from backoffice to campuswide a look at west texas a&m university’s onecard program

From Backofficeto Campuswide

A look at West Texas A&M University’s

OneCard Program

Audience Survey

• Photo ID Card?• Meal Plans?• Copy Card?• Laundry?• Vending?• Door Access?

WTAMU History

• Pre 1998– Photo ID: PVC card with Polaroid picture

and semester validation sticker • Made and validated at the Registrar’s office

– Meal Card: Laminated card• Made and distributed by Residential Living

– Library: Validations Sticker• Activated by the Library

WTAMU History

• Pre 1998 – Copy Card: Paper with magnetic strip

• Sold by the Library

– Activity Center Pass: Validation Sticker• Activated at the Activity Center

– Athletic Pass: Paper punch card• Passed out at registration

Concept…

One Card

Getting Started

• Scope– Implement a One Card System to

• Consolidate various cards and passes• Consolidate various functions and duties into

one stop shop.• Fully automate validation based on enrollment• Extend Debit card functionality to vending,

laundry, copies, and food service• Ultimately enhance students’ campus

experience

Getting Started

• How would we measure success?– Reliability– Entire campus covered by our reader

network– Having $10-$15k in average daily

deposits

Timeline

Timeline

• Mid 199? The idea begins – ONE Card…

• Mid 1996 – Working committee formed

• Mid 1997 - Bid is awarded• Jan 1998 – Installed system• Feb-July 1998 – Tested and installed

all readers• Fall 1998 – Re-card 8000 Students,

Faculty and Staff

Getting Started• Five person working committee

formed in 1996• Working committee charge:

– Investigate other schools and systems– Campuswide needs assessments– Write an RFP– Review vendors– Make recommendation– Chair implementation Subcommittees

Implementation Subcommittees• ID Office• Card Design and

Marketing• Financial• Building Access• Meal Plan/Food

Service

• Library• Event/Access• Computer Interface• Infrastructure

Implementation Concerns• Functional, Reliable and Added Value• Project Phases• Centralized or Decentralized operations• Organizational Structure • Card Office Personnel• Infrastructure• Re-carding • Interfaces with other systems

Implementation Phases

• Phase 1– ID Production– Meal Plans– Food Court POS– Library Circulation– Student Voting– Activity Access– Medical Service

• Phase II– Bookstore– Vending– Copy Services– Laundry– Ticket Sales– Library Fines

• Phase 3– Residential

Access– Facilities Access

Chose to do both phase 1 & 2 together.

Centralize Vs. Decentralize• Decentralized

– Pros• No New FTE

– Cons• Existing staff already had a full load• Communication difficult• Hard to implement new ideas• Training issues• Database management• Easy to finger point

Centralize Vs. Decentralize

• Centralization– Cons

• At least two FTE required

– Pros• Central administration of system• Consolidate Job responsibilities• Frees other department resources• Improves overall program consistency• Provides one-stop-shopping

Organizational Structure

A ccou n t A ss t.1 F TE

A ss ista n t O ff ice M a na g er1 F TE

ID C a rd A d im in is tra to r1 F TE

D ire cto r o f B ud g e ts , P ayro ll a n d R e po rtingA n d A ssis tan t to the V P o f B us in ess an d F ina n ce

Card Office Personnel• ID Card Office Administrator

– Responsible for ID Department– Database system administration– Manage Subcontractors– Coordinate with all Departments

• Assessment• Implementation• Training

– Troubleshooting and repair

Card Office Personnel• Office Manager

– Manage the office– Design and

implement Office procedures

– Document procedures

– Cross train on all equipment

– Customer Service

• Account Assistant– Customer Service

• ID Card Production• Deposits• Statements• Office help

– Off-Campus Merchant

• Recruitment• Customer Service• Reconciliation

Infrastructure Concerns• Protocols

Supported– TCP/IP– RS 232– RS 485

• Media Supported– Copper– Fiber

• Considerations– Network Vs Line Drivers– Network Stability– IT Support– Ease of Troubleshooting– Equipment Needed– Separation of Networks

• Assess your needs

Interface Concerns

• Need to interface with your Student Information System?

• Need to interface with your financial system?

Operational Concerns

• Campus centered location for ID Office

• Provide good Customer Service• Office Documentation and Polices

– Lost cards– Account closures– Access to cash…

• Marketing

Buffalo Gold Card Today

• Official WTAMU Identification• Activity Card – Games, Activities

Center• Copy Card• Library Card• Meal Plans• Door Access• BuffCash

BuffCash On-Campus Locations• Bookstore• Business Office• University Police

Dept• Food Court• Cafeteria• Vending Machines• Laundry Centers

• Copy Machines• Microfiche

Machines• Cornett Library• Activities Center• Bowling Alley• Athletic Events• Hastings Electronic

Learning Center

BuffCash Off-Campus• 52 Merchants

– Grocery Stores – Convenience Stores – Automotive– Pharmacy – Computer Repair– UPS Shipping Center– Bookstores– Hair Salons– Tanning

– Restaurants – Bakery– Car Wash– Cell phone

Companies– Florists– Gifts Stores– Recreation

On-Line Card OfficeWWW.Buffalogoldcard.com• Virtual Card Office providing

– Deposits by parents and students– Account Balance– Transaction Review– Deactivation of Cards– Office Policies and Procedures– Featured Merchants and Specials

BuffCash Statistics

$0$100,000$200,000$300,000$400,000$500,000$600,000$700,000$800,000$900,000

$1,000,000$1,100,000$1,200,000$1,300,000$1,400,000$1,500,000$1,600,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Deposits

Sales

Off-Campus Sales

Marketing the Card• Tri-fold Brochure• Posters• Video• Promotions

– Giveaways– Prize Donations– Drawings

• Mail-outs– Letters– Deposit Envelopes– Post-Cards

• Special Promotions– Christmas in

October– Mid-Term Moo-lah– Bookstore, Food

Court, Off-Campus

Check List for Success

• Get your University Administration’s Support.*– Talk dollars and cents

• Cost Savings– Checks– Man-hours– Return on Investment

*By getting your Administrations support first, it will be easier to win support from other departments


• Get your University Administration’s Support.– Talk dollars and cents

• Accountability– Vending– Laundry– Athletics…


• Get your University Administration’s Support.– Talk dollars and cents

• Increase Revenue – Off Campus Merchants – Commission 4-10% of

Sales– Percentage of On Campus Card Sales - %– Float on Deposits to the University– Better Accountability on Vending, Laundry and

Copy Services– Office Card Sales – Badges, Lost Card Fee…


• Get your University Administration’s Support.– Benefits for Students

• More convenient by simplifying their life• Access to some Financial Aid quicker• Safer• Recruitment and Retention• Greater access to Services


• Get your University Administration’s Support.– Benefits for other departments

• Better Facility Usage Reporting• Time Management• Flexible for a wide range of applications• Accountability• Cost Savings


• Lobby for an independent ID Card department– Better to serve your card customers– Able to work independently with all

present and future departments and organizations that use the card

– Able to expand as needed without


• Plan for the Future– Departmental Maintenance– Accrual Revenues for replacement and

expansion– IT Support


• Market Your Card– Marketing on a shoe string

• Brochures• Parent/Student Conferences• Campus Web site• New Media• Campus News Channel

from backoffice to campuswide a look at west texas a&m university’s onecard program

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