Supporting an Emerging Electronic Marketplace
Mondex International had recently beefed up its implementation consulting arm with both technical and
commercial specialists. They would help diffuse the scheme into other environments, working with local
personnel to modify the scheme to local conditions while maintaining security, interoperability, and a
consistent brand identify (see exhibit 5 for recent position announcements for Mondex International.)
Education was a key requirement for Mondex International as David Braddock, Head of Technical
Development and Services at Mondex, explained:
The benefits of the electronic purse are relatively quickly seen by commercial people.
Technically gearing up to achieve it is much more difficult. There is a significant need for
education, particularly within our customer's technology departments. The amount of support
and assistance required from the territories is considerable.
To meet this need Mondex international had developed an Implementation Support Program (ISP). The ISP
included a number of training courses and a tool kit to assist in sizing the pilot, identifying the target customer
base, acquiring retail participants, and developing technical infrastructure. Mondex frequently brought
representatives of its "Global Founders" to Swindon.
Mondex International and its global partners would also require sophisticated information technology
support. Mondex' site on the World Wide Web provided information on the Swindon roll out, descriptions of
the technology and security considerations, and short video clips promoting the technology. Mondex USA
had established a similar web site. But, as of July of 1996, there was still relatively modest use of the Internet
technologies within MXI. Chris Potts, Head of Commercial Development and Marketing for MXI, explained the
need for greater internal integration.
We are, on one hand, a small start up while, on the other, we are a major global player in this
industry. Ours is a truly global market. What is happening in Tokyo yesterday matters in San
Francisco tomorrow. Already we sometimes know more about events in offices in Tokyo than we
do of developments in our own offices in the UK. However we must be careful in our own use of
IT. Whatever we create must be in keeping with our image as a secure provider of electronic
payments. Nevertheless, there is an overwhelming need for a sophisticated IT infrastructure. .