Introduced in 2003 the Accord Card, a multi-function smart card, delivers a range of services and concessions to the citizens of Aberdeen. With the scheme available to anyone living or working within Aberdeen, the local community can benefit from cashless catering within schools; discounts and concessions in retail and leisure outlets; library membership; accumulating and holding points for loyalty schemes and an array of other benefits including proof of age and proof of entitlement (in relation to particular concessions).
As smartcard technology was a completely new area of business for Aberdeen City Council. A decision was made to employ a specialist contractor to implement the Accord Scheme; various aspects of the delivery of the scheme were then sub-contracted out to organisations with the skill sets and experience needed to implement a state-of-the art citizen’s card.
Sub-contractors M H Systems provide the school and leisure cashless card systems for the scheme and its multi-site card management system integrates seamlessly with the M H Systems state of the art EPOS, customer management and bookings system. In addition, they were able to install legendary Toshiba hardware at the POS ensuring, not only a future-proofed solution, but also a reliable and stable solution.
The M H Systems cashless catering software is quick and simple to use. It automatically and discretely awards the free meal allowances to the right children, records the food choices each child selects and awards points for healthy eating options. It even automates the vending process. It allows Aberdeen City Council to control the foods types and rewards available to school pupils. Combine this with the incredibly reliable Toshiba tills and you have the best system you could wish for.
The scheme in use
With over 60 000 cards already issued, the Accord Card Scheme is currently being used within all its 12 local authority academies, all the cities libraries and art galleries and many leisure and recreational facilities. In addition card holders aged between 12 and 26 years old benefit from all the Young Scot discounts and rewards, which can be earned in over 1800 outlets throughout Scotland.
Looking at one of the uses for the card – cashless catering and vending - The Hazelhead Academy is one of the schools currently using the Accord Scheme.
Marjorie Lord, Canteen Supervisor commented on the solution. "I’ve been working at Hazelhead Academy for 20 years and was very cynical about a new system and how my staff would feel about using new technology".
Marjorie continues, "With the cashless card payment system installed, the lunch-time rush is very easy to cope with. A child chooses their food options, we key the choices into the till using the touchscreen menu and put the child's card onto the reader attached to the till. The total amount is then automatically deducted from the card. The new Toshiba touch-screens are very easy for the staff to navigate and the terminals are reliable. We can also now obtain reports showing exactly what has been sold, invaluable information for menu-planning and monitoring wastage."
Benefits of the Card
The introduction of smart cards in Scotland was via the government drive for social inclusion. The initial remit was to find a way of removing the stigma attached to receiving a free school meal, which highlighted the differences in social status within schools. Councils in Scotland were increasingly being pressured to introduce a mass solution to a mass market.
Aberdeen City Council, saw the potential for smart cards, took a different approach to the solution and looked at the business case and the possibility of introducing a future-proofed scheme, not only for cashless catering within schools, but a scheme that could be extended to other areas and services within the community.
Aberdeen City Council’s approach of only working with best of breed organisations ensures the Accord Scheme has additional benefits over other council’s pilot schemes. The Accord scheme was one of many projects under the Modernising Government Initiative, and has been recognised as one of a few smart card schemes that has delivered what it set out to do.
Through its smart card, Aberdeen has achieved higher levels of security and operability, for example, all details for each card holder are held on the card, guaranteeing that the card always has the most up to date information.
With the growing trend for new technologies, the use of smart cards is becoming more widespread. However, the interface to a smart card can be via a contact or contactless reader and some applications require one or the other. The Accord card bridges this gap by being a dual interface card offering both contact and contactless interfaces.
One of the main benefits of Accord is the scheme is not imposed and registration is voluntary. The card can be still be used as proof of entitlement but not in an intrusive way. A small card reader held by the retailer or business can ensure that the customer is of a suitable age to purchase any products, gain entry to the facility, or be eligible for a concession. It can also benefit the card holder, by proving that they are of the required age.
Plans for the future
Aberdeen City Council has extensive plans for the future of the Accord Scheme. When the Scottish Executives introduced its ‘Scotland-wide free bus travel for older and disabled people’, it was decided that the concession would be hosted on a smart card. With the Accord card's capabilities, this is just another service that can be included within its portfolio, one of many services that can bring value to cardholders.
Other plans include, car parking, where the card will be used to replace cash in meter payments throughout the city, iKiosk’s for information and on-line booking – essential for developing tourism and CRM activity for targeting promotions and offers at different segments of the population.
Rhona Atkinson, General Manager commented about the scheme’s introduction and the benefits; "By working with selected organisations we have been able to develop the Accord scheme to our exact requirements. Companies like M H Systems and Toshiba listened to our needs and have developed future-proofed solutions that can evolve to accommodate new ideas and innovations. The potential that a scheme such as Accord offers its users is immense and is limited only by a lack of innovative thinking as to how to utilise its functionality and ability.
Accord offers many benefits to the citizens of Aberdeen, it is easy to use, convenient, secure and offers access to many services within the city, it is also available to any organisation in Aberdeen. Each individual card can work for any other organisation in Aberdeen, we have the creation of a citizen card – something that will provide value to the cardholder as they live, work or visit Aberdeen."
Quelle: Publictechnology, 05.04.2006
