Setting Apart from the Increasing Competition Requires New Ways of Program Management
More than 33 percent—that’s how much domestic prepaid card transactions grew between 2009 and 2012, far outpacing other types of noncash payment, according to Fitch Ratings.
Consumers use gift cards and prepaid cards for everything from personal and business gifts to paying for day-to-day expenses, travel, and even as a convenient source of providing funds for dependents or household employees.
And although the use of mobile and digital, or “e-gift,” cards are growing, 79 percent of gift card givers still prefer to give a plastic card and 67 percent prefer to receive a plastic card.3 According to Federal Reserve2, prepaid card payments are the fastest-growing noncash payment method in the U.S.”
Banks and credit unions must capitalize on this trend to remain competitive, and many credit unions across the country rely on LSC to deliver turnkey prepaid and gift card solutions
that differentiate and add value for their end customers.
LSC has provided credit unions with an integrated gift card solution for several years, managing orders from each financial institution, maintaining a card inventory, and then shipping individual orders to credit unions as they were placed.
LSC enhanced prepaid and gift card platforms while reducing program costs by 30%.
Traditional Methods Simply Could Not Scale
Traditional card manufacturers could not handle LSC’s demand for different types of cards, especially in response to seasonal peaks, and the process of distributing supplies to each credit union was inefficient and costly.
Inventory was too often sold out or went unused, resulting in waste, missed revenue opportunities, and unnecessary inventory costs.
Shipping and logistics were inefficient and costly, requiring too many resources and long lead times.
We needed a nimble partner to help us transform a problem into a differentiator and key revenue source for credit unions, and Arroweye has more than delivered.
Fast, Responsive Solution Opens up New Growth Opportunities
Arroweye elevated LSC’s card program with timely, efficient card production and delivery, and unprecedented packaging and design.
Now, LSC’s credit unions can easily meet customer demand and differentiate by offering custom gift cards, paired with a hand-selected greeting card or personalized card sleeve.
Credit union customers have one more reason to choose their local financial institution for gift and prepaid options, which increases loyalty and the financial relationship.
4 Enhancements, Improved Card Program Outcomes
Increased program revenues. Reduced program costs. Improved customer loyalty.
-
Expanded Card Design Options
A broad selection of card styles – including custom designs – gives credit unions and their members more reasons to choose a prepaid gift card.
LSC now offers a wide variety of card designs through its online ordering portal, and credit unions can create card campaigns that speak to members.
With more choices, more members are choosing their credit union for gift and prepaid card purchases.
-
Introduced Greeting Cards, Custom Packaging
Most open-loop gift cards come with generic card sleeves in a small selection of colors.
By introducing personalized greeting cards and other packaging options, LSC was able to deliver a real “wow” factor to credit unions and their members.
Credit unions can offer a wide variety of seasonal and occasion-focused greeting and gift cards, providing members with the right gift any time of year.
-
Eliminated Costly Inventory
Arroweye’s digital on-demand production eliminates the need for pre-printed inventory, which would become stale as seasons and customer demand changed.
LSC no longer needed to forecast demand months in advance or absorb the cost of cards that expired or became irrelevant before ever hitting the market.
On-demand printing allows credit unions to respond real time to customer demand for various card types, no longer missing key opportunities for growth due to long lead times.
Approved by Visa®, MasterCard®, Discover® and American Express® to manufacture and personalize payment cards, Arroweye is the first single-source, fully digital, on-demand facility in the industry.
-
Streamlined Distribution and Logistics
Because traditional card production requires long lead times, LSC had to take delivery of inventory directly, and then distribute credit union orders as they came in. This meant double the shipping charges, and required a full-scale inventory management and warehousing effort.
Today, Arroweye receives credit union orders in real time, ships cards directly to each credit union within 48 hours of an order, saving time and opportunity cost for credit unions. At the same time streamlined distribution frees up significant resources for LSC – resources that could be reallocated to other revenue-generating services for LSC customers.
Business Results: Better Products Coupled with Speed and Flexibility Drive Overall Growth
In the first year alone, LSC’s credit union customers ordered thousands of additional cards, , and are leveraging Arroweye’s unique customization to deliver personalized, timely gift choices to members. Each credit union can incorporate cards into timely marketing campaigns to attract a bigger share of member demand during seasonal spikes, and generate incremental business during previously non-peak times. Gift and travel cards, paired with Arroweye’s custom greeting cards and other packaging options, are now a key differentiator for each credit union.
At the same time, these cards represent a significantly more profitable program for LSC. Even after improving the quality and selection of their card program – through expanded design options, greeting cards, and custom packaging – Arroweye’s program efficiencies have reduced LCS’s costs by 30 percent With these improvements, LCS is able to invest in new programs and open new markets boosting members service level and engagement.
Sources:
3 http://visual.ly/2013-consumer-gift-cards-survey-apply-these-trends-increase-your-gift-card-sales
