How Nais Implemented Sparados Virtual Cards on the HR Tech Platform
Updated: Oct 20
Employees expect benefits that are instant, mobile and easy to use, while traditional vouchers, coupons and plastic cards are slow to issue and costly to distribute. Nais, an HR Tech and cafeteria benefits platform, wanted to give employers a digital alternative.
By integrating Sparados virtual cards through the Sparados API, Nais added branded prepaid cards to its benefits module. This case study shows what the platform needed, how the integration works and what it delivered.
Case Study at a Glance
Client: Nais, one of the largest cafeteria benefits platforms in Poland
Industry: HR Tech, employee benefits
Challenge: Vouchers and physical cards no longer met employee expectations and created logistics and administration work for HR
Solution: Branded Sparados virtual prepaid cards integrated via API into the Nais benefits module, with Apple Pay and Google Pay support
Result: Four card types (Food, Sport & Culture, Gift and Prestige) activated with one click in the Nais app, with no plastic to ship and ready-made reports for finance
Table of Contents:
About the Client: Nais
Nais is one of the largest cafeteria platforms in Poland. It helps companies digitize HR and employee benefits processes and gives employees freedom to choose the benefits they want.
The platform puts customer experience first: rewarding employees should be simple and intuitive for both the employer and the employee. To extend its benefits offer with digital payment products, Nais looked for a financial and technology partner and chose Sparados.
The Challenge: Digital Benefits Without Logistics
Demand for flexible, digital benefits keeps growing. Traditional vouchers, coupons and physical cards often fail to meet the expectations of employees who want instant, mobile and personalized benefits, and they add daily work for HR departments.
Nais needed a solution that would:
Give employees quick access to new benefits.
Be flexible and secure for different types of benefits.
Reduce costs and workload for employers who administer benefits.
Fit ESG goals by reducing the carbon footprint of plastic cards and shipping.
Support a positive employee experience.
Scale with the platform and its clients' growing needs.
The Solution: Sparados Virtual Cards in the Nais Platform
Nais integrated Sparados virtual cards into the benefits module of its platform. The card offered to employees is a prepaid card with the functionality of a full debit card: it works for online and contactless payments, in Poland and abroad.
How It Works
The employer funds benefits for employees in the Nais platform.
The employee receives the funds in the Nais app and activates a virtual card with one click.
The Sparados API generates the card in a fraction of a second, so there is no waiting for a plastic card in the post.
The employee adds the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay and pays with a phone or watch, or uses it for online purchases.
In the Nais app, the employee checks the balance and transaction history, blocks the card if needed and views the CVV for online payments.
Card Types and Spend Controls
Employers define the purpose of each card. Within one Nais platform, they can issue:
Nais Food Card: valid only in catering outlets.
Nais Sport & Culture Card: compliant with the requirements of the Social Benefits Fund.
Nais Gift Card: with a wide range of uses, for example as an anniversary reward.
Nais Prestige Card: a reward in competitions, lotteries, bonus sales and other promotions.
Cards can display the client company's logo in the employee's mobile wallet, which supports employer branding. Sparados also provides the card management infrastructure: HR sees aggregated data on which benefits are most popular, and the finance department receives ready-made reports for tax settlements.
The Results: A Digital Benefits Offer Without Plastic
Sparados virtual cards became an integral part of the new Nais virtual benefits offer. The implementation allowed Nais to expand its benefits with a digital product and strengthen its position with organizations looking for modern HR Tech solutions.
For Employers and Employees
No plastic, no shipping: no costs of distributing physical cards or replacing lost ones.
Payments everywhere: online, in stores and when traveling abroad.
Transparency: instant access to the balance and spending history in the app.
Flexible allocation: from lunch cards and Social Benefits Fund cards to branded cards with the company logo.
Engaging rewards: a modern form of recognition for the team.
For the Nais Platform
A broader benefits offer.
Higher value for current and new clients.
Stronger competitiveness in the cafeteria and benefits platform market.
Convenient card administration on the Sparados platform.
“The implementation of virtual cards has transformed the traditional cafeteria system into a dynamic digital ecosystem. Nais has demonstrated its ability to swiftly respond to market needs, thereby strengthening its position as a strategic partner for modern organizations.” – Aleksandra Latoszek, Head of Partnerships Department at Nais
Before and After Sparados
Aspect | Before | With Sparados virtual cards |
Card issuance | Vouchers and physical cards shipped by post | Virtual card generated via API in a fraction of a second |
Activation | Waiting for delivery | One click in the Nais app |
Payments | Vouchers and coupons | Online and contactless payments, also abroad, with Apple Pay and Google Pay |
Lost cards | Duplicates and reshipping | Card blocked in the app; no plastic to replace |
Benefit types | Separate products for each benefit | Food, Sport & Culture, Gift and Prestige cards in one platform |
Branding | Generic vouchers | Cards with the employer's logo in the mobile wallet |
Environmental impact | Plastic cards and shipping | No plastic and no shipping |
Why HR Tech Platforms Choose Sparados
Cafeteria and HR platforms like Nais use Sparados to add benefits in the form of payment cards to their own offer:
API integration: cards are issued from the platform's own app in a fraction of a second. Read more about integrating virtual cards in HR Tech.
Many card types: lunch cards, reward cards, gift cards, Social Benefits Fund cards and cards for individual merchants.
White label: the cards and the platform are personalized to each client's needs.
Mobile wallets: full support for Apple Pay and Google Pay.
“Cafeteria and HR platforms like Nais can use our services to add modern benefits in the form of payment cards to their platform. From lunch cards, through rewards cards, gift cards, Employee Benefit Fund cards, to cards for individual merchants. The cards and white label platform are fully personalized to the needs of each client.” – Michał Stachera, CEO of Sparados
FAQ: Virtual Benefit Cards for HR Platforms
How does Nais use Sparados virtual cards?
Nais offers employees branded virtual prepaid cards in its benefits module. Employers fund benefits in the Nais platform, and employees activate the card with one click in the Nais app and pay online or contactless.
What types of benefit cards can Nais issue?
Four types: the Food Card for catering outlets, the Sport & Culture Card compliant with Social Benefits Fund requirements, the Gift Card, for example for anniversary rewards, and the Prestige Card for competitions, lotteries and promotions.
How fast is a virtual card issued?
The Sparados API generates the card in a fraction of a second, so it is ready to use right after the employee activates it.
Can employees use the card with Apple Pay and Google Pay?
Yes. The cards work with Apple Pay and Google Pay for contactless payments with a phone or watch, and they can also be used for online purchases.
Can the card show the employer's logo?
Yes. Nais can offer white-label cards that display the client company's logo in the employee's mobile wallet.
Can other HR and cafeteria platforms use the same solution?
Yes. Sparados lets HR and cafeteria platforms add lunch cards, reward cards, gift cards, Social Benefits Fund cards and cards for individual merchants, personalized to each client.
Add Virtual Benefit Cards to Your HR Platform
The Nais case shows that virtual cards turn a traditional cafeteria system into a digital benefits offer, with less logistics for HR and instant access to funds for employees.
Run an HR or benefits platform? Book a demo to see how Sparados virtual cards can fit into your offer.
