Situation Overview

October 25, 2008 – A major asset management firm located in the heart of Manhattan was looking for an innovative benefit for their world-class employees. Part of this firm’s mission was to attract and retain the highest tier of talent – and to do so it is critical to offer a well-rounded suite of employee perks.

Free toGO is a fast and easy-to-use payment method that provides a one-card solution, seamlessly integrating into existing employee ID badges. Free toGO works like this – the cashier rings up the sale, the amount is displayed on the Free toGO reader, and the employee simply places his or her badge up to the reader. The amount of the meal is deducted from the customer’s account, and payment is tendered – all in the space of less than 2 seconds! No cash changes hands, and the speed and convenience of Free toGO moves customers so quickly through the payment process there are no long lines, even at peak meal periods.

Customers make full use of the Free toGO online account management capability, not only to view balance and purchase history, but also to fund their accounts. Free toGO also provides customers with the option to select an automated funding feature so they never run out of funds. Almost half of all the customers choose to fund their accounts this way. The secure login provided by Verisign always ensures customer privacy and account security.

“Free toGO says it all, the transactions are fast and seamless and I no longer need to handle cash.”
– Director of Dining Services

“Our customers love Free toGO! It has successfully delivered on our objectives of a 100% cashless environment with minimal lines at the register, while providing a high level of customer satisfaction.”
– VP of Dining Services

• 100% cashless
• Sales revenue 14% higher than planned
• 78% combined participation, breakfast and lunch
• High customer satisfaction
• Maximizes business efficiencies by eliminating cash handling and reallocating labor

Customers can also check account balances and fund their accounts with cash or credit at one of the 3 funding stations conveniently located just outside the café. No matter which option the customer chooses, Free toGO always sends a courtesy e-mail when the account runs low.

The café is 100% cashless, so Free toGO provides Express cards for visitors which can be used over and over again. These cards may be pre-funded at the funding stations, online or POS, and if a refund of any remaining balance is needed, the card is simply inserted into the station outside the café for a cash refund.

With Free toGO cashless, the value is stored in an account and not on the card which means that customers do not risk losing any money if they lose their id badge. The account is simply inactivated, and the funds are transferred to the new badge.

Among other benefits provided to customers of Free toGO are the automated loyalty and rewards programs available. During the initial enrollment campaign, customers who used Free toGO earned a percentage off their purchases – the more they used Free toGO, the more they saved!

Results
The convenience and speed of service provided by Free toGO have been enthusiastically received by the asset management employees as evidenced by the high participation rates and greater than expected sales. The VP of Dining Services, said “Our customers love Free toGO! It has successfully delivered on our objectives of a 100% cashless environment with minimal lines at the register, while providing a high level of customer satisfaction”

In addition to the customer benefits of Free toGO, the operation benefits as well. Since the café is 100% cashless, all cash handling chores have been eliminated, allowing the operation to reallocate labor. “Free toGO says it all,” says the Director of Dining Services. “The transactions are fast and seamless and I no longer need to handle cash.”

Comprehensive reports provided through Free toGO are used to quickly analyze trends in dining periods and as a customer marketing tool. “It helps me operate more efficiently, while spending less time in the office and more time with my customers!” the Director of Dining continues.

Contact Information
Andrea Waldin
VP, Marketing
marketing@freedompay.com