New Safe ePayments Booster-Contactless Payments for Donkey rides

            One of the major attractions in Blackpool Beach is the Donkey Rides. Yes, Donkey Rides are a great way to enjoy the Blackpool beach.

            The first Donkey rides in Blackpool were introduced in the late 1890s’. It is believed that Margate was the first place to offer Donkey rides on the beach to tourists.

The donkey’s owner has to ensure that the donkeys pass a series of inspections. For the donkeys to be allowed to work on Blackpools beach they must first pass a veterinarian’s inspection, plus a mandatory annual health check. Then their owners have to present the donkeys, their health certificate and the insurance certificate to Blackpool councils officials. If all is well only than the donkeys are allowed to work.

            One of the pain points the children who wished to ride or the donkey owners faced is the absence of monetary change.            Due to non-availability of the change, many children missed the famous Blackpool Donkey rides.

            In this era of ePayments, Mark Ineson, owner of the beachside Real Donkeys company, approached Barclays to help him out with a simple electronic payment solution which would be gainful for himself, kids, kids parents and the donkeys.

             Barclaycard technologists collaborated with designers Seymourpowell  to build Dillon’s new tack, ensuring the technology was seamlessly integrated and the saddle a comfortable fit.

            The end result was, Dillon the donkey has got the world’s first contactless payment saddle. 

In simple terms, this innovation means that parents can touch a contactless credit or debit card (from any bank that offers the technology) to pay for a ride down the Blackpool Sands.

Delhi Metro to Provide Smart Card Recharge Facility at AFC Gates

As the usage of Contactless Smart Cards by Delhi Metro Commuters is on the rise, Delhi Metro is looking at innovative ways to smoothen the recharge process.

Towards this, Delhi Metro is procuring the latest AFC (Automatic Fare Collection) gates, which will have the capacity of automatic top up of smart cards through the bank accounts of card holders (electronic clearance system (ECS).

The complete Press Release can be read @ http://www.delhimetrorail.com/press_reldetails.aspx?id=GpDr4c0GlYklld

As per the proposed process flow, for customers availing this facility, when the balance of a smart card goes down to the pre defined value or the minimum amount, the specific AFC gates will add pre defined amount into the card automatically.

Later on, the deducted amount will be collected from the card holder’s bank account by the Metro fare collection system. I am not sure, what will happen if there is no balance in the card holder's bank account at the time of debit.

In addition to this, DMRC is also developing a new technology through which Delhi Metro commuters will be able to recharge their smart cards through various options such as net banking, credit cards, debit cards. DMRC is also procuring Add Value Machines for recharging the smart cards at the stations through net banking, credit cards, debit cards.

'Add Value Machines', can be said to reverse ATM's, which accept Cash and credit the equivalent value to DMRC Contactless Cards.

Like all good things in life, these new features are not instantly available, but will be 'live', within this calendar year I.e 2012.

Currently, tokens and smart cards can be purchased or recharged only by paying cash at the specified counters, machines or customer care centers at Metro stations.

The Smart cards are very popular in Delhi Metro as DMRC is providing 10% discount on fares on use of the smart cards and many stations have dedicated exit gates only for card users.