All of Agent Systems' products are based on, or include features of Agent Transaction Manager (ATM). ATM is a complete networking environment for intelligent vending and fare collection equipment used in the mass transit industry. ATM includes the following features:

Agent Transaction Manager can be hosted on any UNIX-capable system ranging from low cost Intel microcomputers to high end fault tolerant computers such as those from Tandem.

Since 1985, hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions have been hosted by systems provided by Agent Systems. Operating in the most hostile of conditions, including public transportation sites in New York City, users of ATM have experienced loss ratios of less than 1/10 of one percent for all credit card sales. This is roughly the average for all credit card sales in North America. What makes this remarkable is that all Agent Transaction Manager mass transit sales are made through customer-operated terminals (such as ticket vending machines) without sales clerk intervention, visual inspection of credit cards, or capture of signatures.

Our most recent work has involved the redevelopment of the user interface of Agent Transaction Manager. All future versions will employ a Java-based graphical user interface which will eliminate the need for dedicated operator terminals and greatly reduce the cost of systems administration and training.

The technology employed in our mass transit installations is adaptable to other industries where high performance, high speed electronic payments management and the very highest levels of security and fraud reduction are required. The credit card associations and bank switches, with whom our customers connect for payments clearing, have acknowledged that our Agent Transaction Manager product is unique in its capability to support high-risk customer-operated point-of-sale equipment.

Our customers have experienced chargeback losses of less than 1/10th of one percent over the course of handling a cumulative total of over five hundred million dollars in credit and debit (ATM) card sales since 1985. This translates into lower discount rates when merchant agreements are negotiated with banks and processors. Banks and other card processors are still reluctant to take on customer-operated POS business due to the inherent risk of chargeback losses. We alone can demonstrate fifteen years of high volume operations from high-risk locations. We alone offer the types of anti-fraud measures needed to limit losses to very low levels. We alone can put together a complete system and certify with any bank or switch processor on a tight time schedule.

References, tours of existing customer operations, and professional consultation are all available.

Smart Card Support

Agent Systems has been involved with Smart Card products and implementation since 1988. We were among the first to recognize the great value of secure chip cards and their role among other card technologies. Our Agent Transaction Manager product was developed with integral Smart Card support features to compliment credit and debit card management features.

Specifically, Agent Systems offers the following Smart Card support and development services:

• Card security development and implementation,
• POS device embedded programming and support (both sales and card recharging),
• Complete clearinghouse development and support services,
• Interfaces with credit card and banking networks for payment support, and
• Complete vendor-independent consultation services.