|
April 19, 2010 - April 23, 2010
General News
* CO-OP Financial Services Partners with TEKchand
* eEminder Enhances Real Time eAlerts for Reg E Compliance
* Xtend Debuts Negative Situation Monitoring Service
* Alliant Selects Econiq to Enhance Sales and Service Effectivenessds New VP
* CU*Answers CUSO Celebrates 40 Years
CO-OP Financial Services, a leader in access and convenience products for credit unions, is partnering with TEKchand to enhance its suite of managed ATM services to allow credit union clients to remotely control and manipulate marketing messages, and access and research transaction reports. This partnership with TEKchand includes services that allow credit unions to remotely create and manage ATM marketing messages. In addition, this software upgrade will provide credit unions access to electronic journal files and the ability to query on-demand ATM transactions.
eEminder announced a new enhancement to its Real Time eAlert product suite which helps educate credit union members about overdraft protection in the face of new Reg E compliance requirements. An SMS text message is sent to the member in real time when they have been denied an ATM or debit card transaction, informing the member of the new opt-in requirements and also offering its patent-pending “No Wait Customer Support” by which the member sends a reply text message to the eAlert and a representative from the credit union calls the member to go over Reg E and allow the member to opt in within minutes.
Xtend, a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based multi-owned cooperative CUSO, recently announced that it has developed a new service to help credit union CEOs and managers stay on top of daily negative balance and delinquency activity. The new offering – called Negative Situation Monitoring (NSM) – is essentially a dashboard compiled by the Xtend Audit Link on a daily basis and delivered to the CEO's desktop.
Alliant, the United States’ 7th largest credit union with a member base of 250,000 and $7 billion in assets, has selected Econiq’s frontline sales effectiveness solution. The solution will be used by frontline employees and managerial staff across Alliant’s entire network of branch outlets and contact centers across the country.
Hardware News
Hewlett-Packard is looking to do away with CDs and drivers when installing a printer. The company’s HP LaserJet Pro line features “printing in as little as two minutes” by connecting a USB cable to any computer. The printers that feature 'Smart Install' include the HP LaserJet Pro P1100 series, the HP LaserJet Pro M1130/M1210 multifunction printer and the HP LaserJet Pro P1566/P1606dn. These printers, which turn themselves off when not in use, range from $129 to $229 and are aimed at small and mid-sized businesses.
Meanwhile, just as USB 3.0 is making a dent in the marketplace, Intel is talking about a new cable that may signal the end of USB altogether. The Light Peak cable features blazing 10Gbps throughput, along with the ability to run multiple protocols at the same time. Intel says the Light Peak has a chance to scale up to 100Gbps over the next decade. It plans to have the technology ready for manufacturers to start implementing by the end of the year, with the first devices sporting Light Peak capability becoming available sometime in 2011.
|
Hardware Section Sponsored by
Millennial Vision, Inc. (MVi)
|
Back to Top
Software Updates
Diskeeper Server offers defragmentation tools for Windows Server 2003, 2008, and 2008 R2. Most defragmentation products are designed with the typical desktop usage computer in mind, not the server environment. The software, which runs $395, features centralized management and monitoring, as well as the ability to defragment multiple disks at a time and defrag critical system files during boot that would ordinarily be skipped. If your servers use solid state disks, you can add the HyperFast technology for a $50 up charge, which makes Diskeeper work better with SSDs and reduces read/write cycles.
The DMsuite data masking software from Axis Technology is designed to protect sensitive information, and is especially useful for testing purposes. DMsuite removes confidential data and replaces it with usable, fictitious data. It protects Oracle, SQL Server, Sybase, and DB2 environments, as well as file formats including VSAM, delimited, XML, XLS and flat files.
FICO, a leading provider of analytics and decision management technology, announced a slate of new products that enable credit unions to better predict and manage member risk, increase collections and prevent fraud. We will cover them in the May issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe now.
|
Software Updates Sponsored by
Raddon Financial Group (RFG)
|
Back to Top
ATMs/Kiosks
Fujitsu announced the release of the G610 and G611 large-capacity multicassette currency recyclers/acceptors. The new units are capable of handing up to 8,000 notes (G610) or 16,000 notes (G611), and are targeted at credit unions looking to reduce labor costs and human error by automating the currency distribution process. The machines offer a flexible front or rear service configuration that can be built into through-the-wall applications, and can be configured with one to four cassettes.
Switch Commerce has rolled out an ATM portfolio management iPhone app. Their comprehensive ATM portfolio management app allows ATM deployers to gain real-time access to transaction details, terminal alerts and reporting, along with the ability to create terminal IDs, upload terminal pictures and adjust surcharge fees. The app permits ATM admins to view balances, determine if a terminal is offline and why, and quickly review transaction history.
Back to Top
CU Success Stories
Here is a chance to learn about real life credit union success stories from various technology vendors through the words of their clients. This week's vendor is:
Adapt Telephony Services
and their client is:
NIH Federal Credit Union
Credit Unions - if you have a vendor that you are happy with then please let us know!
Vendors - if you have a credit union that is happy with your solutions then please let us know and we will give you a $100 discount on your Case Study!
Back to Top
Wireless World
During the recent Mardi Gras in New Orleans many local ATMs that functioned on wireless networks were often inoperable. With large crowds concentrated in small areas, cellular services became congested, especially as users uploaded files and pictures to Twitter and Facebook via their smart phones. The problem is that some wireless companies allow voice calls to override data traffic, and Internet surfing, texting, and ATM usage all fall under the umbrella of data. As a result, wireless ATMs have trouble functioning when systems get overloaded, even when wireless companies share cell tower capacity. One solution that is in place in some parts of the world is to assign specific amounts of data channels for large events, which ensures that some channels always remain open for data.
A Canadian company is targeting credit unions with their P2P (person to person) money transfer service that allows members to use a phone number, email address or social media ID to send money. We will tell you how it works in the May issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe today.
Back to Top
Security Section
Innovative Routines International (IRI) has released what they are calling the world's first cross-platform, data-centric protection utility for files. FieldShield protects personally identifying information in flat files down to the field level, according to business rules.
FieldShield's protections include:
• AES-256 and custom encryption (decryption)
• Masking via anonymization or pseudonymization
• De- and re-identification
• Filtering and redaction
Users can assign any function to any column, while the non-sensitive fields stay visible and useable. FieldShield runs on Windows, Linux and Unix platforms.
Imperva and Cyveillance announced a partnership to help shield organizations against growing phishing attacks. Under the agreement, Imperva integrated the Cyveillance Anti-Phishing Data Feed as part of its ThreatRadar service to further enhance its SecureSphere Web Application Firewall. Utilizing the Cyveillance Anti-Phishing Feed as an additional layer of security for its ThreatRadar service, Imperva says that they are able to apply detailed policies to detect access to specific site content and deliver visual warnings as well as generate SecureSphere alerts. Credit unions accounted for 12% of the phishing attacks on American financial institutions in February, according to RSA.
Most IT professional are averse to running two different anti-virus products on the same Windows machine because they feel that the programs will inevitably compete for resources and slow down or even crash the host PC. But a new anti-virus company called Immunet Protect wants to change all of this with their solution. In action, the company’s free product works largely by sharing data about malware detections from other anti-virus products already resident on the PCs of the Immunet user community. For example, each time someone’s PC in the Immunet user base encounters malware, that threat is logged and flagged on a centralized server so that all Immunet users can be protected from that newly identified software. Immunet says that their program is not resource intensive because it does most of its scanning and operations “in-the-cloud,” not on the user’s system.
|
Security Section Sponsored by
William Rogers & Associates
|
CU InfoSecurity Conference
The CU InfoSecurity Conference is the original and premier conference dedicated solely to credit union security. Here are just some of the topics that will be covered in this two and one half day security summit:
Social Networking
Phishing & Malware
Vendor Management
Virtualization Security
Security Best Practices
Controlling Admin Rights
Protecting Online Banking
Website Risk Management
Member Security Education
Controlling Employee Access
All paid attendees receive 2 complimentary room nights at a 5 star resort as part of the low conference price - the only conference in the credit union movement that makes this generous offer!
Plus multiple attendees from the same credit union attend at no charge!
More Info & Register Now ~ 800.808.2188
Back to Top
Leaders Roundtable
Security:
Managing Risk and Security Efficiently and Affordably
Back to Top
Technology and Marketing
Multilingual robotic guides, interactive video walls and augmented reality tools are all part of Santander Bank's incredibly high-tech Visitor Center in Boadilla del Monte, Spain. Visitors to the huge complex are greeted by a family of 'robotic butlers', or Santander Interactive Guest Assistants (Siga). Visitors simply press touch screen consoles to select a language and destination and their mobile tour guides escort them to their chosen destination. Full 3 minute video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzDIJ6TTc6w&feature=player_embedded
|
Technology & Marketing Section Sponsored by
MARQUIS Software Solutions
|
Contact John Kassing @ johnk@gomarquis.com to learn more.
Back to Top
Online Banking/E-Commerce/Website Design
MasterCard announced the launch of MasterCard Labs which is a new global research and development arm aimed at bringing new payment solutions to market with greater speed than before. The card giant is also beginning a three-year alliance with e-commerce data analysis company Next Jump aimed at driving online charge volume on MasterCard credit, debit, and prepaid cards by predicting what consumers would like to buy. Part of the pact includes the launch of the MasterCard MarketPlace, an online shopping mall that offers MasterCard cardholders a host of discounts and other perks from thousands of merchants.
Coinland is an immersive virtual online game for primary school children to help them learn about money management. It was recently launched by Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Children create a personalized avatar and then develop their money management skills through a series of challenges and games, visiting eight different zones with the aim for each player to earn and save coins. The site also offers social media tools, so that children can connect with friends by adding other players to their buddy list via safe chat using pre-defined messages.
|
Online Banking Section Sponsored by
Code Green
|
Credit Union tech-talk readers receive a 10% discount!
Sign up today: http://www.codegreen.org/cuwebhunt
Back to Top
Internet Access
Qwest Communications has introduced a hosted unified communications service designed to help organizations integrate legacy phone networks with IP-based data networks. Qwest iQ Hosted Unified Communication Service (iQ HUCS) is a platform that delivers voice, e-mail and video services to landline phones, mobile devices and computers. Qwest's HUCS includes a Web-based portal over a secure connection to an organization's network, giving authorized IT staff the flexibility to add and remove users, along with the ability to modify user feature sets and set parameters for which sites can perform specific tasks. If preferred, Qwest can also administer and configure HUCS on behalf of the organizations.
Riverbed and Vyatta are partnering to roll out an all-in-one router and WAN appliance. With their solution, you can now run a router, firewall and VPN on your Riverbed Steelhead and remove your current router. The companies say that this solution is a less expensive option than upgrading aging routers.
Microsoft is busy adding to their unified messaging strategy. We will bring you up to speed on their plans in the May issue of Credit Union tech-talk - subscribe now.
Back to Top
Call Centers
Many call centers base their routing methods on a skills-based system that takes into consideration the agent's knowledge, product focus and availability, Now IBM and insurance management solutions provider Assurant Solutions are improving on this methodology with a new system called the Real-Time Analytics Matching Platform (RAMP). RAMP relies on techniques invented by Assurant to combine data about individual callers with each contact center agent's specific skills, expertise and past performance. IBM consultants then designed a "matching-engine" to utilize this combination of caller insight, agent profiles and real-time analytics. The result is an "individual-level" decisioning and assignment of calls.
|
Call Centers Sponsored by
Telecom Recovery
|
Inbound Telecom Disaster Recovery
Nothing is more important than serving your members. Telecom Recovery, which protects the communications for dozens of credit unions across the US, has a very powerful - and low cost - technology that protects your inbound calls during any kind of outage including:
• equipment failure
• carrier failure
• network congestion
• line-cuts
• disaster
• pandemic (employees forced to work remotely)
• complete evacuation
• and more…
During any of these events your members' calls would still ring to the right people - with just a few clicks on the mouse to re-route all incoming calls and faxes.
All we need is 5 minutes of your valuable time to discuss whether there’s enough of a fit to arrange a brief Web demonstration at a later date.
Sign up now for a 5 minute consultation.
Back to Top
Conferences
Catch Tom and Bill Rogers, Associate Editor of Credit Union tech-talk at the following conferences in 2009:
May 19-21, Las Vegas - Credit Union InfoSecurity Conference
October 3-6, San Antonio - Firefighters National Credit Union Summit
November 4-6, Phoenix - Credit Union InfoTECH
Back to Top
|
