Clarke American's InTouch Messaging and ServiceLine Plus Rapidly Gaining Momentum.

Business Editors

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2000

Credit Union Members Accept New Reordering 

and Marketing Initiatives

Clarke American, the fastest growing provider of checks and related products and services, announced that InTouch(R) Messaging and ServiceLine Plus(SM) have exceeded projected expectations, acceptance and demand by partnering credit unions and their members. After having just been fully introduced to the credit union market in the fourth quarter of 1999, both InTouch Messaging and ServiceLine Plus are each currently being used by more than 40 partnering credit unions.

InTouch Messaging, designed in partnership with Xerox, uses digital printing technology to allow credit unions to target members with customized messages right in their check pad, and ServiceLine Plus is a co-sourcing service that facilitates the check reordering and inquiry process directly by Clarke American's customer service representatives.

Brad Wheeless, vice president and general manager Clarke American Credit Union Division said, "Clarke American always tries to stay on the fore-front of the services credit union members want and expect, and we are pleased with the response these two unique services have generated. Members want to have ordering convenience and be able to get the answers to their check order-related questions immediately. ServiceLine Plus provides this service.

"InTouch Messaging gives the credit union an excellent alternative to direct mail. A personalized marketing message can be included right in the members check pads, and research has shown that someone is more apt to read and remember a message when it's inserted directly in the check pad," Wheeless continued.

Government Employees Credit Union of El Paso is just one of many credit unions that is offering both services to its members. N. Joe (Skip) Thompson, vice president of Planning and Product Development at GECU-El Paso, said, "We have been a Clarke American partner for many years and they are very responsive to our needs, and keep abreast of the latest technology. InTouch Messaging has been a great way for us to target special promotions to our members while ServiceLine Plus allows our members to call Clarke American directly to inquire about the status of their check reorder."

Clarke American has several other new initiatives that have recently been introduced that reinforce its commitment to the credit union industry, including a credit union-specific Web site, www.creditunions.clarkeamerican.com and Check Reorder Express, a service where members can reorder checks that require no edits directly from the Web site.

About Clarke American

Clarke American Checks, Inc., headquartered in San Antonio, is one of the largest specialty printers of financial institution checks in the United States. Since 1975, Clarke American has been helping credit unions increase member satisfaction, reduce operating costs and gain primary financial institution status. Producing more than 8.5 billion checks per year, Clarke American has an unmatched 99.92 percent printing accuracy rate in the industry.

Clarke American's unique services include InTouch(R) Messaging and ServiceLine Plus. InTouch digital printing technology can be used to send a general introduction message about new products and services, announce branch openings or make a targeted offer to a specific member. ServiceLine Plus is a service offered to partnering credit unions, and was developed as part of Clarke American's service innovations to facilitate the check reorder and inquiry process.

For additional information about Clarke American's Credit Union products and services, contact Julie Faulkner, director of marketing at [phone], write 10931 Laureate Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78249 or email [e-mail]. Visit its Internet site at http://creditunion.clarkeamerican.com or www.clarkeamerican.com.