First Data — Making a Statement

On the print side, the company is acquiring a second high-speed Kodak Versamark digital color printer. While others in the industry still debate the relative merits of digital color for transaction-based mail, First Data has been prototyping dozens of possible uses of the promising new technology.

“One of the challenges, as well as the benefits, of serving such a large number of customers,” contends Oswald, “is we must continually scour the globe for new and cost-effective solutions. A few of our clients insist on being the first with any new technology, so we must be out in front to meet their needs. Others want absolute assurance that any new technology is proven and well imbedded in the industry when implemented. So we must test and refine to make sure the new technologies will succeed in our rigorous, high-volume operation.”