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SaveSmart to do software for DataCard

The $350 million DataCard is a leader in plastic card solutions, designing, manufacturing and servicing the card issuance systems for companies all over the world. It also makes a complete line of transaction terminals to read data from the cards.

DataCard is taking active interest in SaveSmart and owns 30 per cent in the company. Both companies will work closely in the promotion business through the Web.

SaveSmart is primarily a marketing services company that uses Internet to link the physical and virtual worlds. It has set up a technology core competence centre at Bangalore, to be used by both DataCard and SaveSmart.

The centre will start operations in September.

DataCard Corp President and Chief Executive Officer Glenn Highland said both companies felt the need for closer cooperation to create a new environment and awareness among potential customers since the market is massive.

SaveSmart Chief Executive Officer Ashok Narasimhan, while distinguishing between advertising and promotion, said promotion is unique as it is more personalised and on a one-to-one basis.

SaveSmart recently launched 'Preferred shoppers network', a programme that drives retails sales at the store level by communicating specific incentives via the Internet. The programme is available on all platforms.

The company has built up a series of marketing alliances with major credit card issuers and local market content sites. Through these, customers are connected to merchants, providing them with online paperless promotions.

Narasimhan claimed "The market is as huge as $120 billion in the United States alone."

Glenn Highland described his company as pioneers in photo identity cards. Lucent and Citi Corp are its major customers.

- Compiled from the Indian media

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