San Leandro, CA, January 18, 2000 – At the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association Show in Las Vegas this week, Oceanic will unveil a revolutionary new concept to the dive industry — the smart card. Together with CardLogix, a Southern California-based software and smart card manufacturer, Oceanic’s smart card program represents a major step forward for dive retailers and consumers around the world.
According to Oceanic President Barry Warner, once the smart card technology has been rolled out completely to Oceanic Pro Retailers, the process of warranty registration and product service will all be handled on-line using advanced technology from the small computer chip placed in each card. The system is designed to improve efficiency, make warranty registration easier and enhance the overall buying experience for consumers.
“We’re eliminating the cumbersome warranty registration cards so many retailers and consumers dislike,” explains Warner. “The smart cards will be not only be used for warranty registration, but also for convenient information storage. Divers can store details about their equipment, service records, training information and logged dives. In short, this solution could become the ‘virtual C-card’ of the 21
Ken Indorf of CardLogix sees a huge potential for this concept in the dive industry. He points out more than 6.3 billion smart cards are projected to be in use worldwide by the year 2003, mainly as the result of the product’s ability to reduce the many drawbacks of traditional cash transactions, credit cards or other paper record keeping programs.
The card is rugged and portable, making it possible for divers to simply throw it in their dive bag and take it with them wherever they go,” Indorf said. “The need for records accuracy and card consolidation are two advantages of the smart card system for dive retailers. Add to this the flexibility and convenience of this system and we feel smart cards will have a positive, lasting effect on the dive industry for years to come.”
Oceanic’s program, part of their breakthrough T-3 E-commerce technology program, involves future customers each receiving a smart card when they make a purchase from an Oceanic Pro Retailer. That retailer will “store” the customer’s information, including product serial numbers, contact details, certification information and other material data, on the smart card using a smart card reader/writer. Because that information will be stored on the smart card, the customer will be able to use the card with any smart card enabled Oceanic Pro Retailer. Oceanic has also adopted internationally recognized smart card data exchange standards paving the way for fellow industry stakeholders like training agencies and other manufacturer’s to introduce similar products and benefits for their retailers and consumers at some point in the future.
“This means when an Oceanic customer travels and has a problem with an Oceanic product under warranty, they can go to any smart card enabled Oceanic Pro Retailer, present their smart card and the product information will instantly appear on the screen and can be easily updated. What an incredible leap in dive retail technology,” points out Indorf. Between the T-3 E-commerce program and smart card systems, Warner predicts the dive industry’s embracing these new technologies will mean better service, more effective marketing programs and new opportunities for retailers and consumers alike. For more information on the smart card and Oceanic’s unique dive retailer program, visit the Oceanic booth at the DEMA Show (#2404).
Oceanic, the leader in innovative scuba technology for nearly three decades, continues to blaze new trails in the dive industry and beyond. For more details on Oceanic, its product line and international dealer network visit the company website at www.oceanicusa.com.
CardLogix, founded in 1994, manufactures smart cards and development software for the transaction of information and value. The company sells worldwide to a variety of applications from government to healthcare to entertainment. For more details, contact CardLogix at (949) 380-1312, sales@cardlogix.comwww.cardlogix.com.
Editor Contact: Scott D. Jones, SJ Communications (949) 472-8290 e-mail:SJCOM@earthlink.net
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