any update information about EasyCard system version II?

[super80]

any update information about EasyCard system version II? does it really like CCI system??

[Fred50]

I have the CCI System and I can say, without a doubt, that the new Easycard System is not even close. Yes, Easycard now has a touch screen, but it is very clunky.

I spoke to Easycard for a long time at the Clean Show and used the system there for a while. I am happier than ever that I chose CCI.

Easycard has an interface that looks like an afterthought. Customers are guaranteed to be confused by the different buttons that have to be pressed on the two separate boxes.

Easycard was not selling the screen too hard. It is an add-on box that can be placed on top of the existing system. Easycard's main sales pitch was that CCI was over-engineered-NOT!

Note that I never mentioned to Easycard's salesman that I had a CCI System and I refrained from bashing his system, I just asked a lot of questions.

Easycard also mentioned that no one ever made money selling debit card systems and the small guys will be out of business shortly. I wonder who is referring to and why then are they in the business?

CCI is a relatively small co. compared to Dexter-backed Easycard and ESD-backed E-Danyl, but they are incredibly responsive. You can get the president of the co. on the phone and they actually add requested improvements from their users in new versions. Try that with one of the big guys.

CCI is agile and it was built from the ground up as a very user-friendly touch screen based system. It uses all quality brand name components (Dell, Mars, etc.) that can easily be replaced.

The other card systems out there are based upon older technology (good and bad) and they were designed without touch screens in mind. This fact alone makes it very difficult for them to ever be as user-friendly as CCI.

Note that ESD's new touch screen is also separate from their VTM and it seems that it's main purpose is for marketing, not card dispensing, money acceptance or card balance checking.

Any questions about CCI, just let me know.

[Duane]

Mark,

Did EasyCard mention if they work on MDB machines?


Did CCI state that they do work on MDB machines?


Just curious......


Duane.

[Anonymous]

I was told by someone that was at the show that EasyCard now works on MDB vending machines.

[Fred50]

I don't know if Easycard works with MDB machines, but I know that CCI does albeit with single pricing. CCI was not marketing it actively either, then again I knew the answer already.

[Duane]

Mark,

How are your MDB machines working now?

Duane.

[Fred50]

They are working fine! The single pricing is not an issue.

[Anonymous]

There are many new changes to the Easy Card system,write me I'll tell you.By the way,last Clean Show,I ran my fingers across the touch screen of the CCI system diagonally with a quick swipe and crashed the system.CCI has some great features but like all card systems they have flaws...

[PeterH]

And MDB stands for...?

Mark, were you wearing your yellow CCI cardholder while talking to Dexter? ;)

I spent alot of time with all the card systems at Clean. I liked CCI, Easycard and Set-o-matic...

[Fred50]

Dexter Rob,

You have got to be kidding with the swipe of the screen comment. Now that is what I call a pot shot. Maybe it was a beta version at Clean '01. My system has been up for 6 months and has never crashed, nor have any of the other users that I have spoken to.

Please share the new features of the Easycard System with all of us. I never said that CCI was perfect, but in my opinion it is by far the best in the market place. I'm sure that your position as a distributor of Dexter products (parent of EasyCard) has nothing to do with your opinion/comments! I purchased my system and I am extremely happy with it. I have done my research and that is my opinion.

PeteH,

MDB stand for "multi-drop bus". Don't have a clue what it means in English, but it is the standard for vending machine interaction with card systems and the like. Duane can give you a better explanation.

No, I wasn't wearing my CCI badge holder at the time as I hadn't even been to their booth before I saw the EasyCard System.

[RAM]

mark is 100% correct
I was at show and checked all card system
easy card
debit key
esd
set-o-metic
standard
e-Daryl
greenwald
cci

CCI is the best card system out there for mag stripe
so card cost much less than smart card,cci card reader are much better than others
only negative about cci is they are about $10k more than other and no free card with new system
easy card offers 10K card with new system purchase

[Anonymous]

Whoa!!!Sorry,that wasn't meant to be a pot shot!personally I think the CCI system is superior to Easy Card in several ways.The touch screen I mentioned has terrific owner access features that I feel is easier to access than Easy Card key strokes.Both systems are mag stripe that I think makes more sense than the expensive chip types.The CCI system is more costly.The only judge of quality is your own first hand experience and no one can dispute your preference,I truely respect that.My stance is that they have made huge strides in becoming more owner and customer friendly.We've had great success with our systems rpoven thru time and our customers responses.I'll be happy to talk about the "new"Easy Card,maybe my own thread.By the way ,the touch screen is an add on (after thought...shame on me..)

[Fred50]

No Rob, I'm sorry! :-)

I must have read something into your response that wasn't there. There is no question that EasyCard has a longer term proven track record and it is backed by a large company. The new system appears to me to have taken great strides as well, but I still feel the same.

I would like to know what all the new features are as I did not get to spend a lot of time with EasyCard at the show.

As you said before, "nothing is perfect".

[Duane]

A few posts ago a question was asked as what MDB stood for....

Multi-Drop Bus. Basically it just means in simple terms that the machine can accept a wide range of coins and bills.

The standard has grown into a whole machine language and set of standards that is being recgonized as the number one standard. If you have a MDB compliant vending unit then you can plug any MDB coin or bill acceptor into it and it will work just fine. MDB is still growing and will support laptop and printer ports for downloading and printing along with key phobs (sp?) , etc....

That is a high level overview. (about 35,000 feet)

[ChuckB]

I also went to the Clean '03 show and must say I got more satisfaction out of playing golf than out of the "card" systems.

It is apparent that they are all running as hard as they can in some direction, and some of the tech reps weren't very good at telling you where that was. My favorite question is to ask a "smart card" vendor "why I should want a "smart card" system over a mag strip card system?

We are in the customer satisfaction business, not in the let's make it easy for the owner business. Now this is not to say that making the owner happy doesn't sell but making the customer happy works better for me.

In that regard I saw little to get excited about.

CCI has added a "wash winner" screen and campaign for so many swipes of the card, not bad but limited.

I'm looking for a system that allows the owner to interact with the customer more. Allows the owner to add their own bells and whistles.

Examples:
1. Ability to reward customers for the number of times they have been in. (Not necessarily on the number of machines they used. ) Would use it for an automatic raffle entry for example.

2. Free wash lotto/slot machine. Random free washes on machines. For example every 9th wash on a Maxi the person is rewarded with a free wash. Slot machine type. Instant gratification to the customer. Even the ability to energize a light bar over the machine when it happens.

3. Interaction with customers relative to clothes left behind during a previous visit. I have several ideas for this.

In short get the customer excited about using the card and its benefits, make it fun for them.

On another note, I liked the self-register screen at ESD/edaryl, yet I understand the potential of a tie up on busy days.

I also liked the visual interface of the ESD/edaryl system over others.

[Duane]

ChuckB,


Example #2 from your post.......

2. Free wash lotto/slot machine. Random free washes on machines. For example every 9th wash on a Maxi the person is rewarded with a free wash. Slot machine type. Instant gratification to the customer. Even the ability to energize a light bar over the machine when it happens.



Sounds like Vegas got under your skin a little.


;O)

Duane.

[Fred50]

Chuck B,

Regarding your post:

#1 With my CCI System, I can send customers coupons based on the amount that they have spent in total, per day, etc. The marketing potential is only limited by one's imagination. There is plenty of info available.

#3 This is an advantage of customer registration. We can call the last user of a machine if they leave anything behind - card, clothes, sunglasses, etc.

I would not want customers to hog card machines typing in their registration info. It already takes too long for some customers to figure out where to put the bill in and their are 3 signs and a video running on the screen and it's all in English and Spanish.

The CCI POS System allows the attendant to enter the registration info, but I'm not sure that's an advantage over the customer doing it.

[Fred50]

ChuckB,

I like the look of the ESD interface as well, however it has limited real functionality in my opinion and it acts separately from their VTM which is used to add value, check value and dispense cards.

The ESD interface seems to be more of a marketing terminal than anything (i.e., promotional info given)

[pete f]

Golf over card systems? 103 degrees?
Either you REALLY love Golf or well, there is no other reason.
I was pretty hot pool side with the fan/water misters going and I am from Florida..

Did you get a chance to look out the window of the plane comming in or leaving LAS? That place is a desert.. Golf? You will enjoy '05 in Florida. Gators for hazzards..