Ace Mart Restaurant Supply had enjoyed a five-year

partnership with First Data, which was processing all of its credit

and debit cards at the point-of-sale (POS), online sales, gift

cards and checks. Because the supply company tremendously

values its checkout process as a customer service asset,

they began seeking new ways to streamline their systems.

Simultaneously, First Data rolled out a new POS terminal, the

FD200, which offered all of the enhancements Ace Mart sought

such as multiple payment type acceptance, faster Internet

connection, automated PIN debit settings – and more. Since

rolling out the new terminals, Ace Mart has quickly realized

more efficient and better customer service at check-out. In

addition, Ace Mart enjoys the advantage of a single contact for

all its payment needs and has seen significant cost savings.

ClientAce Mart Restaurant Supply

ChallengeAce Mart sought a more efficient checkout process that not only benefited customers, but also their bottom line.

SolutionFD200 all-in-one terminal, First Data credit/debit processing, PIN debit acceptance, gift card and TeleCheck ECA

ResultsFaster checkout, new terminals that paid for themselves in six months, zero non-sufficient funds (NSF) checks on the books and reduced check processing bank fees, increased customer satisfaction and sales through gift cards, increase in PIN-Debit transaction savings

A FIRST DATA CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY:

ACE MART RESTAURANT SUPPLY FINDS RECIPE FOR SUCCESS WITH FIRST DATA’S ALL-IN-ONE APPROACH TO PAYMENTS ACCEPTANCE

firstdata.com © 2011 First Data Corporation. All rights reserved. Page 2

The Challenge

Ace Mart Restaurant Supply knows its customers are extremely busy and their

shopping trips are usually time-sensitive. “Most of our customers are restaurant

owners or cooks and they’re running in our stores to pick up a few things and need

to get back before the next rush, and so anything that we can do to speed up that

transaction is a benefit to our customers,” says Ace Mart Controller Dave Russell.

Ace Mart wanted to speed up its checkout process, take advantage of PIN debit

transaction savings and reduce losses on check processing bank fees and NSF

checks, which were cutting into the company’s profits. To increase efficiency, the

company wanted all this in a single POS terminal that accepts all their customer’s

different payment preferences. As the single provider for all of Ace Mart’s

payment acceptance needs, First Data answered.

The Solution

First Data’s FD200 terminal line offered everything Ace Mart needed. In addition to

its credit and debit processing capabilities, the FD200 comes in a single, integrated

space-saving device that also manages check and gift card processing.

The FD200 authorizes transactions via the Internet, improving the speed of

authorizations. Also, the FD200 was programmed to default to debit, asking

customers for their PIN. Of course, customers can override that request and use the

credit option, but Ace Mart reports “significant savings” from this feature alone.

Ace Mart also takes advantage of the FD200’s automated check scanning and

processing. “Our sales people just slide the check through, hand it back to the

customer, and we’re done,” says Russell. “In two days, we have 100 percent of the

money that we presented through the machines, which makes a big difference for

our bottom line.”

The Results

Russell says he is thrilled with the new POS machines. “The FD200 paid for

itself through the PIN pad and the debit transactions within the first six to eight

months,” he says.

He also reports happier sales personnel and customers due to speedy Internet

authorizations, increased sales through the gift card program, and a reduction in

losses due to automated check processing. In fact, the savings he’s realized by

avoiding banking fees on checks have gone directly to profit. Further, he reports,

“we have a zero balance on our books right now on NSFs, which I never thought

would be possible.”

In every aspect, the FD200 terminal’s all-in-one benefits have been a great success

for Ace Mart. Similarly, Russell notes “First Data has been integral in answering our

payment needs and more – and it’s great we can accomplish this through a single

provider. We are excited to have a partner that understands our business.”

A First Data customer success story: New York State Restaurant Association

We put great value in the checkout experience, making it as quick and efficient as possible for our customers. These machines have tremendously helped with that.Dave Russell, Controller, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply