Press
Real-Time Access, Card Personalization Drive Value for FIs
Media Contacts
Desiree Fletcher-Hayes (for TMG)
515-229-9820
pr@themembersgroup.com
TMG’s (The Members Group) proprietary Web-based system, Springboard, is adding a twist to card personalization systems and value for financial institutions (FIs) looking to boost their consumer choice and personalization services.
MyPhotoCard, developed in partnership with TMG and CPI Card Group, brings together real-time access to cardholder information (Springboard) and Web design customization and administration (CPI platform). The result is with an easy-to-manage, on-demand technology that lets cardholders create their own brand.
“When people talk about card personalization programs, they often refer to the potential for increased customer affinity, loyalty and lower attrition, which in turn, can translate into higher card usage and revenue,” says Jeff Falk, TMG director of product development. “With MyPhotoCard, TMG is offering a tool with the potential to deliver on all of those fronts. But we want to take the process beyond just personalization to personalization and functionality.”
TMG selected CPI as a partner for its card personalization product because the flexibility of CPI’s technology closely matched its own. “The compatibility of our two technologies was key in developing a product that does a remarkable job of meeting FI usage, customization and implementation needs, so the FI can focus on what they do best – providing remarkable service and meeting their customers’ needs.”
With MyPhotoCard, credit or debit card cardholders can go to their home banking site and click on ‘Design Your Own Card’ to upload either a personal photo or one from a pre-populated photo gallery. An added benefit, when a personalized card is created, additional cardholders on the account can go to the website and create their own personalized card on the same day. Once the look of the card has been approved, it will be mailed directly to the cardholder.
“The beauty of MyPhotoCard is that it’s a solution that’s about both the cardholder and the issuing FI,” said Bill Lynch, vice president of E-Services for CPI. “It allows cardholders to express their personality and individuality with a payment card that is all about them, and it provides FIs with the control they need to offer a seamless product.”
With the TMG Springboard application, FI employees can more easily manage the functions of credit and debit cards created through MyPhotoCard, with real-time access to some of the most commonly requested cardholder information such authorizations, statements, payments and name/address changes; all at the click of a mouse. FI management is also able to completely customize different levels of user access, based on operational needs, for defined role-based security. And, with Springboard, weeks of training can be reduced to a few hours.
In turn, the easy to use Web interface developed by CPI gives FIs looking to implement the MyPhotoCard solution a great deal of control over the look and feel of their program. Users are able to choose the level of customization of their Website design – from the theme, or look, of the Web pages to the pre-populated photo gallery – without having to install the software on their own servers. The software also enables FIs to administer card orders and provides dynamic reporting to help manage the program.
“While choice is a core value for cardholders, when it comes to solutions like MyPhotoCard; varying levels of customization and simplification of complex back-office procedures at an affordable price are tangible benefits for FIs researching card personalization options,” said Lynch.
Currently available to TMG clients, the MyPhotoCard personalization platform accommodates both MasterCard and Visa cards.
About TMG
TMG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Affiliates Management Company, which is owned by Iowa credit unions and their members. As a financial and credit union service organization (CUSO), TMG is dedicated to providing innovative and flexible card processing and payment solutions to credit unions and financial institutions across North America. TMG’s core products include credit, debit, ATM and a variety of prepaid solutions, as well as online reporting, ACH and ALM services. TMG’s prepaid card products are branded ATIRA. For more information, visit www.TheMembersGroup.com.
About CPI Card Group
CPI, a global leader in financial and commercial card production and related services, offers a single source for plastic cards, foil cards, holograms, translucent and smart cards. In addition we also provide personalization, fulfillment and packaging services. CPI offers the largest production capacity in North America. CPI’s production sites include Denver, Colorado; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Las Vegas, Nevada; Roseville, Minnesota; Colchester, England; Liverpool, England; and Toronto, Canada. CPI’s plants in Colorado, Nevada, and Liverpool are ISO 9001 certified. For more information, visit www.cpicardgroup.com.