BANKING & FINANCE - June 10, 1993
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Visa, Sprint Plan New Calling Card Service: Visa U.S.A. and Sprint announced an alliance for a new calling card service, the latest effort by the credit card industry to expand the range and power of plastic money. The move comes as card issuers fine-tune the services offered with their cards to tailor them more closely to consumer needs. For example, Citibank has said it is offering a new program that extends the manufacturer’s warranty on toasters, compact disc players and other appliances purchased with a Citibank Visa or MasterCard for the expected life of the product. Improving service and developing closer customer relationships are key trends in the competitive industry, which increasingly is tailoring cards for specific audiences.
