Comarch User Group brings together representatives from 40 countries and has become an established annual event. “The only continent not represented here is Antarctica,” one organizer joked when asked about the guests’ countries of origin. At Comarch’s campus in the Czyżyny district of Kraków, the company’s CEO, Dr. Anna Pruska, welcomed attendees in several languages and noted in her brief remarks that using them all would be impossible.
“This year we will continue to strengthen our position in foreign markets and further develop our key solutions,” announced Dr. Anna Pruska. “My goal is to reinforce Comarch’s market position as a global IT solutions provider and to ensure we remain your IT partner throughout 2024 and beyond.” She encouraged delegates to take part in constructive discussions in one of Poland’s most beautiful cities: “Let us celebrate the past and build the future together.”
Her address opened two days of talks, presentations and compelling industry case studies. The conference intentionally focused on topics that appear frequently in media and everyday life and invited the IT sector to engage. IT is often equated with coding, but in practice it is about solving user problems across every area of life — from shopping and travel to banking and health. Demographics, the ubiquity of artificial intelligence, and Generation Z were recurring themes throughout the program.
Comarch User Group is about more than networking and expert debate; it also showcases different sides of Kraków to international guests. On the first day attendees explored the more industrial yet green part of Czyżyny, where Comarch’s headquarters and innovation zone are located. The second day highlighted the city’s historic center, with events held at Pałac pod Baranami, the international cultural center, and the Grand Hotel this year.
At its core the Comarch User Group is pragmatic: it promotes a global perspective on loyalty, telecommunications and financial markets from the standpoint of those using the latest technology to address real customer needs. That practical focus explains the conference’s strong turnout.
Customer Experience First – Trends and Challenges in Loyalty
Loyalty programs touch most people every day, yet we rarely consider what lies behind them and why they’re designed in a particular way. David Fieldman, global chair of the Loyalty Summit and Managing Partner at Catchit Loyalty, explained how best practices from the travel industry can be applied across sectors to turn loyalty programs into reliable revenue streams. He stressed that effective loyalty is rooted in a clear strategy and rigorous analysis of consumer behavior and experiences. “The true value of any loyalty program lies in its ability to drive changes in customer behavior,” he summarized.
The loyalty panel focused on case studies from Comarch’s specialist teams and expert debates. Olivier Martinet, CEO of Posidonia Consulting; Athanasios Sbonias, Head of Customer Experience at HelleniQ Energy; and Sami Nachawati, Consulting Director at Comarch, discussed how loyalty programs in fuel retail are evolving in the context of electric vehicle adoption. Case examples included loyalty system deployments for various clients, collaborations with JetBlue Airways, and initiatives that built loyalty through memorable experiences in partnership with Globe Telecom. An especially notable project described launching a loyalty program from scratch for Asante Rewards on the dynamic African market.
“We focused not only on delivering the highest possible benefits to customers but also on ensuring their experience came first in every decision,” explained Dharmesh Bhana, Executive of Loyalty & Rewards at Nedbank, whose loyalty scheme — which rewards efficient financial behavior — was renewed with Comarch’s support.
Financial Services – From Philosophy and Literature to IT Pragmatism
Comarch’s Vice President, Andrzej Przewięźlikowski, opened discussions with finance and insurance sector delegates by quoting Heraclitus: “Change is the only constant in life.” He referenced the sweeping global changes that have reshaped business — especially finance — in recent years. He asked whether attendees had even heard the term “lockdown” before 2020 or paid the same attention to artificial intelligence as today, despite AI existing for decades. He also highlighted the surge in new regulations and directives that affect every aspect of business — a level of intensity new to many organizations.
Software creators must help clients navigate this new reality with robust IT solutions. Comarch responds quickly to change and continuously adapts its portfolio to implement necessary updates.
Alexandru Calin from Groupe Société Générale cited Mark Twain: “It’s not what you don’t know that kills you; it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” He used the phrase to introduce an account of the IT process he calls “From drawing board to production,” outlining the governance path required to deliver solutions that meet user expectations.
Representatives from Credit Agricole Bank Polska SA and EFL Group described a comprehensive banking ecosystem built with Comarch’s support that combined two systems without rebuilding everything from scratch. This approach significantly reduced time to market. They stressed that in the current pace of change, clinging to legacy systems means falling behind. Platformization, they argued, is the most effective path, offering banks flexibility and enabling personalized customer benefits.
Comarch’s insurance experts presented demographic projections for 2030 showing aging trends in selected regions — not only Europe will grow older — and discussed the profound consequences for the insurance industry, underscoring the need to factor demographics into IT planning.
Bradley Jones from Comarch UK explored insurance through the lens of Generation Z. Social media now follows younger customers around the clock and plays a crucial role in reaching them; insurers that fail to use these channels risk losing relevance. He also highlighted growing concerns about youth mental health and argued that such factors must be considered early in the insurance application journey.
Telecommunications – The Era of New Technologies
Marcin Kaleta, Comarch’s Vice President, introduced attendees to telecommunications topics and outlined the sector’s current structure and development plans, with particular attention to foreign markets strongly represented at the Kraków event.
Toni Eid, founder of the Telecom Review media platform, presented “The Era of New Technologies,” covering developments across North America, the Asia‑Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. “5G has opened a new era of connectivity, enabling real-world use cases far beyond faster downloads. From widespread IoT deployments to smart cities, autonomous vehicles and advanced healthcare solutions, 5G is not just about speed — it’s about transforming how people live and work,” he said.
Dr. Andrzej Cwik of 450Connect described a new type of telecom operator with specific goals and a different approach to software partnerships. 450Connect, a German company created by four shareholders, builds a high-availability network with guaranteed continuity, offering a small portfolio of low-complexity, highly reliable services. These networks act as safety nets to ensure availability during crises for prioritized public institutions and critical providers such as police, fire services, the military, and utilities.
Such providers seek software partners that prioritize efficiency, stability and resilience. Dr. Cwik emphasized four Comarch advantages: experience delivering telco network management software, simplicity, completeness and complementary offerings with a clearly defined structure, solutions originating directly from the vendor, and the strong competencies and broad experience of Comarch’s teams.
Tymoteusz Wrona, head of Presales in Comarch’s Telecommunications Division, spoke about the transition from TelCo to TechCo. Modern telecommunications is no longer just about selling connectivity. Success depends on product portfolios that combine in‑house and partner solutions incorporating artificial intelligence — including ML and GenAI. The shift from proprietary telecom protocols to recommended IP standards and cloud virtualization enables deeper, seamless integration with suppliers, partners and even competing solutions.
How Do You Generate Profits with Artificial Intelligence?
A memorable debate on AI monetization and security, moderated by tech blogger and podcaster Artur Kurasiński (“Technofobia”), featured Dominika Bettman, General Manager of Microsoft Poland; Agnieszka Bochacka, Digital Transformation Expert at PwC; and Comarch specialists Marek Kuczyński, Head of Intelligent Assurance & Analytics, and Maria Wróblewska, AI Solutions Coordinator.
Dominika Bettman stressed that the benefits of AI are not always strictly financial: “Revenue from AI can also come from boosting employee productivity. It’s not always about immediate cash; it can free up time for staff to focus on higher‑value tasks.”
Marek Kuczyński added that when evaluating AI solutions, organizations must account for integration costs: “If you plan to implement AI, you must consider integration expenses and recognize the large benefits AI can deliver. AI algorithms can point to root causes or provide critical insights that make work significantly easier.”
During the finance panel, President Andrzej Przewięźlikowski observed correctly that everyone is talking about and wants AI today. He argued that it is better to entrust AI deployment to IT professionals so the technology can be applied thoughtfully and deliver tangible business value.