t a time when corporate secrets are as closely guarded as the final draft of Alan Greenspan's next speech, ISO-focused organizations are looking for ways to protect and proliferate e-commerce products and services.

One such company that is looking outside its in-house agent staff is E- Commerce Exchange. With more than 10 years of experience in credit card, ATM and electronic check transaction solutions for entrepreneurs on the Internet, in home-based businesses, and in phone-order and mail-order industries, ECX is an established nationwide credit card processing company offering merchants the ability to accept all forms of non-cash payment.

Since 1989, ECX has grown from a two-employee business based in a garage to a large internal sales force of more than 130 employees and representatives in 25 affiliated offices nationwide. With a longstanding infrastructure built for volume, ECX offers all the critical elements of an e-commerce solution - merchant account; shopping cart, payment processing software for Internet or retail store front; and secure server link for Web transactions (QuickCommerce).

How exactly is ECX making the move? What e-commerce gadgetry is ECX making available to its agents? After joining forces with a venture-capital group, getting a new CEO (Scot Ross) and establishing direct relationships with two banks (First Bank of Beverly Hills and Bank of Minotola in New Jersey), ECX has started its first partnership program whereby it provides portability and joint ownership of merchant portfolios with its agents. Here's a sneak peek:

Partner Program: ECX offers a profit-sharing program. Agents can share up to 50 percent of the profits from every facet of each portfolio, establishing joint ownership.

You Pick Plan: ECX offers several different packages to choose from - one with extremely low rates, one with no monthly minimum, another with a rebate program with refund of application fee and one with few, if any, app fees.

Off the Shelf Program: ECX offers a standard suite of products for one low fee - including low rates, aggressive buy rates on statements, and low or no application fees (depending on volume sent in per month) - and includes installation, deployment, merchant training and site inspection guaranteed with a 12- to 48-month lease.

Gateway and Internet Programs: With standard pricing for each and based on types of merchants brought in, these are competitive programs. ECX has become savvy in Internet-based services and expert in offering gateway services.

Other value-added programs are in the mix as ECX gets ready to partner with CrossCheck, Global eTelecom and Cash Lane for services from check guarantee to check conversion to debit. ECX also will continue to offer Web hosting and Web page (free to agents) and ECX's proprietary online reporting engine for agents - "Apollo."

ECX realizes how critical it is for agents to track the progress of their merchants' accounts at any given moment. With Apollo, agents can access the status of their accounts from A to Z, anytime in real time.

ECX also assists its agents with leasing programs, a lease-collection department, Web development programs, affiliate programs, online application technology, custom agent Web site, equipment installation and merchant training.

ECX's target market is small- to medium-size companies with an average merchant base of $50,000 per month. ECX's target agents are those who want to make money -averaging 30 to 100 new accounts per month. The company also wants to be the number one bankcard provider for small- to medium-size merchants in the country.

Thad Bees, vice president of sales/business development, maps out ECX's strategy: "ECX is committed to providing agents with the highest level of service, communication and satisfaction. Our agents are special and our goal is to ensure their success and profitability."

For more information, visit www.ecx.com.