By Dita De Boni
Interest in a kiosk machine that instantly creates plastic cards has been phenomenal, say its promoters.
The self-issuing card kiosk is capable of creating a plethora of commonly used plastic cards, including credit cards, ATM cards, preferential customer cards, and even a humble bus card if required.
The equipment was developed in the United States and is being piloted in China, France and South America.
Card makers Security Plastics, owned by Wilson & Horton, have bought the New Zealand rights to sell the kiosk from German company Datacard.
The kiosk's client is asked to key in relevant details to have a lost or new credit card or bank card issued, or obtain loyalty cards for partner companies advertising on the kiosk.
A client can also add value to telephone and transport cards using cash.
Security Plastics' business development manager, John Lawrence, said that although no sales had been made in New Zealand, the interest in the machines had been phenomenal.
The machines cost more than $US20,000 (about $38,0000) but had caught the attention of large retailers and bank chains.
Mr Lawrence said the kiosk's real value was in being able to attend to customers where sales and service people could not.
"This kiosk is fantastic for almost any location - tourist spots, for example ... If people lose their cards on holiday they have a single point where they can go to retrieve credit access.
"To fly a credit card down to a stranded traveller would normally cost a bank around $80."
Asked if security could pose a problem, Mr Lawrence said machine buyers would arrange to have their own protocols, like pin numbers and credit checks, built into the system.
He said the kiosks could be customised to support security checks like retinal scans or thumbprint checks if needed.
"Using the kiosk, customers have ready access to a range of great card-based services, and banks and institutions can save mailing and processing costs."
Card machine will be hot number
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