February 21, 2012
Isis Mobil Innovation Forum
February 29, 2012
LINC Phoenix
February 29, 2012
ATMIA US Conference 2012, The Power of ATMs
March 5, 2012
CARTES in North America
March 12, 2012
Prepaid Expo USA 2012
Kaplan an ideal fit for TMS
t's not surprising Joe Kaplan's appointment to Chief Executive Officer at Total Merchant Services Inc. generates interest among so many in the payments industry. Kaplan made his first mark as an acquirer in 1994 when he started Superior Bankcard Service and, in less than a year, built it into the 12th largest nonbank acquirer in the United States.
He eventually sold Superior Bankcard Service for $100 million and started a new company, Innovative Merchant Services, in 1999.
February 13, 2012 • Issue 12:02:01
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Lead Story
Elavon versus Cisero's dispute could have major repercussions
In 2008, Cisero's Ristorante and Good Times Bar allegedly experienced a data breach that resulted in Elavon Inc., the restaurant's processor, suing Cisero's for breach-related damages. Cicero's filed a countersuit, which may call into question the validity of merchant agreements, card brand rules and regulations, and the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS).
GS Issue 12:02:01 – News
Will PayPal hit critical mass with recent deals?
PayPal Inc. inked deals to deliver contactless payments in brick-and-mortar retail environments without the need for retailers to make expensive POS upgrades. If consumers only need a mobile phone number and a PIN to make proximity payments, maybe near field communication technology will become obsolete before it can be widely adopted.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – News
Zappos.com hit with breach, lawsuit
The latest big data breach occurred at Zappos.com, the online apparel retailer and Amazon.com subsidiary. Over 24 million customer accounts were compromised – allegedly the handiwork of one lone fraudster. A class-action lawsuit filed in Kentucky seeks financial damages. Now Zappos.com laments the damage done to its reputation.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – News
Visa says PIN unnecessary for EMV in U.S.
The debate over data security took a turn when Visa Inc. issued a best practices document that claims implementation of the Europay/MasterCard /Visa security standard in the United States will not need both chip and PIN. According to Visa, you can forget the PIN because transactions will be processed online and in real time, eliminating the need for an offline, static PIN.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Selling Prepaid
N.J. unclaimed property ruling favors prepaid, sort of
For many months, lawyers have been grappling with New Jersey's amended unclaimed property law designed to allow the state – for the first time – to seize unused balances on gift cards after dormancy periods have expired. A recent ruling made by a court of appeals hasn't completely settled the issue. In fact, it seems to raise as many questions as it answers.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Selling Prepaid
nFinanSe, InComm wrangle over reload network
A complex legal battle is underway between general-purpose reloadable prepaid card provider nFinanSe Inc. and prepaid card distributor InComm. The host of questions before the district court in Atlanta involve an alleged price-fixing conspiracy and the potential violation of federal anti-trust law.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Views
The CPP exam - before, during and after
What was the inaugural round of testing for the Electronic Transactions Association's Certified Payments Professional certification like? Is the exam too difficult, too easy or just right? What kind of preparation is necessary? How can the exam be improved? These questions and more are answered in this article by one Green Sheet Advisory Board member who aced the exam.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Views
The traditional POS paradigm is being upturned. Taps on terminals are replacing card swipes and tablets are replacing terminals. But ISOs and merchant level salespeople (MLSs) need not be replaced as well. If the future is online and contactless, sellers should focus on service, not hardware, and become turnkey POS hosting companies for small merchants that cannot afford to do it themselves.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Street Smarts
Putting the right tools into your tool kit
Blue collar workers can't do their jobs without the right tools; neither can ISOs and MLSs. In the MLS world, tools mean whatever sellers can leverage to do better business. The referral list is one tool, a particular smart phone app is another. In the end, whatever tool works best for each individual sales agent is the right one.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Education
Strategic planning nuts and bolts
With the economy on a mild uptick, it may be time to revitalize plans for the future. The basis of that endeavor is the strategic plan – a living, evolving document that charts the path your business will take in the coming years. The plan marries tactics with vision to reach the place where you want to be, rather than the place you end up.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Education
Setting personal and professional goals is worthless if you don't hold yourself accountable to them. One secret to making goal setting meaningful is to invest emotionally in the outcome, which will spur you to detail the steps you need to take to reach that goal. Another secret is to assure that when you reach that goal, a big, satisfied smile accompanies the achievement.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Education
In your mind, the sale is complete. All that's needed is the mere formality of a signature on a contract. But then the merchant backs out of the deal. What happened? The painful post mortem of a sale gone wrong can illuminate what signs you missed and what mistakes you made. In this regard, a no is always an opportunity for growth and improvement.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Education
Are your marketing materials compliant?
The card brands not only have rules that govern interchange and data security, but they also regulate how merchant service providers market services, too. It is incumbent on sellers to adhere to these regulations, right down to the wording on company letterhead and business cards. The alternative means potential audits, penalties and fines.
GS Issue 12:02:01 – Inspiration
The first round of testing for the ETA's CPP program is complete, and over 80 percent of payment pros who took the exam passed. The next round of testing is coming up. If you want to take the next test, now's the time to prepare. The first step is to download the candidate's handbook at the ETA's website. The next step is to get busy.