"Small business embodies so much of what America is all about. Self-reliance, hard work, innovation, and the courage to take risks for future growth: these are values that have served our Nation well since its very beginning. They are values to be passed on from generation to generation. We must ensure that our small businesses continue to thrive and prosper, not just for their own sakes, but as well, for the impact they have on us all."
 | City Limitless, the first program of its kind, was specifically designed to assist locally owned businesses while at the same time provide opportunities to strengthen the bonds between small business and surrounding communities. City Limitless is available to locally owned businesses. |
A franchise can participate in the program as long as it maintains local ownership. To participate in the program a business simply downloads an existing terminal device, most of which are already compatible with the City Limitless "trigger module". City Limitless transactions can also be tracked on existing point of sale equipment utilizing the MasterCard, VISA or Debit/Maestro Networks. Virtually any countertop terminal or electronic cash register (ECR) that accepts MasterCard or Visa can participate in routing a program transaction.
 City Limitless merchants will also have the opportunity to upgrade existing point of sale software and/or terminal devices including high speed, wireless and portable models, all providing access to a variety of value-added applications and CRM programs. Previous to City Limitless these types of applications have not been widely available to small and midsize merchants. The GeN "X-2" technology will serve to greatly enhance marketing and promotional efforts year-round and provide merchants turnkey access to the tools necessary to compete in communities, that more and more are facing an influx of large corporations and multi-national chains. For years these corporations and large chains have been able to out spend local businesses with advertising campaigns and clever electronic marketing programs supported by an unending supply of resources. Several major retail studies have provided unimpeachable evidence, (Santa Fe Independent Business Report, Angelou Economics), that chain merchants take at least four times more money out of the community where a consumer transaction takes place than when performed at a locally owned business. In one way or another, a high percentage of the revenues end up at corporate headquarters. Local businesses tend to re-invest in themselves and in the process more dollars remain in the community.
 | Long overdue, has been the need to provide similar technologies, applications and program models so that small merchants can compete more fairly and finally begin to level the playing field in what has become a very competitive marketplace. City Limitless was conceived to address these inequities, as the model has been engineered to leave very little for the merchant to think about except selecting which applications to engage, and at what time, to best suit their individual marketing and promotional needs. This allows the small business owner the opportunity to create individualized electronic loyalty, stored value, and gift and VIP card programs with the ability to monitor precise results. Thus, merchants have the flexibility to change programs and gain advantage over their larger counterparts while remaining competitive as seasonal business cycles will dictate throughout the year. |
 Cardholder recruitment will be obtained through local banks and community organizations, including schools, churches, social networks and qualified local charities. Besides the normal distribution channels, any consumer who patronizes a participating merchant can, on the spot, enroll in the program, activate his or her City Limitless card and immediately benefit from the use the program. Strategic kiosk locations will be setup and staffed to provide community relations and assist in consumer awareness.
 | The City Limitless platform is compatible with most next generation merchant terminals and the software is remotely downloadable in minutes to any of these devices, many of which are already in use at merchants that have been selected. In the case of merchants who have electronic cash registers that include payment, then the City Limitless trigger module is integrated into the operating system. The integration process takes about 15 days and once completed the resulting software can be downloaded to any terminal that runs on the same operating system. There are only 5 major ECR systems that will need to be integrated to cover 80% of the targeted merchants. Plans have already begun to complete this integration with the top three manufacturers. | |
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