UK's Top Card Processing Software Gains Loyalty Functionality

- Smart-Switch Enhanced by Logic Group Teamwork

Retail Solutions, Birmingham, UK, 9th June 2004: A collaboration with Loyalty Logic has added sophisticated loyalty card handling to Retail Logic's industry leading Smart-Switch software. A new interface between Loyalty Logic's established TSALT loyalty application and Smart-Switch will enable retailers to run an integrated solution in store which offers reward programme functionality and comprehensive spending pattern analysis and thus offer significant competitive advantage.

On each till, the TSALT module integrates with Smart-Switch, which in turn uses Retail Logic's core Solve/SE software to communicate with both the acquiring bank and the retailer's loyalty database running Loyalty Logic's SLAM loyalty and CRM database. Both smart and magnetic stripe cards can be accepted, as while Chip & PIN cards are becoming commonplace for debit and credit cards, the majority of store loyalty cards will continue to use mag stripe technology until multi-application smart cards are issued.

"This collaboration will benefit both new and existing Smart-Switch users - already 100,000 UK points of sale are committed to using it for Chip & PIN," says Retail Logic Marketing Director Mark McMurtrie. "This is a clear illustration of how companies within the Logic Group are working together to add both value and new functionality to their products and services."

The integration of the two products is readily configurable and flexible, allowing sophisticated personalised promotions to be implemented. Loyalty cards can be accepted by Smart-Switch and passed to TSALT for promotional points calculation either in real-time or batch modes. Updated promotional parameters can be downloaded to stores to implement new loyalty initiatives at the PoS. The resulting data integrates seamlessly with the SLAM database host, located centrally at a retailer's HQ or run as a managed service.

"It was a logical move to combine our popular loyalty software with the industry-leader in card processing," adds Nick Rudd, Business Development Manager, Loyalty Logic. "Now for the first time, our users will have access to more detailed information on customer spending patterns in a more timely way. The tight integration of TSALT and Smart-Switch on the till will also significantly reduce transaction times and thus cut queues."

Visit Retail Logic and Loyalty Logic on Stand E4 at Retail Solutions.

About Retail Logic:
The Retail Logic team has been providing payment processing software for more than 15 years. Covering any form of payment card and transaction environment, Retail Logic's software handles more than £100 billion a year in the UK alone. Investment in people and research and development, together with a clear focus on the needs of retailers, have led to award-winning products and UK market leadership. The partner programme forms a vital route to market for Retail Logic. In the last 12 months, partner revenues have soared by over 40 per cent and more than 30 organisations have played a key role in helping move UK retailers to Chip & PIN. With the increasing focus on the mid tier, their expertise is indispensable.

About Loyalty Logic:
Loyalty Logic is a leading supplier of solutions for customer relationship programmes. It combines technical excellence with business knowledge to provide leading edge database marketing applications. It provides on-going facilities management on a fully hosted basis, including database management, campaign management, data mining, polling, data capture and consumer help lines. Purpose-build proven software is developed in-house using the latest tools and techniques and made available under licence with full support facilities.

About The Logic Group:
A leading IT solutions provider, The Logic Group currently comprises three operating companies: Retail Logic, Loyalty Logic and communications consultancy Commslogic. The three companies work closely together to provide leading edge IT products and services to a wide range of blue chip customers. The group is headquartered in Hampshire, UK.