Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 24 / Trend N.Ismayilova /
The International Payment System VISA International continues active collaboration with Azerbaijani banks and pays special attention to on-line payment development in the global financial crisis, Area Manager CIS at Visa Aleksandr Kalita said, on Nov.24
"The strategy of VISA is aimed at activating the debit portfolio, developing acquirer, premium segment, the commercial cards and new technologies and supports national culture on the cards platform," Kalita said
According to Kalita in spite of increase in issuing plastic cards and VISA transactions, only 4 percent of this turnover falls on operations through the trade centers, therefore the main purpose of VISA is to support development of the cashless payment and level of trust in banking sector
"We intend to establish collaboration with huge trade networks in Azerbaijan to insure high-quality customer services," Kalita said
"This collaboration will include distributing company attributes in the stores, carrying out special trainings for cashiers to develop cashless payment rules and accepting payments through plastic cards," Kalita said
According to Kalita , VISA is interested in huge trade networks of the country such as Almali supermarket networks
The company has supported the Central Bank to draft legislations in Azerbaijan aimed at increasing cashless transfers and presently continues developing additions and amendments to the legislative acts to more activate accepting plastic cards in trade centers, head of VISA office in Ukraine (formerly Area Manager CIS at Visa) Svetlana Georbelidze said
The total number of Visa plastic cards made up 27 percent, the payments amount - 37 percent, transaction in trade network-108 percent, the whole amount of transactions - 76 percent, trade centers amount - 35percent, VISA ATM - 19 percent, the total number of cards accepting points - 22 percent in Azerbaijan as of December 31, 2008 as compared to the same period of 2007.
At present VISA International collaborates with 30 banks in Azerbaijan. This is the second figure among the CIS countries
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