Service Enhancements Simplify Transactions for Customers and Allow
New Types of Retail Locations to Offer Western Union Services
DENVER, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Union Financial Services Inc., a
subsidiary of First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC) today announced the latest
enhancement to its money transfer service. Customers who use Western Union's
direct access platform now have the option to receive payout in the form of a
Western Union ATM Card. This card can be used to obtain cash throughout the
country at any of the hundreds of thousands of ATMs in the MAC and PLUS
networks.
The new ATM Card payout option is the latest in a series of innovative
service enhancements designed to improve the speed and ease of money transfer
transactions for both customers and agents. With ATM Card payout, Western
Union agents gain the ability to process and pay out money transfer
transactions without having to keep large amounts of cash on hand or deplete
current cash supplies. Western Union customers also benefit by gaining the
ability to access their funds when and where they need them.
"As a leader in the money transfer industry, Western Union is always
working on ways to improve the experience of both our customers and agents,"
said Mike Yerington, president, Western Union North America. "Our direct
access platform allows us to take a simple money transfer transaction and make
it even simpler. And, our new ATM card payout option furthers our commitment
to provide Western Union customers with easy access to their funds."
The Western Union ATM Card payout option is currently available in select
agent locations throughout the United States. By end of year, more than
1,500 Western Union agent locations are expected to offer Western Union's
direct access platform, Western Union(R) Direct Connect(SM). Many of these
locations will also offer the ATM Card payout option. The company expects to
aggressively expand the availability of these options in the near future.
Overview of Western Union Direct Connect
Western Union introduced its Direct Connect access in 1998. The
innovative service allowed the company to expand its agent base to new types
of retailers, including convenience stores, drug stores and truck stops.
While these retailers had long recognized the benefits of offering Western
Union services, they had often been limited by lack of a dedicated customer
service counter and the size of their staff. The new platform simplified the
money transfer process and effectively removed the barriers that may have
prevented these retailers from becoming Western Union agents. In addition, by
incorporating existing money order technology, including the patented
FDX-400(R) machine, the platform also enabled many Western Union(R) Money
Order(SM) agents to easily expand their service offerings to include the
company's money transfer services.
How the Service Works
The Direct Connect platform allows customers to send and receive money in
the simplest and fastest manner possible. Customers simply pick up the Direct
Connect phone at their local agent location and are immediately connected to a
Western Union customer service representative. Customer service is available
in more than 15 different languages, enabling the customer to conduct the
money transfer transaction in his native language. The operator gathers all
necessary information and provides the customer with a transaction number.
When sending funds, the customer takes the transaction number to the store
clerk who collects the funds to be transferred, plus a fee, and provides a
printed receipt. Receiving customers also present their transaction number to
the clerk who pays the amount receivable either in cash or by check, money
order -- and now by Western Union ATM card. The streamlined process greatly
reduces the amount of time required to complete each transaction, freeing
employees to focus on the agent's main business.
About Western Union Financial Services, Inc. and First Data
Western Union Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of First Data Corp.
(NYSE: FDC), is a worldwide leader in consumer money transfer services.
Consumers can quickly, safely and reliably transfer money at more than
117,000 Agent locations in more than 185 countries and territories. Famous
for its pioneering telegraph service, the original Western Union dates back to
1851 and introduced electronic money transfer service in 1871. Western Union
is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2001. For more information, please
visit the company's Web site at http://www.westernunion.com.
First Data Corp., with global headquarters in Denver, powers the global
economy. Serving approximately 2.6 million merchant locations, more than
1,400 card issuers and millions of consumers, First Data makes it easier,
faster and more secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services,
using virtually any form of payment: credit, debit, smart card, stored-value
card or check at the point-of-sale, over the Internet or by money transfer.
For more information, please visit the company's Web site at
http://www.firstdata.com.
SOURCE Western Union Financial Services, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.westernunion.com
CONTACT:
Wendy Carver-Herbert of Western Union
Financial Services, Inc., +1-303-967-6416,
wendy.carver@firstdatacorp.com
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