Card brands' financials remain positive
he financial results are in for the card brands: transaction volume and net income continue to increase for Visa Inc., MasterCard Worldwide and American Express Co. Big revenue contributors included cross-border volume growth (MasterCard); currency fluctuations driven by the movement of the euro relative to the dollar (AmEx); and data processing and international transaction revenues (Visa).
February 08, 2010 • Issue 10:02:01
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Lead Story
Do banking silos hinder fraud prevention?
Following a precipitous drop last year, spending on technology by North American banks is expected to grow to $51.4 billion in 2010, from $50.3 billion in 2009. But how will banks deal with vulnerabilities caused by a system of compartmentalized security handling?
GS Issue 10:02:01 – News
Is online PIN debit more secure?
As a debate unfolds about the competing merits of PIN verses signature debit, a company called Acculynk has emerged as a pioneer in the use of PIN debit online. Is such a product an anomaly, or will it set the stage for a more dramatic shift toward the use of PIN over signature?
GS Issue 10:02:01 – News
Social networking meets the POS
As social networking increases in popularity, retailers and financial institutions continue to look for ways to use the medium to expand their marketing and sales capabilities. Observers say opportunities for ISOs and merchant level salespeople (MLSs) to offer social networking as a value-added service to merchants, tied to a loyalty plan, are significant.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – News
Illuminating the compliance highway
To clarify complexities regarding Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance, security solutions provider Trustwave and the Electronic Transactions Association hosted a webinar on Jan. 26, 2010. Entitled PCI DSS Expert Panel: Common Questions Answered, it addressed some common concerns of payment professionals and merchants.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Selling Prepaid
How prepaid cards assist in disaster relief
JPMorgan Chase & Co. donated $1 million in aid to the ongoing disaster relief efforts in earthquake ravaged Haiti. Other prepaid card industry businesses have also given hundreds of thousands of dollars. This article looks back at the role of prepaid cards in the recent history of disaster relief.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Research Rundown
A January 2010 report from research and advisory firm Celent LLC discusses the potential in an emerging segment of the mobile payment market – mobile B2X, or businesses' use of the mobile channel to pay other companies, employees and residents. The report details how companies are using mobile payments in a variety of new ways.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Views
There's no doubt consumers today are more aware of card fraud issues than they were three or four years ago. A possible solution? A PIN pad for every countertop. Those words might be as effective an economic stimulus as anything else we have tried over the past year or so.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Views
Merchant training:
Competitive advantage, potential game-changer
Companies that invest in employee training benefit from higher productivity, less downtime, lower turnover, less need for supervision and reduced reliance on others. They also gain a more satisfied workforce and a decisive competitive advantage.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Street Smarts
Gain traction on the red carpet
It seems that ISOs and MLSs are starting to gain more recognition in the world. This article discusses ways to spread the word about your business, including through events, networking, and the giving and receiving of awards.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Education
Digging into PCI - Part 8:
Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access
Requirement 8 of the PCI DSS contains a long list of specific technical requirements on how to implement access control for computer systems at the POS. This installment of our multipart series drills down on the eighth of the 12 requirements of the PCI DSS.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Education
What is brand? Many companies are confused on the subject of branding. Some think it's their name, logo, color scheme or corporate style. If your company believes the answer is one of these, you're probably missing the boat.
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Education
Selling and giving to specialized markets
Competition in our industry is fierce, as MLSs vie for the same customer base. Why not differentiate yourself by cultivating specialized vertical markets through industry associations, buying groups and local chambers of commerce?
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Education
There's been a lot of press lately on alternative payments – most generated by companies that focus on this rapidly emerging trend. Marketers are looking for every possible way to not lose sales, and alternative payments also represent savings in fees. But which alternative payments should you offer?
GS Issue 10:02:01 – Inspiration
Some people believe Valentine's Day is meant only for children who haul volumes of valentines to school or adults struck by Cupid's arrow. That leaves an awful lot of people out of the equation. Maybe your friends, family members, co-workers or customers – maybe even you. This article looks at some oft overlooked ways to send your love out into the world.