2006

Published by

Robert C. Huber, CMC, CPCM

Robert Huber Associates

Vendor Independent

Campus Card Business Consultants

Campus Card Business Forecast

2006

Prediction #1 - Campus Merchants Expand Revenue Opportunities

In just four years (2010), 50% of all campus card systems will include at least several off-campus merchant applications; Off-campus "marketing partners" will surpass all banking relationships within three years, secondly only to "self-op" management of off-campus merchant applications.

Prediction #2 - IP Reader Technology … Finally!

Individual "IP Addressable" card readers will compose 90% of card system vendor reader sales within two years, as institutions move away from traditional dedicated networks to connect readers to host systems via “IP Native” hardware.

Prediction #3 - Web Deposits Gain Momentum

Demand for increased customer services, more restrictive budgets, and higher debit account deposits will drive the acquisition of third-party web tools to accept financial deposits via the Internet by both students and their families, and therefore transitioning the traditional card office into a 24/7 "virtual" Customer Service Center.

Prediction #4 - Shared Hosting Increases

Although the majority of schools in the past have dedicated one card system host per campus, there will be an increased variety of host options and configurations (e.g. satellite/regional campus sharing, neighboring institution/consortium sharing, business/institution sharing, centralized vendor host leasing, etc.).

Prediction #5 - Pay-for-Print Controls Costs

Increased attention to printing consumable costs will eliminate free printing, necessitate central control and management of computer labs, and integration of Pay-for-Print subsystems linked (debited) to the campus card system.

Prediction #6 - Smart Cards Miss An Opportunity

Smart cards have lost their "window of opportunity" for acceptance in the U.S. due to fledgling promises and failed pilots over the past 20 years, and will be surpassed by more customer friendly technologies (i.e. magnetic stripes, biometrics, etc.).

Prediction #7 - Magnetic Stripe Still Reigns

Nearly 90% of campus cards will still retain a magnetic stripe in the next five years, while bar codes will quickly disappear off campus cards.

Prediction #8 - Proximity As A Secondary Technology

The family of proximity technologies will continue to "seduce" many campuses with their single application and often expensive proprietary technology (i.e. usually only in security applications), and will compose the secondary technology on many "combi" campus cards.

Prediction #9 - Vendor Partnerships Expand

Vendors in the campus card industry will form more alliances with each other for expertise, integration, and demand by expansive All-Campus Card programs, both on and off campus.

Prediction #10 - Electronic Door Access Menu Expands

If industry security and communication issues are rectified, "wireless" door access readers (on-line) will eventually secure 25% of the market, while off-line door access readers (standalone) will retain 50%, and the remaining 25% will utilize on‑line communications (wired).

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