Utility bill payment to be available in August 1, 2004
KISSIMMEE, Fla., June 23, 8:30 am — Doing business will get easier for thousands of Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) customers who will soon be able to pay their utility bills when they stop by a 7-Eleven® store equipped with a Vcom™ machine.
Today, KUA and 7-Eleven, Inc. (NYSE: SE), the world’s largest convenience retailer, announced a strategic alliance to offer in-person bill payment services with e-Money Systems, Inc. through 7-Eleven’s Vcom electronic kiosks. The new service, available in July, will allow 24-hour, touch-screen convenience for KUA customers through a variety of payment methods.
Under the agreement, customers can choose to pay their utility bills using cash, automated clearing house checking accounts and PIN-based ATM debit cards. Touch screen and directional instructions are available in English and Spanish. Receipts are issued for each payment, and KUA is electronically notified of the payment.
Vcom is 7-Eleven’s proprietary, financial services kiosk located in approximately 1,000 7-Eleven stores across the country. The self-serve machine allows customers to conduct ATM transactions, cash payroll and government checks, purchase money orders and transfer money through Western Union.
“Both KUA and 7-Eleven have large customer bases and, together, we are focused on bringing consumers added convenience,” said Jef Gray, vice president of information technology at KUA.
KUA initiated the agreement with 7-Eleven after research showed that nearly 50 percent of the utility’s customers pay their bills in person, totaling more than 25,000 transactions per month.
The Vcom kiosks are available at 112 7-Eleven locations in Central Florida and 222 throughout the state. 7-Eleven stores equipped with Vcom are located at the following addresses in Kissimmee:
~ 101 S. John Young Parkway
~ 2460 N. John Young Parkway
~ 3360 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy.
~ 4015 W. Vine St.
~ 1300 E. Donegan Ave.
~ 2975 N. Orange Blossom Trail
~ 1011 Buenaventura Lakes Blvd.
About KUA
Founded in 1901, KUA is Florida’s sixth largest community-owned utility providing electric, water, and telecommunication services to 170,000 residents in five Central Florida counties. Find out more about KUA at http://www.kua.com.
About e-Money Systems, Inc.
e-Money Systems, Inc. contracts with a variety of billers to provide secure electronic bill payment (EBP) solutions branded as ChoicePay™. Currently, there are more than one million active users of the service. The company is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Additional information on e-Money Systems can be found at http://www.emoneysystems.com.
# # #
Chris M. Gent
(407) 933-7777 x 1116
cgent@kua.com
Log In