This first transaction brings Canada closer to being in line with Asian and European countries with chip and pin protection for debit and credit transactions.  [hat tip to Payments news] Interac Association – Media > Press Releases Toronto, Ontario, September 12, 2007– As part of its commitment to providing the safest and most secure payment network, Interac Association today announced the completion of Canada’s first INTERAC debit card transaction at the point-of-sale terminal using chip technology. The transaction was processed today by TD Merchant Services using a BMO Bank of Montreal chip debit card at Mercato Giovanni’s Fresh Food located … Continue reading Chip transaction protection comes a step closer in Canada

Interesting subtext to the sub prime crisis, as credit card companies, target those same sub prime mortgage borrowers. Credit card companies pursue subprime borrowers – International Herald Tribune For credit card companies, the subprime market is a profitable one, analysts and consumer advocates say. Subprime customers, charged higher rates than those with better credit, are more likely to make minimum payments, maintaining balances that generate interest revenue for card issuers, consumer advocates said. Continue reading Credit card companies pursue subprime borrowers

Interesting and thought provoking post here on the value of Net Promoter Score (NPS).  This is one of those topics that generates much debate.  The general theme in that debate, lies in the value of a relatively simple metric, and the extent that will drive appropriate behaviours, that will translate into improved customer loyalty, and revenue.  Detractors might suggest that a simple metric cannot provide detailed actionable ideas. Laura Brooks, VP Research & Consulting, Satmetrix: Building Value One Customer at a Time 1) Net Promoter is simple but not simplistic. 2) Net Promoter tracks to growth. 3) Net Promoter is … Continue reading More on Net Promoter Score

 Congrats Paul and Finextra on going live with embedding community into their site, with their professional network.  It has been in beta for 6 months, and just went live. I have been posting over there periodically, and posted this today.  In general, I think it will tend to be future oriented things I do on Finextra, but still working that out. ‘Build your own Bank’ to become customer centric? They are financial and social; two characteristics that were never expected to be operating together, but that genie has now left the bottle. Both Wesabe, and Prosper have shown there is … Continue reading ‘Build your own Bank’ to become customer centric? | Finextra

I find this article at the Economist unusually non-objective, and based on hearsay.  Nonetheless, it represents how a growing number are feeling.  Google | Inside the Googleplex | Economist.com Not everybody is impressed. The server logs will still exist for 18 months. And the cookies of “active” users will be automatically renewed upon expiry. This includes everybody who searches on Google, which in effect means most internet users. Then there is the matter of all that other information, such as e-mail and documents, that users might keep in Google’s “cloud”. The concern about Google is overstated.  Who worried about the … Continue reading Do you really fear Google?

Web 2.0 shows up in odd ways, but a common theme is people being able to voice their opinions in a way that is meaningful for companies, and the smart ones listen. What I find odd, although a sign of the times, is the phrase ‘web interest’ in this quote.  I think they mean ‘people interest’.  Hat tip JP. Consumers have voice on Web 2.0 – International Herald Tribune “We have noticed the Web interest for some time, and the consumer passion has undeniably swayed our opinion to relaunch Wispa,” Cadbury said. “This is the first time that the power … Continue reading Today chocolate, tomorrow ….. ?

Good discussion starting here on the framework for web strategy, and over here at Jonathans site.  A set of related posts going on here from JP at Confused. Web Strategy: The Three Spheres of Web Strategy (and the skills required) The Web Strategist must understand (by using a variety of techniques and tactics) what users want. This is commonly known as User Experience Research which will create and craft a ‘mental model’. In addition, the strategist will need to be in tune with the community in which their website is part of, this is greater than just users, as it … Continue reading Web Strategy and the web lifestyle