a discussion thread, which is easy to use and not very connected to other services.

Others will use Microsoft Teams or Webex, which offer more integrated and secure business solutions.

Skype and Google Meet round out the market leaders, at least in Europe.

 

And what about employers?

The main fear of some employers during this pandemic?

Decreased productivity.

The prevailing thought was that employees, less supervised than before, would work less given this new organizational freedom.

The endless breaks, the last-minute shopping, the Netflix binging...

We're not going to lie, the majority of teleworkers have taken advantage of this to better combine professional and personal needs.

There have been many productivity studies, too many to mention here.

In the end, productivity dropped slightly on average, but this varied enormously depending on the functions and responsibilities.

Profiles whose tasks were recurrent completed their work more quickly and, not needing to do more, to take advantage of the time available to go about their personal business.

Others worked even harder, especially early in the morning, late at night, or on weekends.

Where some managers suffered from a lack of supervision (monitoring?) of their teams; Some employees did not take well to the distance, the lack of clarity on the establishment of rules... All of them missed interpersonal relationships and this may have impacted the corporate culture and sense of well-being.

In conclusion, there is neither one statistic valid for everyone nor a representative feeling of all employers and employees. However, there is no doubt that the world of work has changed and the effects continue today.

 

Exactly. And today?

Companies are adapting to the demands of employees, especially young people entering the workforce.

They demand flexibility, adapted schedules and, yes, telecommuting.

In Switzerland, the job market is in favour of job applicants. Companies must therefore remain attractive and take these demands into account.

Companies are implementing hybrid work modes that allow the employee more time to work from home but require them to be present for a certain number of days in the office. Again, there is no single rule.

Some organizations simply refuse the principle of remote work.

Others impose a fixed day of attendance.

Some leave the choice to their teams.

One thing is for sure, remote work is here to stay, in one form or another.

More than controlling productivity, more than managing teams and workloads, the real challenge is to keep the links between employees, to ensure proximity between managers and their teams.

Finding a balance between the attractiveness of the employer brand, individual well-being and the needs of the company; This is where the effort must be directed for the future.

 

At work and at home, Milenia is always available

Accessing credit through our financing platform has never been easier.

Everything is within your reach, with customization according to your projects, we accompany you from start to finish so that your projects can see the light of day.

For your personal loan, we offer the best market conditions with 0 application fees. Everything is designed to make your life easier.

Your loan application can be done entirely remotely, with support from your personal advisor or both at the same time.

The flexibility, adaptability, personalization of your offer... All of this is embedded in our approach and services.

As the leading credit player in Switzerland, place your trust in us so that your personal dreams and projects come true.

 

 

 

 

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ompare credit offers. It has to be prepared, it has to be done calmly and it has to make sense.

When it comes to your money and a contractual commitment, there's no need to rush. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice.

 

What exactly are we talking about?

When you want to finance a project, there are various solutions available to you. Credit is a relatively simple financing tool, quick to execute and with a light administrative burden.

For further clarification, a credit is also called consumer credit, personal loan, loan, private loan, etc. This is a loan of a sum of money by a creditor to you, the debtor. The amount in question must be reimbursed within a time limit agreed between the parties. An interest rate is calculated in addition to the principal to be repaid in order to remunerate the services of the creditor, a bank in most cases.

As this is a form of financing that does not require a down payment or guarantee, the rate applied varies according to the amount borrowed, the quality of your file and the repayment period.

Financing platforms such as Milenia are used to offer the best rates on the market and to support you in your efforts. You don't pay anything for this service; The remuneration of these platforms is ensured within the framework of the agreements with the partner banks.

 

Before you compare, ask yourself two questions.

Is credit the right solution for my project?

Am I eligible?

The first question has the merit of judging the relevance and usefulness of your approach. As a responsible service provider, we put your interests at the heart of our attention. Over-indebtedness must be avoided at all costs and your loan must bring real added value and not represent a debt that is difficult to overcome.

Can your project be scaled back? Does your cash flow simply allow you to avoid taking out a loan? Is it the right time?

These are all useful questions that allow you to judge whether or not you need to move forward.

The second question is also important.

Your advisor will be able to support you in this reflection, but you can already eliminate some doubts:

Am I domiciled in Switzerland? If not, you will not be eligible.

Am I of legal age? If not, you will not be eligible.

Am I involved in an action filed in the debt collection? If this is the case, you will not be eligible.

 

One egg, one basket.

If you want to continue with a credit application, don't rush!

Above all, do not file multiple applications with different providers or banks.

Each request is logged and will block your access to a favorable response.

Compare, choose your financial partner wisely and, if the conditions are met, draw up your file with them.

To make a fair choice, take advantage of the service offered by a financing platform. It's online and it's easy.

 

Compare what, exactly?

The quality, the network, the accessibility and, of course, the conditions.

By quality, we mean the clarity of the information provided and the transparency of the platform. 

Are there testimonials from satisfied customers? Is there an independent quality body involved, such as Proven Expert? Is the team running the company clearly displayed? Is the company based in Switzerland?

As far as  the network is concerned, the quality and scope of the network will determine the quality of the offers offered to you. Check the partners page or search for published articles or the platform's blog if it exists. 

It is preferable to do business with a major player in the market that has serious, even exclusive, partnerships with recognized banks.

Accessibility. An online solution is often less time-consuming and just as relevant as if you went to an agency. However, it will be necessary to speak with an expert, go through your file in person and have live advice. 

Be sure that you will be able to access this service.

Lately, the conditions. The rates displayed on the various platforms are often similar. There are criteria to be met, however, and these often make the difference.

First of all, the process until you sign the loan agreement must be completely free of charge! Whether you visit a credit comparison platform or a financing platform, run away if you are asked for a single franc for so-called administrative or processing costs.

Secondly, do not sign anything when you are in a comparative or information-seeking process. Your file must first be well completed and analysed and it is only when you make a credit proposal following the acceptance of your application that you will have the opportunity to sign or not.

Finally, a 0.10% lower rate does not necessarily mean a good deal. All of this must be considered. The quality of your relationship with your advisor, the seriousness shown when drawing up your request, the choice of partners... Confidence and peace of mind knowing that you are in good hands is far more important than a tiny spread in the rate offered.

 

Do you have any questions?

We invite you to inquire via Milenia. You will have the opportunity to simulate your credit, learn about our solutions, get to know our team, ask your questions, browse through our customer testimonials and discover our articles on our blog.

Take your time, compare and when your choice is made, we will be at your side to carry out your project. Under the right conditions, with confidence and transparency.

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Loan illustration: loan of CHF 10'000. Effective annual interests rates between 4.9% and 11.95% over a 12 month period lead to total interests of between CHF 261.80 and CHF 624.80. Duration: 6-120 months; Maximum annual interest rate (including all loan handling costs) 11.95%. Loans approval are prohibited if they lead to excess debt for the consumer. (Art. 3 LCD)

 

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