Higher Education Payments: Creating a Better Billing Experience for Students, Families and the Institution

For students and their families alike, paying for college may be one of the most stressful situations they can face. According to The Princeton Review’s 2020 College Hopes & Worries Survey Report, more than half of parents expect their child’s college degree—four years of tuition, room & board, fees, books and other expenses—to cost $100,000. Such a large and important cost deserves a corresponding payment system that matches up.

How to Be a Payments Trailblazer – The Seven Habits of Highly Innovative Organizations

The new Culture of Innovation Index from Ovum and ACI identified segments—from banks to intermediaries to merchants to corporates—at the cutting edge (of innovation) across the payments ecosystem. But what is most notable about those segments that have reached ‘trailblazing’ status is the apparent lack of commonality between them. No one segment, nor one region fosters better innovation. In fact, what’s driving these segments/organizations to be best of breed is their own culture of excellence. The only thing they have in common is their attitude.

Helping Merchants Protect Themselves: Cybersecurity Tips from a Former White House CIO

In a world full of open technology, the devices that make our lives easier also leave us vulnerable to being hacked, according to Theresa Payton, former White House CIO and star of the CBS series Hunted. Payton recently joined me for an exclusive ACI cybersecurity webinar, sharing expert insights into how merchants can enable growth, enhance the customer experience and prevent greater instances of fraud.

Around The World: Taking Stock of Global eCommerce in 2019

As I head to #NRF2019 in New York City next week, I’m excited to see how some of the biggest retailers and merchants see the industry evolving over the coming year. What trends they think are going to shape 2019, and which of 2018’s buzzwords can be put to bed.

A Tale of Two Retailers... And the Gap in the Customer Experience

I recently had an interesting shopping trip, which highlighted some of the big differences in payments experience that consumers have between different retailers – and how that can affect customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The Power of Positive Consumer Profiling in Preparing for Peak Shopping Season

So, here in the northern hemisphere, we’re still basking in waning remnants of sunny days and lingering high temperatures. Though we’re not wishing the sunshine away, us northerners here at ACI also can’t help but let our minds turn to the chillier times ahead with fall and winter approaching. 

And we all know what fall and winter bring: shopping. Lots of shopping.

Cutting the Cost and Complexity of Merchant Payments – But Not the Customer Experience

New research from ACI and Ovum, released this week, highlights that many merchants in 2018 are investing in creating operational efficiencies in their payments systems. But the question is, as they strive to simplify systems and cut costs, will customer experience suffer?

What Do Consumers Want and How Are Retailers Meeting Their Payments Demands in 2018?

What do consumers want from their payments in 2018? That’s the million-dollar (possibly more) question merchants everywhere are asking themselves and it’s the question Retail Week Connect asked 2,000 consumers and 30 senior retail executives. Here are some key takeaways:

Ripe For Change? New Frontiers in Merchant Payments [Klarna Q&A]

Consumers often have a love/hate relationship with online shopping. They are easily frustrated when the checkout experience does not deliver the convenience they expect, and delighted when the online journey – including payment – is smooth and frictionless.

Amazon & Whole Foods: A Game-Changer for Customer Experience

The estimated $700-billion-dollar grocery business recently got a jolt when Amazon announced its intended purchase of Whole Foods Market. With more than 450 stores in the U.S. and UK, Amazon will be plunging head first into the physical world of commerce.