ACT launches Cloud Services at the Transport Card Forum

Transcription

1 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 customer newsletter November 2013 SMART TRANSACTIONS SOLUTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS ACT launches Cloud Services at the Transport Card Forum ACT exhibited its new Cloud Services at the recent Transport Card Form held in Bath. With over 150 delegates attending the event, it provided a good opportunity to show some of ACT s Cloud Services in action. Over the two-day event ACT demonstrated Cloud Ticketing, the first of its Cloud Services, delivering online ITSO ticket purchase and fulfilment services via a mobile app. carried out live demonstrations of its merchant terminal taking retail transactions for an ITSO product and fulfilling purchases through the Cloud Ticketing service. The demonstrations attracted a lot of positive feedback and ACT is conducting further, more in-depth, demonstrations to its clients. IN THIS ISSUE Cloud Ticketing extends retail options Joined up smart ticketing in South West More choice for the key users on Southern Commercial ticketing on entitlement card 1300 raised for BHF on ACT bike ride Also during the event, ACT s first Cloud Partner, PayPoint, Read more about Cloud Services on pages 2 and 3. Bigger ACT offices in Manchester

2 2 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 The rapid growth of smart travel schemes has seen an upsurge in the adoption of smart cards across the UK. This growth in the use of smart cards has led to a demand for more convenient and accessible ways for passengers to buy their transport tickets. Cloud Ticketing, one of ACT s new Cloud Services, will make this a reality. Providing simple and convenient ways for passengers to load tickets and top-ups onto their smart cards makes it easy for them to manage their travel arrangements whenever and however they want. Cloud Ticketing uses ITSO Pt 11 technology to enable loading of tickets at home, in store, or on the move using mobile devices. Cloud Ticketing: A simpler way to buy transport tickets This, in turn, allows transport operators to benefit from more passengers prepaying and arriving ready to board with their ticket, which speeds up boarding times, and reduces retailing and ticket administration costs. ACT has invested heavily in its infrastructure to ensure its Cloud Services are secure, resilient and scalable to meet the demand for passengers purchasing tickets through the new services. Starting with PayPoint, a number of retail partners are now set to provide

3 November 2013 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER 3 an extensive, national retail network to transform the way tickets are purchased using ACT s Cloud Ticketing service. PayPoint is the UK s leading payments provider and processes a range of payments, worth over 14 billion, from almost 740 million transactions a year. It has been retailing transport paper and smart ticketing for over 10 years. With a network of over 25,000 retail outlets, it provides a convenient way for passengers to buy their transport tickets. Seamus Smith, Managing Director of PayPoint UK & Ireland, commented, We already have a strong track record in transport ticketing, having worked with many national and regional operators for over a decade. Our partnership with ACT brings our market-leading services together in an integrated transport solution. We are now uniquely positioned to provide the travelling public with the simplest and most convenient method to load up their smart travel cards. Our ITSO ready, contactlessenabled terminals are deployed in over 25,000 locations, and our network is still growing. By joining the ACT Cloud, our partnership will provide transport operators with the opportunity to be at the forefront of the mass deployment of smart ticketing across the UK. ACT s demo Cloud Ticketing mobile app The new Cloud Ticketing service from ACT gives UK retailers the capability to sell multi-operator, ITSO-compatible tickets, without needing to invest in new hardware. It provides the platform to manage all the communications, transaction processing and payment in the cloud so retailers can tap into the cloud without needing to buy any new hardware. Phone images by Danish Prakash Cloud Services FAQs Q. What is Cloud Services? A. Cloud Services is a way of extending the benefits of ACT s expertise through working with channel partners (Cloud Partners). It refers to externalised services we provide to Cloud Partners to allow them to integrate with ACT. Q. Why is ACT doing this? A. Working with Cloud Partners allows ACT to focus on its core services while extending its offering to customers. This gives ACT the ability to offer its customers additional services which sit outside of ACT s specialties. More information If you missed out on the presentations at the TCF, or would like to know more about Cloud Services, please contact your Account Manager to arrange a follow up meeting and demonstration.

4 4 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 Joining up public transport in South West England Public transport in South West England is being transformed through a partnership between local authorities and bus operators implementing smart ticketing across the region. The smart ticketing initiative is joining up public transport services throughout South West England. From the smallest transport operator to the largest, bringing services together under a local smart card scheme is simplifying travel for visitors and local residents alike. Eventually, over 3,400 buses in South West England will accept smart cards for travel on their services. The partnership operates through a member organisation called SWSAL (South West Smart Applications Limited). SWSAL provide the framework to deliver and manage smart transport ticketing in the region, and ACT has created a shared technology platform to underpin the schemes implemented by SWSAL members. Flexibility and choice for passengers While members are free to implement smart ticketing schemes that best serve local needs, SWSAL makes it easy and cost effective for members to set up new schemes. In particular, it encourages the introduction of multi-operator smart cards, so that passengers can use the service that most suits them, using a single smart card. Smart ticketing schemes are now being rolled out across the region, enabling most public transport journeys to be undertaken using smart cards, delivered by ACT ticketing technology. Through joinedup services, faster boarding times, and convenient ticket purchasing, passengers are already benefiting from the type of integrated transport system previously restricted to major cities. Shared infrastructure and expertise Andrew Seedhouse, Chairman, SWSAL added, By sharing the technology infrastructure, SWSAL members have benefitted from lower costs and proven knowledge. This expertise and shared infrastructure has delivered ITSO transport tickets, emoney and support services across the regional bus and rail transport network. The flexibility to implement smart ticketing to suit local requirements has seen the launch of student combined travel and cashless payment schemes, integrated park and ride projects and collaboration on shared routes by local transport operators. ACT s cloud-based ticketing and payment services help authorities and operators achieve economies of scale without losing the flexibility needed for local, tailored

5 November 2013 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER 5 Photo from Go Ahead passenger ticketing and payment services. Putting park and ride on the transport landscape Increasing the use of park and ride is high on the agenda for many cities and a convenient ticketing process is a key driver to increase their use, reducing congestion and carbon emissions. As part of the system roll out, Bath, Bristol, Norwich and Salisbury are all implementing smart ticketing for park and ride schemes to make park and ride as convenient as possible. Student services Students will also benefit from the project. Smart cards are being launched for services to and from college or university, buying lunch on campus and offering personalised discounts from local retailers and restaurants. In Torbay, collaboration between same route transport operators has meant an end to waiting for a particular operator s service; students are now able to hop on the first suitable bus, using their smart card to pay for the journey. A model for integrated, regional travel Stakeholders from local authorities, bus and rail operators, and SWSAL have all worked together to deliver the interoperability needed to maximize the success of smart ticketing across the whole region. As all authorities and operators implement smart ticketing, eventually passengers should be able to travel all over South West England with a single interoperable smart card.

6 6 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 Photo from Go Ahead Key addition to Southern Railway ticketing Southern Railway has introduced single and return tickets on its popular smart card, the key, making the smart card just as convenient for occasional travellers as it is for frequent travellers. The key, which uses ACT s smart ticketing technology, is being rolled out along the Southern network in a phased approach until the end of Following the successful introduction of weekly, monthly and annual tickets on the key, single and return tickets now gives less frequent travellers the same benefits enjoyed by Southern s regular passengers. Using the card to make one-off journeys makes buying tickets and using ticket gates so much easier. On the 21st October 2013, Southern also became the first train operating company to deliver an ITSO-based smart card scheme in London (East Croydon, Clapham Junction, London Victoria and London Bridge), allowing another 218,000 journeys in addition to the 86,000 journeys that have currently been made on the key. Passengers can buy tickets online or via ticket machines at Southern stations and collect and travel in a single transaction. They can store

7 November 2013 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER 7 and manage tickets, review their transactions and access special offers through their online account. The key benefits Save time no need to queue for tickets or wait for them to be posted to you Southern s Head of Retail Development, Riz Wahid said: We re delighted to add yet another suite of tickets to the key, giving our passengers much more choice about the tickets they buy. We re busy planning more exciting developments, which will offer more flexibility, as well as delivering Travelcards very soon. Easy to use simply touch in and out at stations Secure your purchases are protected if your card is lost or stolen Convenient load your ticket and pass through the gate in one touch Easy to buy purchase tickets online or at selfservice ticket machines at the station Environmentally friendly no more paper tickets that fade or jam Photo from Go Ahead

8 8 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 Commercial smart ticketing launched by National Express Dundee National Express Dundee is the first bus operator in Scotland to launch a smart ticketing system which allows customers to buy commercial tickets using the Scotland-wide National Entitlement Card, as well as its own smart card. Following the success of the Dundee college travel bursary scheme implemented earlier this year, National Express Dundee has rolled out smart ticketing on its brand new commercial smart card, called Discovr. The response to the trial was overwhelmingly in favour of smart tickets. Of the young people who tried them, 90% said that they were more likely to go to college, even if they had no money that day, and 100% of students wanted to renew their smart travel for the next term. The Retail POST, ACT s EPOS product, makes loading their ticket entitlement on to their smart card very simple and is conveniently sited at the Dundee College campus. With the roll out of smart ticketing, anyone holding an NEC or the new Discovr smart card can now use it to travel around Dundee, instead of buying paper tickets. Customers can buy an adult Photo from National Express or student weekly ticket on the Discovr card or NEC, with other products expected to follow in the coming months. The Discovr card is available from the National Express travel shop in Dundee city centre. Once it s registered and loaded with a ticket, either in the shop or on the bus, passengers simply have to place the card on the ticket machine each time they board the bus.

9 November 2013 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER 9 All transactions are securely processed through the HOPS by ACT, which was implemented for National Express Dundee in entitlement card. It s the first step towards a national system of modern, integrated ticketing that. This innovation offers customers more flexibility and convenience - no more fiddling with loose change or bits of paper. Managing Director of National Express Dundee Phil Smith said: We are absolutely delighted to be leading the way in Scotland in implementing a commercial product on the Scottish Government s on public transport and we re proud to be at the forefront of I hope our customers will embrace the idea of smart ticketing and we anticipate moving more products onto this card in the future, as demand grows for this exciting new product. c2c appoints ACT to support ITSO ticketing pilot ACT launches new client forum Photo from National Express Train operator, c2c, which carries 35 million passengers a year between London s Fenchurch Street, Shoeburyness and the Essex coast, has appointed ACT to supply and support the smart ticketing systems for its ITSO ticketing pilot. ACT is launching a brand new client forum to give clients an opportunity to discuss future product development plans, talk about industry trends and hot topics, and ask any questions they might have about ACT s products and services. More information and an agenda will follow early next year, but please contact your Account Manager if you are interested in coming along to this forum.

10 10 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 ACT cycling team pedals its way to over 1300 for the British Heart Foundation Employees from ACT undertook a demanding cycle challenge in September to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). From the CEO to members of development, commercial and support departments, a team of 10 took part in the Bath to Bournemouth charity bike ride and raised an impressive 1300 for the BHF. The ride, one of a number of charity rides organised by the BHF, took place on the 29th September, starting from the Royal Crescent in Bath. ACT colleagues pedalled their way through some idyllic villages during the scenic, 80 mile journey from Bath to Bournemouth. During the ride the cyclists tackled a number of long, challenging hills, enjoyed the distant sight of giraffes as

11 November 2013 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER 11 ACT expands in the North of England ACT opens its new Manchester office. they negotiated the hilly route near Longleat, and re-grouped to pass the finish line in a determined final sprint. The team would like to thank everyone who sponsored them to raise money for this worthwhile cause. Having secured a number of new smart ticketing contracts, including the TfGM Smart Ticketing managed service contract, ACT has established a new design, development and service centre in the heart of Manchester. This office will provide managed support for companies such as ATOS and a number of ITSO POST system providers such as Vix and Scheidt &Bachmann. Clarence House is ideally situated in the central business district of Manchester and offers ACT the location, facilities and space it needs to provide a local and responsive service to customers in the North of England.

12 12 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER November 2013 About ACT ACT is a proven leader in the design, build and management of smart transaction systems that help people make the most of their work, leisure and travel time. Our clients use our technology solutions to speed commuters through public transport, to help shoppers earn rewards, to provide access to public services and to make it easy for visitors to explore new places. Our systems are trusted by retail, tourism, public sector and transport organisations large and small, and are at the heart of major cities around the world from Las Vegas to London to Bruges. Find out more To learn more about how we can help you connect with your customers through our smart transaction systems please get in touch. T +44(0) F +44(0) E info@weareact.com W Applied Card Techologies Ltd Langley Gate, Kington Langley, Chippenham, Wiltshire. SN15 5SE

13 November 2013 CUSTOMER NEWSLETTER 13 About squid squid emoney is the alternative to the debit and credit card networks for smaller value contactless transactions - a market forecast to grow rapidly, replacing some of the 200bn cash transactions made each year in the UK. Deploying its own technologies, squid delivers a significantly faster transaction than chip and pin, and has the flexibility to deliver multi-purse transactions and loyalty. squid payments are made using a contactless smart card, via biometric identifiers or online. Transactions are secure and encrypted between the payment device, the terminal and the squid payments engine. In education, squid brings the power of modern IP systems to deliver efficient payments, settlement and integration with the back office, combined with a great user experience. squid works with major equipment and service suppliers to deliver its fast, flexible and secure payments solution. These include EPOS systems, smart card and biometric suppliers, catering service operators accounts software providers, as well as local Councils and Transit operators. Find out more To learn more about squid please visit ACT and squid are part of the Smart Transactions Group Smart Transactions Group is the UK leader in contactless payments and ticketing, processing millions of contactless transit and payments transactions every day, but with ambitions for much greater scale in the UK and international markets. The group was created by bringing together two UK companies; next generation digital payments company, squid, and ACT.