While it is common for banks to hold appreciation dinners for customers and staff, it is certainly not the norm to hold similar gatherings for their loyal merchants.

But that is exactly what OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad (OCBC Bank) recently did, bucking the trend to get about 200 of its most loyal merchants and their guests together to dine at the pre-opening event of the second Beauty In The Pot outlet at The Gardens, Kuala Lumpur.

The event saw representatives from its loyal merchant acquiring partners coming together to live it up at the popular Singapore-based eatery famous for its Signature Beauty Collagen Soup and Nourishing Spicy Soup.

The meal at Beauty In The Pot, itself a key merchant of OCBC Bank, saw the guests tucking in to delectable cuisine such as the Signature Homemade Fish Tofu, Ebiko Prawn Paste, Black Pepper Pork Meat Balls, Live Drunken Tiger Prawn and Fried Beancurd Skin.

According to OCBC Bank’s Head of Consumer Lifestyle Finance Mr Ryan Kong the appreciation night was a time to recognise the mutuality in partnership between the Bank and partnering merchants and provided the perfect platform to cement ties with its customers as well.

“The relationship with several of our loyal merchants goes back many years. So when one of our own loyalists, Beauty In The Pot, decided to open their second outlet we jumped on the opportunity to not only render our support to them but also use it as an occasion to reward others who have been similarly supportive of us. The contribution of our merchant acquiring business has grown consistently by double digits over the past four years, which is testament to the way they have been journeying with us,” he said.

The guests were invited to the exclusive pre-opening dinners a day before the actual opening of the Beauty In the Pot outlet.

OCBC Bank has an extensive range of Cards in its stable that cater to virtually every segment and lifestyle of the market.