Value-Added Applications With value-added applications, the growth possibilities are endless for today’s point of sale. ECI is the first to deliver a true multi-application architecture that fosters value-added application delivery around the globe. We’ve teamed with leading product and service providers to offer the industry’s largest and fastest-growing selection of Class A certified value-added applications for the point of sale. Value-added applications help merchants attract new business, foster greater customer loyalty, reduce fraud and lower operational costs, among other benefits. Value-added applications help banks, processors, ISOs and vertical market service providers attract new merchants, improve merchant retention, and generate new revenue streams. Age Verification Age verification applications enable merchants to conduct automatic age verification right from their ECI point-of-sale terminal. It provides a helpful tool to enhance a merchant's overall program to prevent the sale of alcohol, tobacco and other age-restricted items to minors, or the access of minors into age-restricted establishments like movie theaters, nightclubs and bars. Bill Payment Bill Payment attracts new customers, increases foot traffic and strengthens customer loyalty by allowing customers to pay their bills right where they shop. In addition, ISOs and merchants both earn revenue for each payment a merchant accepts on behalf of a service provider. For these reasons, offering bill payment is an effective way for ISOs to improve merchant retention. Check Authorization and Conversion Check authorization and conversion applications provide merchants with solutions to reduce fraud and lower the costs associated with accepting checks. These applications improve customer service at the point of sale and more rapidly provide merchants access to funds. Employment Pre-screening Employment verification solutions search databases to electronically confirm the identity of a new hire to local hiring offices without Internet access. This enables merchants to quickly and easily screen potential and existing employees using a point of sale terminal as the data entry point. Gift Card and Loyalty Gift cards help merchants of all sizes increase sales, build brand awareness and efficiently manage their own electronic gift program. Most gift card recipients make multiple trips to the merchant location to use all of the value of their card, which results in increased loyalty. And since payment is collected upfront, cash flow is improved. Loyalty programs allow merchants to automatically keep track of point balances and transaction activity for many types of reward and incentive-based programs. Healthcare Insurance Eligibility Healthcare eligibility value-added applications can open doors for ISOs trying to penetrate businesses in the healthcare market. Dentist and doctor offices, hospitals and billing firms are just a few of the businesses that can use healthcare eligibility at the point of sale to quickly determine if a patient is eligible for a specific service. Money Transfer Money Transfer is a tremendous growth opportunity for merchants and ISOs looking to expand the services they can offer customers. Also known as Card Remittance, it is one of today’s fastest growing opportunities in the petroleum/c-store and general retail markets. Prepaid Services Prepaid solutions permit merchants to electronically issue personal identification numbers (PINs) at the point of sale that consumers can use to access prepaid cellular telephone, home telephone, Internet and other services. Obtaining PIN numbers electronically eliminates the need for merchants to carry and maintain a physical inventory of prepaid products. Return Authorization Services Return authorization services use a customer's driver license or state ID card and a merchant’s return policy to check prior return behavior and quickly authorize or decline the transaction. These systems allow a merchant to identify retail fraud and abuse at the point of return – before it becomes a liability to the store’s brand equity or profits. Time and Labor Management Time and labor management solutions enable merchants of all sizes to easily and rapidly manage employee time and payroll functions and optimize labor costs. They enable merchants to electronically collect, process, track, update and report labor information.