Posted: 09/2002
retail news
Compiled and reported by Khali Henderson and Tara Seals
ePHONE Launches Online Sales of New e-Trans-Port
The unit plugs into a one- or two-line telephone's jack, and the phone line then plugs into e-Trans-Port. The unit routes originating analog calls to ePHONE, where they are digitized and sent through the company's private VoIP network. eTransPort is compact and portable and requires no external power or batteries. Customers enter PIN information once and then can dial without entering access codes or additional numbers.
e-Trans-Port units are priced at $34.95 and come preloaded with 75 continental U.S. calling minutes. The company says it saves up to 80 percent on domestic and international long-distance calls by using VoIP. Customers can sign up for automatic replenishment on a monthly basis for the number of minutes they choose. Any unused minutes will roll over to the next month, as long as the customer is in replenishment program. Customers can cancel at any time and the remaining airtime can be used for the following 90 days.
To accommodate an increase in customer demand for this and other products, the company has installed a PoP in Miami to handle retail and wholesale traffic, while serving as an anchor site to reach South America. The site will provide redundancy for disaster recovery at the company's other sites in Herndon, Va., Los Angeles and New York City.
Bank of America Rolls Out Visa CashPay Card
The company also has added enhancements to the card's standard features, which include the ability to transfer funds to a checking or savings account and the ability to pay bills. CashPay cardholders can track their expenses via the Internet or by using detailed monthly statements.
"CashPay offers our corporate clients and their employees a valuable business tool for managing and accessing their payroll," says Joseph Lyons, stored-value card senior manager for Bank of America. "This latest enhancement gives employees who don't have a credit or debit product all the same conveniences, security and money managing tools that our other customers have long enjoyed."
The card offers operational savings for employers and helps employees without personal checking or savings accounts. American Banker online reports 12 million to 15 million households, or 20 percent of the U.S. population, do not have a banking relationship. This group spends approximately $8 billion a year in check cashing and other financial service fees.
Atlas Telecom Sold World Cup Updates via SMS Prepaid Cards
The SMS prepaid card allowed users to stay on top of game results, hear the latest news about players and to be informed instantly of goals scored. The cards, which sold for $15, entitled cardholders to receive 30 messages. The cards were activated through an interactive telephone service and were valid for the duration of the event, May 31 to June 30.
The cards were sold in the Antilles, Canada, Spain and the United States through sports shops, kiosks, supermarkets and online via the Mobiwin, Tel3, Atlas Telecom Mobile Web sites.
A spokesperson for Atlas declined to reveal the number of cards sold but said the program was successful, especially in Martinique, where the telecom carrier partnered with McDonald's fast-food outlets to distribute the cards. McDonald's customers were able to get service by buying a "Special World Cup Menu" (two cheeseburgers, medium fries, medium drink and a SMS card with 12 messages) or pay #5 for one card without a meal.
Western Union Adds Prepay Center to SwiftPay Service
Keith Dively, senior vice president and general manager of SwiftPay, says customer, agent and service provider demand drove the decision to become a distribution channel for prepaid wireless and local products as well as recharge services.
"The predominant payment method for prepaid service is cash," Diveley says. "Since our main business is cash and moving cash, it's a natural for our agents and our business."
Unlike other retail outlets for prepaid services, Western Union agents will have a specially designed point-of-sale display that incorporates customer service. A phone handset connected to the display allows users to speak to a live call center representative about the service they want to purchase. In the case of wireless, they can ask questions about it and then, after hanging up the phone, purchase the wireless package from the agent. In the case of local service, the order-entry data is taken by the CSR and then the payment for the service is made to the Western Union agent on site.
"Our data show us that consumers will be intrigued by talking to the customer service rep," says Dively, He adds it also allows agents to offer a higher level of service to their customers.
The service initially will be available at select outlets in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Philadelphia and New York City. It is an optional offer for Western Union agents, but Diveley says it has been well received and the company expects most of its agents will incorporate the offer over time.
Agents receive a portion of the commission Western Union has negotiated for the company with prepaid service providers. Diveley expects the service to encourage repeat visits from customers who initiate service through Western Union agents. Western Union makes the larger portion of its money on the renewals, he says.
