The result would be the CommuniKey, an exclusive membership card that connects Binghamton's 20,000+ college students to the local community through a series of discounts, events, and giveaways.
Touted as “your ultimate Friend with Benefits,” students simply sign up for the $10 discount card – then head on out to the restaurants, bars, clubs, stores, and other area businesses who participate in the program. The result? Students keep a little more change in their wallet, and local businesses get a whole load more change in theirs.
Sample discounts include 10% off at many area restaurants, including Despina's, Burger Mondays, and Binghamton Hots; free appetizers at Lampy's Mediterranean Grill; BOGO tickets to Roberson; $2 admission to BingMets games; and 20% off beauty and spa services. Students can save an unlimited amount of money, and from the perspective of local businesses, Burger Mondays owner Rob Hutchings sums up his experience: “The CommuniKey has immensely helped bring the university into our restaurant. I am thoroughly impressed with the operations of the company and hope to partner with them as much as possible in the near future."
The CommuniKey is the brainchild of three Binghamton University business graduates -- Jimmy Orband, 23, from Endicott; Adam Sabol, 23, also from Endicott; David Simel, 22, from Long Island -- and Oswego graduate David Brosius, 32, from Rochester.
While still at college, these entrepreneurs – being part of the very demographic that the CommuniKey now seeks out – were in the perfect position to realize that there was a gap in the market for a student discount card, and conducted preliminary research to determine if their instincts were correct. They also credit their studies at BU with giving them additional confidence to launch their business: “We were inspired by our Leadership 353 class at BU, which taught us how to interact with businesses in the area,” notes Orband, CEO of the CommuniKey.
Eventually, the CommuniKey team hopes to take its business model to other college towns. For now, Orband says that “businesses who participate have expressed to us that their student traffic has picked up significantly. Our events also attract a number of students to these businesses. Local businesses definitely see the value.”
Go to thecommunikey.com to sign up, learn more, or to check out their special offers.
From left to right, the CommuniKey team: David Simel, Adam Sabol, Dave Brosius, and Jimmy Orband.
