ICBA Payments Solutions

Usage

ICBA Payments' Automated Card Expert (ACE) gives you the tools you need to run comprehensive financial analyses of your community bank’s credit card portfolio.

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How to Get Started

Stimulate usage by rewarding your cardholders every time they use your card. 

Benefits: 

  • Improve cardholder loyalty 

  • Grow market share 

  • Flexibility. Select the earnings ratio that is right for your bank and choose the reward that is best suited for your customer base. 

Best Practices: 

  • Place posters and tent cards in high traffic areas of the lobby and on teller counters. 

  • Create in-branch signs and staff buttons to prompt customers to ask questions. 

  • Hold promotions. 

  • Encourage additional transactions by doubling or tripling the points awarded for transactions occurring within a specific time period.

Encourage cardholders to use their bank credit card in more ways and at more places. 

Recurring payments using credit and debit cards for regular bill payments is a key strategy.  Top categories with bill payment activity include: 

  • Utilities
  • Telecommunications, Computer Network, Cable 
  • Insurance 
  • Memberships (health clubs, sports clubs, country clubs, etc.) 
  • Child Care Services 
  • Subscriptions (streaming services, ridesharing services, meal-kit and grocery delivery services, satellite radio services, etc.) 
  • College tuition 
  • Doctors, dentists, laboratories 
  • Pharmacies 

Research proves that once cardholders set up automatic bill payments with you, they are there to stay. The key is to include bill payment with cards as a part of your electronic payments strategy alongside online banking, to give cardholders more choices with how they pay their bills. 

Best Practices: 

  • Encouraging usage in alternate categories involves a combination of cardholder education and motivation for trial usage. 

  • Educate cardholders about the benefits of paying bills with your bank's credit card: 

    • Makes it easy to keep track of payments, keeps cardholders in control and is completely safe 

    • Saves time, hassles, and postage costs when paying bills 

    • Ensures that bills are paid on time, even when you are away on business or vacation 

    • Provides the ability to earn rewards points more quickly

Stretch your marketing budget by leveraging Visa and MasterCard's national campaigns to increase card usage. 

Best Practices: 

  • Participate in national credit card promotions by taking advantage of marketing materials offered by Visa and MasterCard. These typically include newsletters, statement inserts, and web materials (copy, banners, and buttons). 

  • Watch for free statement insert offers from ICBA Payments. Check with your processor about insertion fees. 

  • Investigate potential cost savings from utilizing your in-house marketing department to create promotional materials supporting national campaigns. Make sure these materials adhere to Visa and MasterCard design standards and are approved prior to printing.