December 2008 Archives

Self Service Gift Card Selling Solution

Self-Service Networks, a provider of turnkey self-service solutions, introduces GiftWise, a complete program for selling, activating, and dispensing gift cards within the retail setting. GiftWise is cost-effective and easy to implement, allowing gift cards to be sold anywhere, anytime.

GiftWise is a self-service program that offers a consistent experience while decreasing operational costs. At the core of the all-inclusive program is an interactive kiosk. The sleek design and easy-to-use touch screen interface easily guide users through the process of purchasing gift cards. Customers can select the quantity of cards, as well as the specific dollar amount for each. After payment is processed, the gift card is activated and dispensed on the spot.

"GiftWise is the fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to sell gift cards," said Thomas Smith, president of Self-Service Networks. "This product will be of immense help to malls and retailers, especially those looking to save money or increase their gift card sales."


"Whether they're looking to start a gift card program or expand an existing one, shopping centers and retail stores will see a strong benefit to GiftWise," Smith added. 


A GiftWise pilot program was implemented during the 2007 holiday season with partner HQ Gift Cards, a division of Stored Value Solutions. A leading mall property group deployed five kiosks in separate mall locations.


"The test verified the reliability of the technology and the consumers' willingness to utilize GiftWise," said Rick Wessels, executive vice president of Self-Service Networks.  "We are fully prepared for a strategic rollout."


GiftWise can improve the point-of-sale and reallocate staff time to customer service. The kiosks also help to eliminate long lines and reduce the customer frustration often associated with the busiest times of the year - particularly during the holiday season.


"We understand how busy malls and stores can be during the holidays," said Rick Wessels, executive vice president of Self-Service Networks. "GiftWise can help to alleviate some of that stress while lowering the cost of selling gift cards."

Not only is GiftWise fast and easy to use, the kiosks are built with multiple security features to aid in the prevention of fraud. Also, as part of the total product package, the kiosks can be remotely accessed to provide seamless content management and periodic updates as needed. GiftWise includes monitoring services from Self-Service Networks' Support Team, and usage and sales reports are available via a secure, customizable web portal. 

For more information, visit www.self-servicenetworks.com or call 888-666-8346.


A California company is rapidly wiring into Houston and other Sun Belt cities with a self-serve ATM-style kiosk aimed at customers who regularly send cash to family members in Mexico as well as Central and South America.

After completing trials in June, Nexxo Financial Corp. has finished installation of its proprietary software on 43 Houston-area kiosks already designed for bill-paying functions that were installed by Seattle-based TIO Networks Corp. Nexxo officials say they are already looking to partner with other financial institutions and retailers to expand the company's presence in Texas.

The TIO units in the Houston area are located in On the Run and Tiger Mart convenience stores operated by Exxon Mobil Corp., as well as Circle K convenience stores.

The units accept cash, which can be wired to any of 21,000 branches of major Latin American banks such as Mexico's BBVA Bancomer.

San Bruno, Calif.-based Nexxo now has more than 180 kiosk sites across Texas -- in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and El Paso in addition to Houston -- and CEO David Alvarez expects that number to increase while the company continues negotiations to extend its reach to other states.

Nexxo has a total of 650 kiosks -- including some of its own design -- handling 50,000 transactions a month in its core markets in California, Texas and Arizona. Installation began about two years ago, just after the software product was introduced. Nevada, Colorado and Florida are at the top of Nexxo's expansion list.

Alvarez says the company spent the first two years after its formation in 2004 focusing on the prepaid credit card market, but found that customers were more interested in international remittance services, so Nexxo changed course.

"The remittance market was part of our initial thinking, but our customers steered us a lot quicker to where we wanted to go," says Alvarez, a former president of San Francisco-based credit-card issuer Providian Financial Corp., which was sold to Washington Mutual Inc. for $6.5 billion in 2005.

Considering the size of the remittance market, it's no wonder Alvarez was eager to switch gears so quickly. The remittance services market to Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to reach $67.5 billion in 2008, according to the Inter-American Development Bank, or IDB. From Texas alone, $4.3 billion in remittances were sent to Latin America this year.

MONEY TALKS

The dominant brick-and-mortar player in the remittance market is Western Union Co., which has spawned smaller copycat competitors. Companies like Nexxo are trying to make money transfer a less cumbersome, more efficient process -- many convenience stores are open 24 hours -- at a competitive price.

Customers can use a cell phone to call a toll-free Nexxo telephone number to set up the transaction, and pay a service charge ranging from $7 to $10 -- depending on the type and/or location of the kiosk -- to transfer as much as $1,000 in cash per transaction, and then get a free five-minute call to the transfer recipient to let them know the transaction was completed. Some of the kiosks include a built-in telephone to make calls.

Alvarez says customers who send money to Mexico or other Latin American countries typically send about $291 per transaction, once or twice a month. More than 75 percent of the 20 million Hispanics who send money to other countries have been in the U.S. more than five years, he says.

"We think this technology can do for the remittance industry what the ATM did for the banking industry. We have a miniscule market share, but we're the future," says Alvarez, who has identified separate niches for potential growth for Nexxo.

John Sexton, chairman and CEO of Houston-based Oasis Bank, which focuses on the Hispanic market, is not surprised that Nexxo is using a technology-driven entry into the remittance market.

"Low- to moderate-income customers are getting more acclimated to technology and are more aware of exchange rates, so it may be something the industry needs when remittance prices are dropping," Sexton says. "I don't really see too much impact with our customers because we're focusing more now on being relationship-oriented rather than transaction-oriented."

nexxo.jpg

Besides partnering with companies like TIO to install Nexxo software on their machines in retail outlets, or installing Nexxo-made kiosks in other locations, Nexxo is also looking to partner with financial services institutions. The company's first deal was inked this year with HSBC Bank USA NA, and kiosks are now installed at three Houston-area HSBC branches.

Still, because its customers -- which Alvarez says are primarily legal residents -- are typically the first affected by a recession, he expects the economy to impact his company's growth. The IDB reports that about 17 percent of remittance-senders are employed in construction, one of the first sectors to feel the effects of a downturn.

In fact, adjusted for inflation, remittances in 2008 will actually contribute 1.7 percent less to recipients' incomes, also partly affected by the weaker U.S. dollar, the IDB says.

Adds Alvarez: "We've grown pretty aggressively in the first two years, but it may slow down to single-digit growth (in 2009) due to the economy. The people at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum get hit the fastest."

REMITTANCE MARKET BY THE NUMBERS
Total 2008 remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean: 
$67.5 billion

2008 Texas remittances to Latin America: $4.3 billion

2006 Texas remittances to Latin America: $5.2 billion

Latin adult immigrants in Texas: 
2.8 million

Percentage of Texas immigrants that regularly send money out of the country: 30 percent

Source: Inter American Development Bank


A California company is rapidly wiring into Houston and other Sun Belt cities with a self-serve ATM-style kiosk aimed at customers who regularly send cash to family members in Mexico as well as Central and South America.

After completing trials in June, Nexxo Financial Corp. has finished installation of its proprietary software on 43 Houston-area kiosks already designed for bill-paying functions that were installed by Seattle-based TIO Networks Corp. Nexxo officials say they are already looking to partner with other financial institutions and retailers to expand the company's presence in Texas.

The TIO units in the Houston area are located in On the Run and Tiger Mart convenience stores operated by Exxon Mobil Corp., as well as Circle K convenience stores.

The units accept cash, which can be wired to any of 21,000 branches of major Latin American banks such as Mexico's BBVA Bancomer.

San Bruno, Calif.-based Nexxo now has more than 180 kiosk sites across Texas -- in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and El Paso in addition to Houston -- and CEO David Alvarez expects that number to increase while the company continues negotiations to extend its reach to other states.

Nexxo has a total of 650 kiosks -- including some of its own design -- handling 50,000 transactions a month in its core markets in California, Texas and Arizona. Installation began about two years ago, just after the software product was introduced. Nevada, Colorado and Florida are at the top of Nexxo's expansion list.

Alvarez says the company spent the first two years after its formation in 2004 focusing on the prepaid credit card market, but found that customers were more interested in international remittance services, so Nexxo changed course.

"The remittance market was part of our initial thinking, but our customers steered us a lot quicker to where we wanted to go," says Alvarez, a former president of San Francisco-based credit-card issuer Providian Financial Corp., which was sold to Washington Mutual Inc. for $6.5 billion in 2005.

Considering the size of the remittance market, it's no wonder Alvarez was eager to switch gears so quickly. The remittance services market to Latin America and the Caribbean is expected to reach $67.5 billion in 2008, according to the Inter-American Development Bank, or IDB. From Texas alone, $4.3 billion in remittances were sent to Latin America this year.

MONEY TALKS

The dominant brick-and-mortar player in the remittance market is Western Union Co., which has spawned smaller copycat competitors. Companies like Nexxo are trying to make money transfer a less cumbersome, more efficient process -- many convenience stores are open 24 hours -- at a competitive price.

Customers can use a cell phone to call a toll-free Nexxo telephone number to set up the transaction, and pay a service charge ranging from $7 to $10 -- depending on the type and/or location of the kiosk -- to transfer as much as $1,000 in cash per transaction, and then get a free five-minute call to the transfer recipient to let them know the transaction was completed. Some of the kiosks include a built-in telephone to make calls.

Alvarez says customers who send money to Mexico or other Latin American countries typically send about $291 per transaction, once or twice a month. More than 75 percent of the 20 million Hispanics who send money to other countries have been in the U.S. more than five years, he says.

"We think this technology can do for the remittance industry what the ATM did for the banking industry. We have a miniscule market share, but we're the future," says Alvarez, who has identified separate niches for potential growth for Nexxo.

John Sexton, chairman and CEO of Houston-based Oasis Bank, which focuses on the Hispanic market, is not surprised that Nexxo is using a technology-driven entry into the remittance market.

"Low- to moderate-income customers are getting more acclimated to technology and are more aware of exchange rates, so it may be something the industry needs when remittance prices are dropping," Sexton says. "I don't really see too much impact with our customers because we're focusing more now on being relationship-oriented rather than transaction-oriented."

nexxo.jpg

Besides partnering with companies like TIO to install Nexxo software on their machines in retail outlets, or installing Nexxo-made kiosks in other locations, Nexxo is also looking to partner with financial services institutions. The company's first deal was inked this year with HSBC Bank USA NA, and kiosks are now installed at three Houston-area HSBC branches.

Still, because its customers -- which Alvarez says are primarily legal residents -- are typically the first affected by a recession, he expects the economy to impact his company's growth. The IDB reports that about 17 percent of remittance-senders are employed in construction, one of the first sectors to feel the effects of a downturn.

In fact, adjusted for inflation, remittances in 2008 will actually contribute 1.7 percent less to recipients' incomes, also partly affected by the weaker U.S. dollar, the IDB says.

Adds Alvarez: "We've grown pretty aggressively in the first two years, but it may slow down to single-digit growth (in 2009) due to the economy. The people at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum get hit the fastest."

REMITTANCE MARKET BY THE NUMBERS
Total 2008 remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean: 
$67.5 billion

2008 Texas remittances to Latin America: $4.3 billion

2006 Texas remittances to Latin America: $5.2 billion

Latin adult immigrants in Texas: 
2.8 million

Percentage of Texas immigrants that regularly send money out of the country: 30 percent

Source: Inter American Development Bank

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Selects TIO Networks to Launch Expedited Bill Payment Program

 

"6 million utility customers to benefit from convenient access to alternative bill payment services at self-serve automated kiosks powered by TIO Networks"

 

Burnaby BC, December 18, 2008 - TIO Networks Corp., (TSX-V: TNC), North America's leading multi-channel expedited bill payment processor and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), California's largest investor owned utility today announced that pursuant to a competitive RFP process TIO Networks was selected by PG&E to implement and manage their new self-service bill payment kiosk program. 

 

Pursuant to the agreement, PG&E has purchased 11 self-service payment center kiosk systems powered by TIO's industry leading self-service software and processing services for local offices throughout northern and central California.  The agreement also authorizes TIO to deploy the PG&E bill payment application to up to 200 self-service kiosks within the PG&E service area.

 

The new expedited bill payment program permits the utility's 6 million customers to navigate through the bill pay application, in either English or Spanish, securely view their account balance, complete financial transactions, and print or e-mail their receipts. 

 

"PG&E's services are integral in the daily lives of millions of Californians and we take on this responsibility to serve their clients with the utmost enthusiasm, care and respect" said Hamed Shahbazi, Chairman and CEO of TIO Networks Corp. "Our objective is to provide PG&E customers with convenience and value for service making both bill payment and life a little easier"

 

About TIO Networks Corp.

TIO is the leading multi-channel expedited bill payment processor serving the largest Telecom, Wireless, Cable and Utility bill issuers in North America.  With over 10,000 endpoints in its processing network, TIO symbolizes fast, convenient, safe and secure access to expedited payment services.  For more information, please visit www.TIOnetworks.com

For More Information Contact:

 

Behshad Hastibakhsh, Media Relations - TIO Networks                                   

Tel:                  604.298.4636, Ext. 250                                              

Toll Free:         888.679.3322

Email:              [email protected]           

 

John Lewis, Business Development - TIO Networks

Tel:                  416-364-2266

Email:              [email protected]

 

PG&E News Department

Tel:                  415-973-5930

 

 

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed this news release and does not accept responsibility for its adequacy and accuracy.

 

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Allows Retailers to Sustain PCI Compliance While Maintaining Flexibility to Remotely Manage and Update Self-Service Systems

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Solidcore® Systems, Inc., the leader in retail system security, change audit and configuration control, and Esprida Corporation, a leader in remote management software for self-service systems, today announced a partnership to help retailers easily secure and remotely manage kiosk systems while simplifying the effort required to meet Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard compliance. The joint offering allows retailers to implement kiosk best practices, which includes protecting systems, maintaining optimum levels of payment card security, and sustaining centralized control over devices in the field.

Solidcore POS Check and Control™ provides a single-solution on the endpoint that easily and cost-effectively addresses all of the PCI and security requirements of a kiosk system. Esprida LiveControl™ automates administrative tasks to give businesses complete visibility and controlover a kiosk network. Together, the jointly deployed solution can enforce that only authorized changes deployed through Esprida LiveControl are allowed to alter the kiosk, including registry entries or data files. Solidcore also protects the kiosk from malware, zero-day vulnerabilities and any unauthorized local changes that might include reading or copying protected files off of the system.

"We are pleased to be partnering with Solidcore to deliver a more comprehensive offering that addresses key concerns for anyone deploying intelligent devices, such as kiosks," said Anila Jobanputra, president of Esprida Corporation. "By combining our technology offerings we make it easier for kiosk deployers to meet and exceed security protocols and service expectations."

"Kiosks offer an exciting opportunity for retailers, but the remote locations of these systems often present management, security and compliance challenges that cannot be overlooked," said Anne Bonaparte, president and CEO of Solidcore. "Working together with Esprida will help simplify the most challenging aspects of kiosk deployments so retailers can focus on growing their businesses and servicing their customers."

About Esprida Corporation

Esprida is an industry leader in remote management software for self-service, providing a Software as a Service (SaaS) product line that automates and simplifies the management of self-service devices. Esprida software supports some of the largest self-service deployments in the world. Businesses use Esprida software to speed deployment, improve customer experience and lower the total cost of operation. Esprida is a privately held company. For more information please visit www.esprida.com.

About Solidcore

Solidcore is a leader in retail system security, change audit and configuration control. Organizations worldwide trust Solidcore to detect and prevent unwanted change for improving IT compliance, security and availability. Solidcore easily automates PCI controls and is a pioneer in dynamic whitelisting technology for locking down critical systems and preventing unauthorized change events. Solidcore is headquartered in Cupertino, California. For more information, please visit www.solidcore.com.

Solidcore is a registered trademark of Solidcore Systems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Solidcore POS Check and Control is a trademark of Solidcore Systems, Inc. All other product names, trademarks, and service marks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

Release Summary:

Solidcore and Esprida partner to help retailers easily secure and remotely manage kiosk systems while simplifying PCI compliance

Handcrafted Endpoint Security Software for Windows XP and Vista, with specific security features for Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Grand Ledge, MI (PRWEB) November 25, 2008 -- Visual Automation today released an all new version 7 of Secure Desktop that has been significantly re-designed to provide an Endpoint Security solution for Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Internet Explorer 6 or 7, and Mozilla Firefox 2 or 3. Configuration and user auditing data are now stored in the XML/RSS file format, with new in-dialog help and a completely re-written manual in Adobe PDF format. Over 350 hot-key combinations can now be disabled. Secure Desktop is designed to work with the new UAC (User Access Control) security of Windows Vista. Secure Desktop information is available at Secure Desktop Overview.

For Internet Explorer or Firefox, Secure Desktop 7 can push the browser to full screen mode, disabling menu items and keyboard shortcuts. After a period of inactivity, the browser can automatically reset to the home page, deleting private data in the process. Set an approved web site list. More information about browser specific features can be found at Secure Desktop Browser Security.

Secure Desktop 7 is simply the best version we have ever produced
Many architectural changes were needed to support Windows Vista. Windows XP and Vista customers are getting a great new version of the product.
Secure Desktop is a Windows shell replacement, providing a secure and feature rich method of starting programs and document files. Existing programs and shortcuts can be easily imported. Icons and tabs may be password protected. Programs can be set to run a single instance only, automatically re-started if closed, and Run As Administrator.

User auditing to XML/RSS files is important for the Food and Drug Administration's 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. Secure Desktop logs keystrokes, window titles, URLs, the user name, as well as disk and memory usage. These files are XML RSS 2.0 format, readable by the included sAudit program or any RSS reader.

Over 350 hot-keys can now be disabled. The print screen key, the Windows key, the left mouse button and others can all be disabled for all running programs. Secure Desktop uses a hardware independent approach to keyboard disabling.

Secure Desktop's Window Wizard provides a way to act on another program's window to force it to a maximum or minimum state. Or close it automatically. Or hide it from the user. Full technical specifications can be found at Secure Desktop Technical Specifications.

"Secure Desktop 7 is simply the best version we have ever produced," said Duane Fahey, President and Founder of Visual Automation, Inc. "Many architectural changes were needed to support Windows Vista. Windows XP and Vista customers are getting a great new version of the product."

Visual Automation's web site has been completely re-designed, now written to the XHTML 1.1 standard. New data sheets in the Adobe PDF format are now available as well.

Pricing & Availability

Secure Desktop 7 is available immediately through the Visual Automation Store (Visual Automation Home Page). Price is $195 USD, 5-pack for $700 USD, and 10-pack for $1275 USD. Or $100 USD for an upgrade from a previous version. Site and multi-site licenses are available.

Visual Automation, Inc. is a provider of handcrafted endpoint security software products. Founded in 1994, the privately held company is recognized worldwide as a leader in Windows desktop and browser security. Products include Secure Desktop 7, ColdKey 3, and iLock 3. Companies worldwide depend on Visual Automation products for their endpoint security needs.

Secure Desktop, iLock, and ColdKey are trademarks of Visual Automation, Inc. Windows and Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Firefox is a registered trademark of the Mozilla Foundation. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Contact:
Duane Fahey
Visual Automation, Inc.
517-622-1850
Visual Automation Home Page

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Thin Client News

NComputing lands another top exec this time from Intel and Forrester puts out it's debunking of five most common myths about power and energy conservation for PCs.



Related Ring Sites:
  GoKIS  |   ThinClient.org  |   keefner.com  |   Visi Kiosk site  |   KIOSK  |   Kis-kiosk.com  |
Resource Sites:
  Elo TouchSystems  |   Acire Inc.  |   Nextep  |   TIO Networks  |   Olea  |   Self-Service Networks  |   Meridian Kiosks  |   Provisio  |   Kioware  |
  Selling Machine Partners  |   Source Technologies  |   Seepoint  |   5Point  |   Nanonation  |   Netkey  |   KioskCom  |   Summit Research  |   NCR  |