Key Dates

December 26
OneBridge office is closed. Client Service can be reached at 800.322.4035. Have a safe and happy holiday!

January 1
Launch of new Visa brand mark and card design.

January 2
OneBridge office is closed. Client Service can be reached at 800.322.4035. Happy New Year!

January 31
Early-bird registration deadline for OneBridge 2006 Client Connect.



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Quick Fact

Based on figures for the holiday season thus far, Americans may charge more than $37.0 billion worth of fast food to their credit and debit cards this year, compared to $22.5 billion one-year ago. VISA's latest "SpendTrak" report shows consumers are charging about $430 million per week at quick service restaurants on its cards or about 62% higher than the same week last year. The average QSR credit card ticket, based on the most recent VISA data for the week ending December 4th, is $10.75. Americans spend about $150 billion per year in quick service restaurants. 



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Client Corner

Welcome Touchstone Federal Credit Union! Touchstone will be implementing OneBridge Gateway for their credit card processing in mid-2006. They are located in Wilmington, Massachusetts. 
Chart the Course for Your Card Programs at Our First Annual Client Conference

Please join us March 19-21, 2006 in Boca Raton, FL for our first annual client conference. The theme for the event is "Charting the course for your card programs."

With card usage among consumers continuing to grow, there is a huge opportunity for your program. In order to take advantage of that opportunity, it is imperative for you to think long-term and strategically about your program.

We recommend this event for both senior level executives responsible for card program strategy as well as for people involved in daily program management.

Conference Highlights:

  • Hear from Visa, RewardsNOW, and other OneBridge partners about how to better position your card program to make it your strongest asset.
  • Get updates on new OneBridge products and services that will help you run your program more efficiently.
  • Learn directly from your peers as they present their card program success stories.
  • Cruise the Intracoastal Waterway on the Gallant Lady, JM Family Enterprises' yacht.

If you register by 01/31, cost for the conference is $300 for your first attendee and $100 for each additional. After 01/31, the cost is $400 for the first attendee and $150 for each additional. Guests are welcome to attend the evening events for $75.

The conference will be held at the Marriott Boca Raton and at the JM Family Enterprises conference center. Transportation to the conference center from the hotel will be provided. A special group room rate of $199/night has been arranged at the Marriott Boca Raton.

For more information about the conference or to register, contact Leslie Kern at 317-275-5814 or via email at lkern@onebridge.com. You will receive a detailed agenda for the conference in mid-January.

 

Card Smarts
Tips and tidbits to help you get the most out of your card programs.
by Janet Simpson, VP Card Programs

Contact Janet at 717-728-0290 for information about how OneBridge can help you
measure and enhance your card programs.

The Recipe for a Successful Card Program

2 cups cardholder service, a dash of fraud monitoring, a tablespoon of marketing...

There are quite a few ingredients to a successful card program. However, what good are the ingredients without a cook? You can have everything the recipe calls for, but if someone isn't measuring and mixing then how can you be sure you'll get what you want in the end?

By not having one person who wakes up every morning thinking about your card programs, it is very possible that you will end up with disjointed efforts within your institution and missed opportunities within the marketplace.

In many institutions, debit and credit programs are overseen by separate individuals or areas. But does this always make the most sense? There are definite synergies between debit and credit cards - in marketing, fraud/security issues, and rewards initiatives, to name a few. Are there some potential benefits to having one person manage how these two products work together and how they are incorporated within the rest of the institution?

Having one person manage your card programs can lead to a more strategic approach, which can lead to an increase in revenue.

So, the question is, who's your card program cook?

Industry Update
Below are interesting stories about the card industry that have made headlines over the last few weeks. Links to the full articles are included below.

To access any Card Forum articles you will need to register with Card Forum. Card Forum is a great tool that provides free access to valuable card information and articles. To register, just follow the directions when you click the link.

  • Millions of credit and debit cardholders are joining in as they save time at the register by waving or tapping their cards in front of a reader instead of swiping them. About 22,000 merchants nationwide - including McDonald's, CVS drug stores and Sheetz convenience stores - currently accept "contactless" payments.
    (click for full article "    Card Swipe May Be a Thing of the Past    ")
    - Card Forum

  • Experience has shown the number of accounts compromised in a data breach is invariably bigger and scarier than the number of frauds that result, but a study to be released today suggests such frauds are even rarer than many assumed.
    (click for full article "    Study: Breach-Related Fraud Rarer than Thought    ")
    - Card Forum

  • Most ATM manufacturers have seen increased ATM software upgrade purchases and sales gains from recent ATM mandates. However, as ATM transaction volumes slump and surcharge revenues shrink, some ATM operators appear to be tiring of making purchases for every new ATM technology that comes down the pike.
    (click for full article "    Deployers Slow in Converting to Windows    ")
    - Card Forum