First Financial Federal Credit Union has implemented the Datacard® instant card issuance software and associated hardware in its five branch locations around New Jersey. Immediately after opening a new account or requesting a replacement card, members leave the branch with a permanent, personalized, unembossed and activated ATM or debit card.

"We are very pleased to have implemented Datacard Group's instant card issuance technology," said Alice Stevens, chief operating officer for First Financial Federal Credit Union. "We selected Datacard because the CardWizard software and hardware is a field-proven instant issue solution and can be easily integrated with our existing core and processor systems, which increases efficiency and security."

After members select either an image from the gallery or if they have uploaded an approved custom photo to use for their card background, the CardWizard issuance software transfers the personalization data fully encrypted to the FCP 20/20 financial card printer, which quickly and securely prints in high-definition color onto both sides of white blank card stock. The member can then begin utilizing their card immediately.

"After implementing the program, we have seen a tremendous increase in speed of our card issuance - which takes only a few minutes to customize and print our cards in branch," said Stevens. "Instant issuance of personalized unembossed cards has proven to be a value-add service and competitive differentiator for us. By enabling card background choices, our goal is to become top-of-wallet for our members, thus increasing card usage rates and improving the overall members' satisfaction levels."

Instant card issuance and activation is part of Secure Issuance Anywhere™ infrastructure from Datacard Group, enabling financial institutions the ability to issue secure cards anytime. Made possible by Datacard Group's platform of hardware, software, supplies and services, Secure Issuance Anywhere integrates central issuance, instant issuance and mobile issuance into a single, unified program, giving banks unprecedented flexibility and security when issuing cards.