Credit card issuers are increasingly competing with BNPL offers and want new lending and instalment products and services developed. PSE has conducted many assignments for major European card issuers, researched customer requirements and personas, designed new propositions, targeted new sectors, and built plans and business cases for revenue growth. We have also helped issuers develop risk and portfolio management strategies, improved authorisation processes and automated disputes, and reconciliation processes. Also, as processing platforms reach legacy, we increasingly help card issuers identify new processing solutions, and conduct RFPs to select new outsourced service providers seeking improved services and reduce costs.
Case study 1
Major European Travel and Airline Operator
Objective:
Assist their business operational and IT teams in developing a new payments acceptance gateway architecture for the Group.
Approach:
This was a highly complex and technical study, given the company’s several brands, several major legacy internal payment systems, many external gateway services, multiple acquirers, plus the user of shared inter-airline platforms. Five strategic architectural options were examined and debated in detail across the business. There was a general consensus that constructing a New Payments Group hub platform would be too high risk to develop in-house and outsourced gateway solutions were therefore assessed as alternatives.
Result:
The output included recommendations for a new operating model, a centralised operational team and improvements in the current method of working.
Case study 2
RFP| Processer selection (highlight ESG)
Objective
To support a small UK bank in selection of a third party processor for their debit product.
Approach
PSE co-ordinated the entire RFP process working closely with the client. This began with compiling the request for proposal document, liaising with the various disciplines (product, IT, finance etc) within the bank. A list of potential processors was identified and invited to respond. PSE evaluated the responses, both quantitative and qualitative, and modelled the total potential cost of each supplier over five years. A shortlist was agreed and PSE chaired the shortlisted suppliers’ presentations, together with co-ordinating a rigorous Q&A process.
Result
The bank contracted with the processor which offered the best technical fit and value. PSE continued to support the client during the implementation phase.
