ANI Adopts New Prepaid Card Dispensing Technology from Better ATM Services

By: Finance News

Better ATM Services (www.betteratmservices.com), a company with patented technology that enables the dispensing of prepaid gift cards from ATMs, announced today that the premier single source provider of ATM related services, ANI Advanced Network, Inc. of San Diego, California, will enable its clients to dispense gift cards in time for the holidays. With Better ATM Services groundbreaking technology, ATMs can dispense Better ATM’s specified media cards using existing equipment with no add-on devices. This means that the new technology enables existing ATM machines to dispense prepaid cards to their customers through offered cash trays.

ANI CEO Bob Plunkett sees a host of benefits: “Better ATM Services’ technology provides an important new dimension in expanding the ATM delivery channel beyond traditional cash dispensing. A crucial benefit is the ability to add feature and functionality to the existing investment. Our clients are going to profit enormously from the opportunity it creates for additional income for the ATM owner, which is paramount in these times when financial institutions are looking for ways to grow profitability, expand existing client relations, and grow their client base.”

“It is a privilege to partner with such an esteemed organization to provide the technology that will continue to distinguish ANI as the leading provider of ATM services to credit unions, banks, ISO’s and other financial institutions. ANI’s vision places them at the vanguard of this pioneering development in ushering in an age of the marriage of two industries – the ATM and prepaid industries,” says Todd Nuttall, Better ATM Services’ CEO, a former executive at American Express.

Today, the only way to buy a prepaid gift card is in-store over-the-counter, online, or on a J-hook rack at merchant locations. Better ATM Services’ technology enables a more secure, efficient, and profitable way to distribute pre-paid gift cards. The technology also means one-stop shop convenience is just around the corner for the purchase of sporting and other event tickets, transit and amusement park passes, and a host of associated branded incentives and cross-marketing opportunities.

“For future holiday seasons,” says Plunkett, “gift giving throughout the year, and purchases of all kinds of prepaid media, the opportunity is huge. I see endless opportunity for expansion and consumer choice. The traditional holiday time is going to be enormous, but throughout the year, by having these cards more readily available and offering such convenience, the dispensing of prepaid cards will be of incredible importance to consumers.”

Gift cards make up the largest segment of prepaid cards and are a more convenient gift alternative to manage ongoing purchases without being limited to the amount of cash a consumer carries. The Tower Group estimates that approximately $80 billion was spent on such cards in 2006. Based on Mercator Advisory Group research; this included approximately 600 million in-store cards sold.

About Better ATM Services

Better ATM Services, a Mesa, Arizona-based company, supplies patented technology that enables an ATM to dispense prepaid gift cards like currency. Technology enabled ATMs dispense the prepaid cards via the ATM’s cash tray using the machine’s existing dispensing mechanisms. BATM Services licenses its technology to both ATM and prepaid card industry participants to provide a more secure, convenient, and profitable distribution option with additional revenue opportunities. Importantly, BATM Services’ pioneering technology assures continued operation within existing industry infrastructures and pricing models. Better ATM Services’ customers include ATM manufacturers, ATM driver processors, ATM merchant card processors, and independent sales organizations (ISO’s). For more information, please visit www.betteratm.com or contact info@betteratm.com.

About Better ANI

ANI provides a complete cradle to grave ATM opportunity for credit unions, banks, and ISOs. ANI has been a premier single source provider of ATM related services since 1994. ANI’s unique advantage is that it provides a total package of ATM related services including: ATM Hardware sales, 1st and 2nd Line service, Cash Delivery, Cash Management, Deposit pickups, Deposit Processing, Reconciliation, and Reg. "E" research. ANI offers cost effective ATM driving and transaction switching, including PINless HTML web generated transactions. ANI also sells traditional Banking vaults, drive-up systems, safety deposit boxes, DVR Surveillance Systems, complete ATM refurbishments and more