Student Crew Finalizes Support by SCM Microsystems


MELBOURNE, Fla. – September 23, 2002 – Student Marketing, Inc., operating as Student Crew, announced a $500,000 deal with SCM Microsystems, Inc. in Fremont, California (Nasdaq: SCMM, Neuer Markt: SMY) to provide smart card terminals for the first nationwide retail loyalty program for students.

The student Crew program consists of a three tier organizational structure that materializes advantages in the student demographic. Participating businesses that surround campuses nationwide act as Crew merchants and honor discounts to Crew members in the form of points. A membership Crew Card, similar to a magnetic stripe ID card, is the first open platform to utilize smart card technology in terms of managing a loyalty points program. This program allows students to accumulate rewards such as vacations, merchandise and tuition assistance by making purchases from Crew merchants who receive a smart card terminal, advertising and a supplemental website. The Crew Card allows college and high schools students to receive 5-15% reward points from participating retailers across the US that can be redeemed for products available on the Student Crew website.

Student Crew members will receive cards with embedded computer chips to use at local retail outlets on or near school campuses throughout the US. These smart cards will then calculate reward points and store them for future product exchanges. SCM’s terminal technology will be supplied to retailers and independent franchise partners, such as Dominos, Subway and U-Haul to award, track and redeem the loyalty points.

Student Crew anticipates 500,000 student members and over 27,000 retail merchants to be involved by the end of the 2002-2003 school year. Launched in mid-August of this year, the Crew Card program has already experienced phenomenal growth. “Student Crew’s smart card loyalty program is the first of its kind to offer rewards and incentives to students across the US,” said Shawn Andreas of Student Crew. “We chose the SCM terminals for our mass distribution standard packages because we found that they are reliable and capable of storing thousands of transactions, so merchants can easily track points earned and monitor the success of the program.”

SCM’s Student Crew terminal is designed specifically to enable and leverage multifunctional smart card applications in a retail environment. The programmable device can be connected through a modem to a telephone, through a serial port to the cash register or PC, or it can be used in standalone mode. The terminal’s design facilitates rapid transactions for management of bonus points awarded through merchant loyalty programs as well as downloading of new applications and programs.

About SCM Microsystems
SCM Microsystems is a leading supplier of solutions that open the Digital World by enabling people to conveniently access digital content and services. SCM's Security business provides smart card reader technology for the PC platform and conditional access modules for the digital TV platform to OEM customers in the government, financial, enterprise and broadcasting markets worldwide. The Company's Digital Media and Video business provides hardware, software and silicon solutions for creating and sharing digital media content to the worldwide retail market under the Dazzle™ brand. Global headquarters are in Fremont, California, with European headquarters in Ismaning, Germany. For additional information, visit the SCM Microsystems website at www.scmmicro.com .

About Student Crew
Student Marketing, Inc. is a privately held company that is classified as a marketing/sales organization that targets the student demographic. This focus entails an extensive network of hundreds of college and high school campuses around the country. Based in Melbourne, Florida, the company has over 300 representatives, the majority of which comprise the outside sales forces stationed at regional offices around the nation. Student Marketing promotes the membership and fundraising programs at selected campuses under the name Student Crew. For more information, visit www.StudentCrew.com or call 321.724.9971.




This article courtesy of http://www.thestudentloanconsolidationsite.com.
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.

Submit Your Article

Advertise on This Site Now!

Subscribe to our Student Loan Consolidation newsletter!
Your email: