White Papers

TSYS^® is a leader in the global payments industry, and its staff and affiliates often create reports and white papers on various topics that relate to electronic payments and related services. This page lists papers on many current topics in the payments industry worldwide.

Title: Incredible India! Four Imperatives to Accelerate Electronic Payment Adoption
A leading analyst group predicts that “India will climb…to be one of the world’s top five generators of non-cash payments by 2017.” In the emerging BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) markets, cash remains king; but in India the tide is turning as consumers increasingly conduct electronic payment transactions with either plastic cards or, to a lesser degree, mobile phone-based applications. This market trend is being driven by a population of more than 1.2 billion, 350-400 million of which are part of the burgeoning middle class. This key demographic, growing annually at five percent, is developing a voracious appetite for consumer goods that can be supported through access to basic banking services provided by domestic and foreign financial institutions.
Author: Amit Sethi
Link: Register and Download

Title: Managing Digital Complexity: The Evolving Landscape of Archive Systems
Abstract: Recall the closing scene of the American action-adventure film “Raiders of the Lost Ark” when the treasure-filled crate was carefully stored away in a cavernous government warehouse to perhaps never be seen again. For many of today’s businesses, their most important treasures are not gleaming gold artifacts, but rather data. Yet many of today’s archival processes, built to store millions of pages of paper documentation, still more closely resemble that impenetrable warehouse with its stacks of crates than the digital, real-time and on-demand systems businesses need to meet the demands of a data-driven economy.
Author: David Marhanka, TSYS
Link: Download

Title: The Lending Industry Adopts Unprecedented Collections Practices in the Wake of Economic Crisis
Abstract: The economic downturn has resulted in record numbers of consumers becoming unable to meet their financial obligations, resulting in unprecedented levels of credit losses realized by lenders worldwide. Prior to the credit crunch, the organizations that were the most effective at collecting debts were the ones that sent the most letters and had the largest call center representatives on hand to contact delinquent customers - in short, more letters and more phone calls resulted in more collected debts. However, as the economy slipped into recession, the effectiveness of these strategies began to decline and credit losses reached record highs.
Author: Megan Bramlette (Auriemma Consulting Group) and LaTina Cunningham (TSYS Managed Services)
Link: Download

Title: Survey Finds Prepaid Motivates: New Research Reveals Cards Drive Increased Spending, Visits and Willingness to Support Social Marketing
Abstract: Tools that can drive loyalty remain at a premium in the current business climate. As part of the ongoing quest to attract and retain customers and employees, prepaid incentive cards are growing and quickly becoming a viable and powerful alternative to cash rewards and merchandise offers. New findings from a survey, conducted by trade publication Retail TouchPoints and online research firm Decision Tree Labs, found significant gains in awareness and usage of prepaid cards for incentives, customer rebates and loyalty offers. In addition, the survey pointed to growing opportunity for consumer brands to drive traffic and average transaction size via prepaid card incentive offers.
Author: Rod Boyer (TSYS Loyalty & Prepaid) and Andrew Gaffney (Retail TouchPoints)
Link: Download

Title: Partner-managed TransPromo: A Relationship That Pays Dividends
Abstract: TransPromo is short for transactional promotions, it is a highly targeted campaign that places promotional content or messaging within a transactional document, such as a billing statement, invoice or notification. In this report we explore the evolution of TransPromo marketing programs and debunk the misconception that implementing such a program is a costly and labor-intensive proposition. We will discuss the potential for “partner-managed” TransPromo programs to increase marketing campaign effectiveness by improving offer relevancy, reducing expenses and driving revenue. Managing the key strategic partners across multiple functional areas in order to administer an effective TransPromo program can be resource-intensive and involve specialized tasks that would be cumbersome and costly to handle in-house, thus a partner-managed program is a timely and appropriate solution for companies that have slashed marketing dollars. The best practices, value proposition and business case for executing a partner-managed TransPromo program will be referred to throughout this report as Partner Management.
Author:  By George Wolbert for TSYS Output Services and Kevin Klein for Pitney Bowes
Link: Download

Title: Recognizing First Party Fraud - Why It's More Expensive Than You May Think.
Abstract: The objective of this paper is to shed light on the hidden costs of FPF and help executives recognize the importance of distinguishing FPF from credit losses. Additionally, it will explore the operational advantages of an enterprise-wide approach to identifying FPF earlier in the customer lifecycle, thereby generating substantial savings for an organization.
Author: Dale Daley and Rod Powers, TSYS Value Added Services
Link: Download

Title: Risky Business: Best Practices for Managing Cardholder Dispute and Chargeback Processes in Challenging Times
Abstract: "In the end, nobody that's ever taken good care of the customer has ever lost; I mean that is the name of the game." Those words from renowned businessman, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffet should be instructive to financial institutions struggling to regain and maintain profitability amid a continuing economic storm.
Author: Tom Cain, TSYS Managed Services
Link: Download

Title: On-Demand Payment Cards and Personalization
Abstract: The current economic contraction, increased consumer choice enabled by digital technology, and consumers’ more discerning consumption patterns set the platform for the personalization trend and its adoption across industries, including financial services. Innovation is all the more imperative as credit card issuers face negative annualized returns for the first time in over 30 years. This report outlines the benefits to financial institutions (FIs) of implementing end-to-end,on-demand and personalized payment card strategies to meet niche markets and mitigate operational risks, such as excess inventory. The benefits aren’t limited to large FIs alone, but also extend to small- and mid-sized issuers with existing payment card program portfolios and to those either entering the market for the first time or re-entering it.
Author: George Wolbert, TSYS
Link: Download

Title: Leveraging Collections as a Customer Retention Tool
Abstract: A new strategy is imperative as financial institutions face $44.4 billion in charge-offs. Financial institutions’ (FIs) charge-off rates continue on an upward trajectory, fueled by delinquency rates that are at a historic high and exacerbated by unprecedented unemployment levels. At the same time, legislation mandating credit card reform is threatening to squeeze FIs’ profitability, transforming collections into an instrumental customer retention tool that is capable of augmenting contributions to an institution’s financial health. This report explores the importance of adopting a modern collections strategy, one that is relevant to the current economic landscape and contributes to customer retention.
Author: Julie Austin and Vytas Kisielius
Link: Download

Title: Recent Developments Spark Renewed Interest in Tax Exempt Benefit Trusts
Abstract:  Recent changes in financial accounting reporting obligations have caused many employers, both public and private, to re-examine the overall economics of pre-funding retiree medical benefits. These changes, mandated by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Statement No. 106 for the private sector and Government Accounting Standards Board (“GASB”) Statement No. 45 for the public sector, require employers to report the unfunded cost of future retiree medical obligations on their balance sheets. In an effort to counter this potential adverse balance sheet impact, many employers, both public and private, are re-examining their health plan design – often considering a tax-favored trust for benefit funding.
Author: By John Hickman for Alston & Bird and Mark O’Leary for TSYS Healthcare
Link: Download

Title: Taking Payments to a Higher Level With More Customer Touch Points
Abstract:  Now that electronic payments have gone beyond the province of the Internet savvy, many financial institutions have begun to expand their electronic payment offerings to include channels such as the call center and interactive voice response units. By offering more touch points through which customers can automate payments, financial institutions can improve customer satisfaction, gain operating efficiencies and boost their cash flow by clearing payments on the day they are received. What’s holding many financial institutions back from pursuing more electronic touch points is an aging support infrastructure with limited functionality. As a result, it can be costly and time consuming for them to expand the remittance capabilities of these applications, as they are not always compatible with newer software.
Author: Source Media & TSYS
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Title: TechBrief: A View from the Crow's Nest
Abstract: The issue of fraud, and in particular data compromise, is very topical at the moment. Recent events in Spain involving a major card processor that connects most of the county's automatic teller machine and point of sale networks has acted as yet another wake-up call to everyone in the card issuing, acquiring and processing sector. The fact that an apparently secure network was compromised was considered serious enough for both Visa and MasterCard to release bulletins advising that card issuers should take appropriate action to protect their cardholders' data.
Author: Jonathan Hancock, TSYS, Banking Technology article
Link: Download