Trade associations, affirmed and afire A

128 Pages·2006·8.04 MB·English

September 11, 2006 (cid:129) Issue 06:09:01
Inside this issue:
Trade associations,
News affirmed and afire
Industry Update .........................................14
Litle & Co., UBC capture
Inc. 500 top spots ..................................22 A lmost across the board, payments industry trade associations are
experiencing a surge in membership, if applicable, and meeting
Rediscovering the JCB card .........................56
attendance. The trend is being fueled by the industry's steady growth,
OCC to banks: Be upfront about
increasing complexity and resultant need for continuing education.
gift card fees, terms ................................62
Regional association shows, in particular, are booming.
Hotspots becoming merchant-friendly? ........100
Features Trade associations offer such benefits as health insurance at group rates, discount-
AgenTalkSM: Debra A. Aragon ed legal advice, retirement benefits, tradeshows, information about best practices,
Dreams that take wing ............................28 Web seminars and advocacy with regulators on issues vital to the industry.
Security steals the ATMIA show out West
But with so many professionals scattered geographically or working independ-
By Tracy Kitten and Valerie Killifer,
ently, the chance to meet and compare notes with peers may be the most valuable
ATMmarketplace.com ..............................24
benefit. Trade publications like The Green Sheet provide ISOs and merchant level
Views
salespeople (MLSs) with helpful information. Online water coolers such as the GS
Fraud matters to ISOs and MLSs Online MLS Forum give them a cyber spot in which to vent and exchange tips.
By Peter Kulik .........................................34 But face-to-face time is rare.
Serving up the foodie POS
By Scott Henry ........................................38 "ETA membership brings many of the benefits that you might expect from an
association," said Thomas Goldsmith, Director of Communications and Public
Are you Big Brother material?
Relations for the Electronic Transactions Association. "But one of the key benefits
The FTC seems to think so
is the opportunity ... to connect with one another and get to know one another in
By Theodore F. Monroe ............................52
settings that are designed to facilitate networking and business development."
Education
Street SmartsSM: Sherry Friedrichsen, President of the Western States Acquirers' Association,
Look before you lease: agreed. "I don't think you can overrate the value of face to face contact with the
Tips for expanding businesses people you are working with or thinking about working with," she said.
By Michael Nardy ...................................74
But filling the myriad needs of ISOs, MLSs and vendors is a challenge for
To part the chargeback waters,
these predominantly volunteer organizations. "The effort that goes into
know thy reason codes
something like one of these shows is enormous," Friedrichsen said. "It's
By David H. Press ....................................80
not just setting the agenda and finding the best speakers; it's finding the best
KISS – Keep it simple, smarty
venue for the best cost and juggling space and processing registrations and
By Ken Boekhaus ....................................84
setting menus."
Swat the swipe-rate squeeze
with an ace acquirer Even receiving nonprofit status with the Internal Revenue Service can be
By Marcelo Paladini ................................88 arduous. The application process is lengthy and detailed. Nevertheless, associa-
Spotting hot prospects for cool check services tions are flourishing. Following are a number of organizations – international,
By J. David Siembieda .............................96 national and regional – that have passed muster and would likely welcome
your participation.
Departments
QSGS: Quick Summary Green Sheet ............8 ATM Industry Association (ATMIA)
Company Profi le ........................................43
Web site: www.atmia.com
New Products ..........................................107
Inspiration ..............................................111 Founded in 1997 as a nonprofit, nonstock corporation, ATMIA represents the
international ATM industry – including manufacturers, ATM deployers, ISOs,
Table of contents
private owners, financial institutions, and providers of related products and
continued on page 3
See Associations on page 67

3
AdvisoryBoard NotableQuote
» Tony Abruzzio–Global Payments Inc.
» John Arato–MagTek Inc. "An increasing number of
» Adam Atlas–Attorney at Law legitimate businesses (and their
» Clinton Baller–PayNet Merchant Services Inc. principals) are being sued by the
Federal Trade Commission for
» Audrey Blackmon–POS Portal
acts of their affiliates, merchants
» Sam Chanin–Business Payment Systems and even customers."
» Steve Christianson–AAmonte Bankcard
» Steve Eazell–Secure Payment Systems Inc. See story on page 52
» Mike English–Ingenico Corp.
» W. Ross Federgreen–CSRSI
» Jim Fink–EVO Merchant Services
» Kim Fitzsimmons–First Data Merchant Services Inside this issue:
» Ed Freedman–Total Merchant Services CONTINUED
» Marc Gardner–North American Bancard
» Alan Gitles–Landmark Merchant Solutions NewProducts
» Russ Goebel–Pay By Touch
This 'playa' got game .........................................................................107
» Alex Goretsky–USA ePay
» Jared Isaacman–United Bank Card Inc. Insurance policy covers ID theft liabilities ................................................108
» Jerry Julien–Equity Commerce LP
» Lazaros Kalemis–Alpha Card Services Inc. CompanyProfi le
» Dee Karawadra–Impact PaySystem
Priority Payment Systems LLC
» Allen Kopelman–Nationwide Payment Systems Inc.
A newbie with notable know-how .........................................................43
» Mitch Lau–Money Tree Merchant Services
» Dan Lewis–AmeriBanc National Ltd.
» Douglas Mack–Card Payment Systems Inspiration
» Paul Martaus–Martaus & Assoc.
Letting your hair down in a businesslike way ...........................................111
» David McMackin–AmericaOne Payment Systems Inc.
» Patti Murphy–The Takoma Group
» Michael Nardy–Electronic Payments Inc. (EPI) Departments
» Joseph Natoli–Retriever Payment Systems
Forum ....................................................................................................5
» Steve Norell–US Merchant Services
Datebook ...........................................................................................114
» Garry O'Neil–Electronic Exchange Systems
Resource Guide ...................................................................................118
» Paul Oswald–TransFirst
» Marcelo Paladini–Cynergy Data Advertiser Index ..................................................................................126
» Bill Pittman–TPI Software LLC
» David Press–Integrity Bankcard Consultants Inc. Miscellaneous
» Paul Rasori–VeriFone
Sarcasm Sells – Editorial Cartoon ...............................................................5
» Charles Salyer–GlobalTech Leasing Inc.
» Lisa Shipley–Hypercom Corp. QSGS: Quick Summary Green Sheet ........................................................8
» Dave Siembieda–CrossCheck Inc. Bottom Lines ..........................................................................................14
» Scott Wagner–Humboldt Merchant Services LP Water Cooler Wisdom .........................................................................111
» Dan D. Wolfe–Teledraft Inc.
Word Search ......................................................................................116
4
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David H. Press .[e-mail]
J. David Siembieda [email protected]
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55
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Visit swpwecwi.figcr eceonmshpeaent.iceos.m /Hoonwlienveeinr,d eoxu.rh tmWl e,b issi tea,
wonderful source of information for someone
trying to learn more about the industry.
Looking for POS system hacks article
The Green Sheet has been around since 1983, and we have
I recently read an article regarding POS vulnerability. The most
all our issues archived online back to 1995. You can access the
recent form of identity theft is to hack into a POS system. Thieves
entire archive with our search tool, Fast Finder (www.greensheet.
have discovered that some systems retain credit card information
com/search.cgi ). Pick up any issue of The Green Sheet or GSQ,
where swiped transactions occur. These systems are also weak to
and you will find it is replete with information about the industry.
intrusion. I believe I read this in The Green Sheet. However, I can-
But you are probably looking for a place to begin, such as "credit
not locate the article. Can you help?
card 101." Therefore, I suggest the following to get started:

Thanks,
Our September 2005 GSQ, "Train your brain," (Vol. 8, No.3) is
Bill Lally
online at www.greensheet.com/gsq/Secured-/gsqv8n3.pdf .
Bill,
Also, check out our Industry FAQs at www.greensheet.com/
mlsportal/industryfaq.html . The Electronic Transactions Assoc-
Perhaps the article you have in mind is "Visa alerts restaurants
iation (www.electran.org) has a wonderful glossary of terms
to lax POS installation" (The Green Sheet, Aug. 14, 2006, issue
available for purchase: Encyclopedia of Terminology for the
06:08:01). It includes a list of merchant questions POS resellers
Acquiring Industry.
should be prepared to answer. You'll find the article online at
www.greensheet.com/PriorIssues-/060801-/4.htm .
Finally, the upcoming Western States Acquirers' Association con-
ference will take place Oct. 18 – 19, 2006, in San Jose, Calif.
Editor
This event (or any trade association conference, regional or nation-
al, for that matter) would be a great place to learn more about
the industry and network with payment professionals. This is the
Getting started … but where to begin?
last major industry meeting of the year. The WSAA's Web site is
I'm taking my first steps in the financial services field from the per- www.westernstatesacquirers.com . You can also learn more about
spective of a provider and not a client or customer. … One of my all the industry trade associations in our cover story in this issue.
objectives is to set up a program that permits my friend and client's
company (traded on NASDAQ) to process credit card transac- Good luck to you and your partner,
Editor

8
View
Fraud matters to
ISOs and MLSs
Is card fraud an acquirer problem? You bet.
Short on time? This section of The Fraudsters are payments industry para-
Green Sheet provides a quick summary sites threatening the health of their host.
of nearly all the articles in this issue Combating them necessitates that everyone
to help keep you up to date on the in the value chain adapt and work together.
latest news and hot topics in the
payments industry.
Page 34
Cover Story View
Trade associations,
affirmed and afire
Serving up the foodie POS
Almost across the board, payments industry
A media blitz over identity theft has height-
trade associations are experiencing a surge
ened consumers' awareness of risks associated
in membership, if applicable, and meeting
with turning over their cards at the POS. Their
attendance. The trend is being fueled by the
demand for more control over the payment
industry's steady growth, increasing complex-
process has created a new selling opportunity
ity and resultant need for continuing educa-
for you.
tion. Find out what each of the groups has
been up to.
Page 1 Page 38
News View
Litle & Co., UBC
Are you Big Brother material?
capture Inc. 500 top spots
The FTC seems to think so
Payment processing is definitely a growth
The day has finally arrived: The federal
business. The industry accounts for two of
government has decided to make payment
the top 10 fastest-growing companies in Inc.'s
processors and ISOs completely (and ridicu-
2006 ranking of 500 private companies. Litle &
lously) responsible for the "sins" of their
Co. and United Bank Card Inc. placed Nos.
merchants.
1 and 6, respectively.
Page 22 Page 52
Feature News
AgenTalkSM: Rediscovering the JCB card
Dreams that take wing
JCB has been expanding its U.S. presence in
In an interview with The Green Sheet, merchant an effort to capture more small to mid-sized
level salesperson Debra A. Aragon discussed merchants catering to Japanese tourists in key
what she's doing now so she can retire in five regions. The company offers an aggressive
years, how to take control of merchant rela- partner program for its registered ISOs and
tionships, and how she feels about merchant merchant service providers. It has also inked
contracts and self-reliance. an important deal with Discover.
Page 28 Page 56