Attacked for her tax refund cash? She needed a Directo paycard!

This week, a woman in the metro Atlanta area cashed her $4000 tax refund check at WalMart, and was then attacked in the parking lot by someone who must have seen her flash that cash. Her little girl witnessed the thief beating her mother. The perpetrator was caught, but the woman was hurt and her child were traumatized. Direct deposit of that refund check would have gone straight to her bank or her Directo paycard account, and the transaction would have been safe, private, and deposited much faster, too.

Thieves are watching. Where do your employees cash their checks?

Read the original story here.

No Free checking + Job cuts = Poor Service and Higher Fees. Time for a Directo account!

Job cuts at banks means even less service to go along with the increase fees we've already seen. Directo is the low-cost choice that allows you (and if you're a business manager or owner, your employees) to bank when and where you want to bank, and with FREE bilingual customer service.

From today's PaymentsSource.com newsletter:

What do Wells Fargo, American Express, PNC, Fifth Third and Synovus have in common? They've all announced job cuts this week. The Wall Street Journal said analysts expect banks to reduce operating costs by as much as 20% over the next few years "as they struggle to put their bad loans behind them, adjust to a raft of costly regulations and increase revenue in challenging economic conditions."

Need to know more about Directo? Visit us at www.directocard.com.

Money management the Directo way

We've been reading articles and blogs about the new fiscal responsibility and how Americans are moving away from credit, paying down debt, and spending only what they have. At Directo, we're thrilled to offer a way to help out.

Simple to use Directo debit card accounts are a great tool for those who wish to spend only what is available, and a great way to establish a separate low cost direct deposit account to help manage money. Directo programs can be quickly set up, and because the accounts belong to the employees, there's no cost to the employer, while employees enjoy low-cost banking with high security and 24/7 access to their cash. Check out more at www.DirectoCard.com.

Another bank raises its fees - Citizens Bank in Boston

The banking world's turmoil is not over yet. As bank fees rise to compensate for lost revenue, we'll post the news here. Read about Citizens Bank's new rate structure and who it affects. Directo accounts are a better choice. Stable fees, online access, no credit check.

Visit us at www.directocard.com to learn more. Employers, contact Jim McCarthy at jmccarthy@directo.net to find out how you can quickly get a paycard program together for your associates. It's fast, simple, and there is no cost to you.

Cut costs before cutting staff

The latest Labor Department employment statistics show that U.S. jobs continue to decline. As small and mid-size businesses struggle to deliver products and services with diminished resources and personnel, others fight to keep the team they've worked hard to build.

Among the efficiencies that businesses can employ is the proven cost savings of direct deposit and payroll cards. Find how much your company can save.

At Directo, we've seen paycard use increase, as well as more companies willing to mandate direct deposit. The savings can be significant.

When your provider becomes your competitor...

Gaining a competitive advantage is tough enough without having your provider in a joint venture with your competitor. It came as a surprise when I read this announcement:

First Data (Money Network) and Bank of America created a joint venture to market credit, debit and prepaid cards as well as merchant loyalty, check and eCommerce payment processing to small business, commercial and corporate clients worldwide.

What does this signal to the Regional and Community banks?

Call Directo to find out how we support our bank clients and their paycard needs.

Jim McCarthy
770.810.6502

Bad weather and business continuity - put paycards in your toolchest

Storm clouds roil overhead and with one call your foreman has the emergency generator ready to go, just in case. Or snow starts to pile up to the window ledges and you don't have to wonder how your workers will get to the office, because your business continuity plan has a skeletal crew of workers in the building while the rest work from home.

These two scenarios show how business continuity plans are essential to your peace of mind. Even something as simple as making sure that all management has a list of home numbers for all staff can make a difference.

Another simple solution? A Directo payroll card program with MyStub electronic paystubs. You can pay your workers no matter where they are, and because Directo accounts are FDIC insured, with funds held in an FDIC member bank, you know their funds are safe.

Start your plan today! Call Jim McCarthy at 770.810.6505, or email him at jmccarthy@directo.net.

Thought you understood who the Unbanked are? Think again!

I recently read a synopsus of a report by Aite Group LLC. It's titled "Debunking the Myths About the Unbanked and Underbanked".

The article written by their research group, illustrates the fact that Underbanked people are not unbanked for cultural or attitudinal reasons yet for more practical reasons. Credit problems and cost issues seem to be the drivers in a study performed in Aite's survey with check cashing customers.

As a result, it's up to the marketer to present a better price/cost solution for this consumer.

Directo serves this marketplace with a low cost, convenient and safe payroll card at the worksite. For over 10 years, Directo has been 'carving out a niche' helping low income, unbanked people obtain access to basic financial services such as ATM, POS and mobile financial offerings. http://www.directocard.com/.

Directo's commitment is to offer its program with savings of 50% or more over traditional check cashing services and is a viable alternative for serving this segment of the population. It's program are also less costly that Wal Mart's walk-in services
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Facts are showing prepaid cards and payroll cards are better for some

A recent study by Lightspeed Research as illustrated in a whitepaper by Aite Group LLC, further supports the notion that Prepaid Cards and paycards or more commonly referred to as payroll cards, are in fact a better product than traditional checking accounts for 14% of the banked population.



This is a real threat to banks who arguably may be providing the wrong product for their low end customers. Or perhaps they are providing the right product at too high a price. Banks must find a way to profit from each 'strata' of customer that they serve. The article suggests that Banks and financial institutions can actually win in this category by partnering with companies that are successful, marketing in this markeplace.



For 10 years, Directo Inc. of Atlanta has been 'carving out a niche' in providing payroll cards and prepaid cards to the unbanked and low wage earner. Helping over 250,000 with basic banking needs, Directo is growing its business by helping over 70 banks, assist their customers or workers of corporate customers in this arena. for more information see http://www.directocard.com/.



Aite Group LLC is a leading and relevant research and consulting firm serving the financial services arena.