Real Time Formatting and Print Server Control by Papyrus

First Data's PlastiCard Enterprise Presentation

History and Background

First Data Resources, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the leading global provider of card transaction processing and card portfolio management solutions that enable credit, debit, commercial, oil and private label card issuers to enhance their portfolio growth, increase market share, reduce risk and improve profitability.

Much of this business involves the embossing of cards and the printing of associated letters, as well as statements and collaterals. The handling of cards was done through the infamous "D-Holes" punched paper carriers, in which the card was stuck. While all the printing was done on mainframe, the emphasis was on "pre-press" for print solutions with just variable data added in the print process. This made the process very static and did not enable a dynamic marketing approach due to the lead time for pre-printing and coding the variable data programs.

New Requirements for One-To-One Marketing

Over time client requirements were in need of extensive system flexibility, with the ability to communicate at the cardholder level. This would have to be enabled with marketing messaging and the support for interest rate variables and special offers with checks and coupons. To ensure a professionally prepared and presented package, high quality laser print matched with 'Clean' card affixing was the target to shoot for. Today's competition requires a shortened time to market, enabling new marketing campaigns such as "Partners Programs" and Benefits/Features schemes.

As the amount of preprinted paper for these applications rose, reduced inventory costs for the number, types and volumes of preprinted stock became an essential issue. Further it became obvious that marketing required dynamic documents, which utilize numerous data and text elements for a highly personalized approach to the customers needs. The ability to make quick document AND strategy changes without inventory hassles enabled the document to carry the convergence of numerous marketing strategies toward the customer.

How it was done

FDR decided on a Document Management Solution provided through a

Partnership with World Class

Providers

Xerox provided the paper management and printing systems for cut-sheet duplex printing. BOWE Systec installed their Card Attaching Base System with the option to utilize their Package, Assembly and Reporting System as an integrated solution when needed.

ISIS Papyrus was contracted to deliver the complete Document Design and Composition, Data Management and Resource Management software. The Papyrus Server was enhanced to communicate not only with the printer but also with the BOWE system to receive the card information which is used to generate one or more printed pages with control codes for verification at the enveloping stage. The Papyrus Server and PrintPool are the management components for the whole process from the card reader to the final envelope.

The first implementation step was completed in March 1999, where the sophisticated Papyrus functions enabled the marketing approach:

• Conditional Logic within the Document Design
• Graphics, Logos, Images, Signatures, Boxes, Lines and Shading.
• Resource Library
• True WYSIWYG Design with Windows Based Drag & Drop
• Far East Languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean
• Index and Control data imbedding for Post Processing

FDR stated in its press release:

"The PlastiCard Enterprise Presentation system accesses more than 300 variable data elements from account information to produce a card mailer that is targeted to an individual cardholder. Convenience and balance transfer checks, coupons and selective messages can also be printed on the mailers to help issuers increase card usage and boost revenue."

"Issuers using the new system benefit from enhanced decisioning capabilities that give them additional cardholder data needed to effectively use card mailers as a marketing tool," said Timothy E. Rosenthal, First Data's senior vice president of PlastiCard Custom Services. "This new system enables First Data to expand its world class plastic delivery options for our card issuers."

"With the new system, card issuers realize cost savings by using a variety of forms with variable template applications and two-sided printing. In addition, issuers gain operational efficiencies by electronically composing a document without the cost and time needed to replenish large quantities of paper stock."