B4B Payments Case Studies

Simplify and eliminate antiquated payment processes with B4B Payments prepaid solutions.

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B4B Payments Customer Stories

UK charity, Migrant Help chooses prepaid card experts B4B Payments, for financially inclusive payout solution. “ We have found this payment solution very simple and easy to use, the system is user friendly and we’ve found the B4B staff to be very supportive and responsive whenever we’ve had to escalate an issue. This has made a real resource and efficiency saving for our organisation.

The Solution has been empowering for our clients who are able to manage their own money for the first time, made the process significantly quicker and less time consuming for staff ” Rabiya Ravat, Deputy Director of National Operations

Payroll and Payouts

For Migrant Help, finding a cash solution that suited their organisational mission and practical limitations was a must. In their work, assisting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, being able to provide ways to aid recovery is paramount. Money was one of the biggest hurdles in the process since displaced or exploited individuals often don’t have the facilities to open a typical bank account.

With that problem in mind, B4B Payments was the ideal partner. Though in the past the charity was required to make hand-to-hand payments of cash, this was high-risk and not appropriate in all circumstances. As such, a prepaid Mastercard® was the perfect alternative – offering all the benefits of a cash-free system without requiring the paperwork and process of an individual bank account.

Using specially designed prepaid cards, Migrant Help has been able to support and protect hundreds of people looking tobetter their lives through the charity. Helping those that need it the most means providing that additional degree of independence over their own lives. B4B Payments offers that perfect middle ground between formal financial support and cash-inhand, helping at-risk individuals to get on with their lives and reach more positive outcomes

Ease of use, Practicality, and Functionality Migrant Help have now achieved the best possible system for supporting victims of exploitation and modern slavery. By choosing to work with the B4B Payments team, they’ve created a solution that not only works – but benefits both recipients and staff at the same time. Modernisation is vital for any charity to continue to succeed, and Migrant Help has undoubtedly got that box ticked by making a move from a cash-only process to one that can be done with far less face-to-face time.

Alpha Contract Solutions uses B4B Payments to simplify and streamline payouts to their temporary and unbanked workers Alpha Contract Solutions is a dynamic HR company, supplying civil engineering consultants and contractors to prestigious projects across Europe. They needed a smart, flexible and secure payment system to manage their payroll of UK contractors, many of whom are working on temporary projects in other countries, without local bank accounts. The innovative and award-winning prepaid Mastercard solution from B4B Payments turned out to be a great fit for their business.

The next level in employee satisfaction

Payroll and Payouts

Prior to turning to B4B Payments, ACS used the legacy banking system of international transfers across borders, but found that the process was difficult and time-consuming for both management and the contractors out in the field.

With prepaid cards, the process is fast and easy. ACS contractors are issued with an ACS branded card, which can be loaded with funds quickly and securely. There is no requirement from the employee to fill in any paperwork and recipients receive an SMS notification once the payment has been made. They can then use the card to pay for goods and services anywhere a Mastercard payment is accepted, online or in-store. The funds are immediately available, and the card can be used worldwide 24/7.

Secure, efficient and fraud-proof The B4B Payment system eliminates the complicated accounting processes involved when handling cash and expense forms. ACS management found the process, with its clear audit trail, an ideal way to streamline their payroll system. If a card is lost, it can be easily replaced, with no risk to the business. The card is sent directly to the employee and usually arrives within 24 hours. If there is an emergency, top-up funds can be loaded onto the card quickly and securely and the system is fully controllable. Incentives, expense costs and rewards are also all easily incorporated and managed.

Outstanding service and support The management of ACS is dedicated to being hands-on and detail-oriented, with a commitment to supporting complex projects that operate around the clock, in multiple time-zones. This means that they require very high standards of support from all of their suppliers. They found the team at B4B Payments more than equal to the task. From initial meetings to the system going live, the process was smooth and effective.

“The service we’ve received from the team is great – the whole thing has worked well right from day one,” added Sefton Hanley, Director at Alpha Contract Solutions.

For ACS, partnering with B4B Payments has clearly proved to be a winning strategy in managing their payroll efficiently and cost-effectively, with maximum benefit and satisfaction to their employees.

B4B Payments partners with UK full-service channel agency, Outbound for prepaid solution.

Recognising the need for efficient, secure, and cost-effective incentives and rewards programmes to deliver to their clients – as well as better way to manage company expenditure, Outbound turned to B4B Payments for a solution which ticked all the boxes.

Incentives & Rewards

Outbound is a full-service channel agency, specialising in Sales, Marketing and Management. They help vendors deliver maximum influence, using their long-standing expertise in the IT sector. Their clients include major brands such as HP and Lexmark, with dedicated teams to deliver channel engagement strategies, channel marketing, partner management, demand generation and programme administration with proven results.

B4B Payments partners with many of the UK’s foremost marketing agencies to provide prepaid payment solutions to their clients; encompassing corporate expense management and employee rewards. In a fast-paced world where rewards are needed quickly but must comply with all applicable financial services legislations, we work with agencies to understand their brief and select the best solution.

Expenses

A complete solution Outbound, like many organisations, previously used gift vouchers for company reward schemes resulting in an unwanted variation of gift based on country. Needing a solution which allowed them to standardise perks, so that individuals within countries didn’t feel they were getting a better or worse deal and wary of sending out gift vouchers in the post, as there was the chance that they could get lost was a major priority. At the same time, Outbound were using personal and company credit cards for trips and expenditure, so being able to combine a cashless solution which fits both needs meant that the B4B solution was the best option.

Claire King, Programme Manager at Outbound, explained that the solution had added value on a number of fronts.

She said: �We have used B4B Payments across many projects with different clients - for example HP or Lexmark. The ability to create personalised cards is a useful way of creating brand awareness for the client.

The B4B system is easy to use and send rewards and expenses to clients.�

Outbound chose B4B Payments to provide a solution that offered more choice. By providing personalised, prepaid cards which covered both incentives and expenses in one, made it much easier to provide a standardised reward, more control over company expenses, and saved time in accounting.

A great advantage for Outbound was the ability to send B4B cards with zero value, and then top them up with funds when the recipient confirms safe receipt, giving them peace of mind about funds going astray.

The result was a robust solution which allowed Outbound to deliver more value for their clients, offering them the ability to add personalised branding to the cards, enhanced security features, and full use of the B4B Payments platform, making their switch from gift vouchers, and personal payments to B4B prepaid cards all the more rewarding.

Next Steps South West provides support with prepaid Higher Education Travel Cards

Payroll and Payouts

Next Steps South West (NSSW) is an organisation, part of the Uni Connect programme, funded by the Office for Students. Their aim is to increase progression into higher education by inspiring young people, working with teachers and parents to overcome barriers.

NSSW use personalised, prepaid cards for their Higher Education Travel Card scheme to enable students to attend university and college open days.

B4B Payments provides forward-thinking payment processing solutions, enabling any size organisation to manage its expenses, simplify its payroll and offer rewards and incentives using prepaid cards. With over 1,000 customers and growing all of the time, B4B Payments was voted the Best Prepaid Product of the Year in 2019.

Taylor Keno, a student at Eggbuckland Community College in Plymouth, was the subject of multiple interventions from NSSW, who offered one-to-one support, motivational talks and workshops to help him become the first member of his family to attend university.

With the help of B4B Payment’s prepaid cards, NSSW was able to cover the cost of help Taylor travel to attend a UCAS exhibition and open days at the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth.

Following the support of NSSW, Taylor was able to earn multiple university offers to become an undergraduate student in September 2020.

With B4B Payment’s online portal, customers can easily load their cards with funds in a matter of minutes, track their expenditure and monitor access to their funds, giving organisations like NSSW, complete control over their finances.

Annie Winsland, Central Team Leader at NSSW expressed her gratitude for B4B Payment’s prepaid cards: ”The whole process has been simple and straightforward. Nothing is too much trouble for B4B staff and their swift response to any matter that may arise and the ability to tailor cards to suit our needs is a definite win for us.”

B4B prepaid Mastercard®, issued by Wirecard, replace cash payments and can be used at ATMS and in millions of different locations online and in-store worldwide.

B4B Payments offers top Italian travel company a solution for corporate expense management challenge.

B4B Payments recently solved an urgent problem for one of their clients, Idee Per Viaggiare (IPV), by providing prepaid business cards for corporate expense management. The problem was resolved in less than 24 hours.

Expenses

Eliminates the need to handle cash By using a prepaid card, the users didn’t have to juggle cash, receipts, and expense claims.

An agreed amount was loaded onto each card, which could be spent at any food outlet, online or store-based, that accepted Mastercard. Because the card service is linked to a comprehensive management portal and fully mobile-friendly, receipts can be immediately photographed and uploaded from a smartphone. IPV’s client was able to view transactions on all the cards on the management portal and could use an automatic daily top-up option to refill the cards to a set level. The cards could also be blocked or cancelled if necessary.

Makes the experience easy for users The card users were able to relax and participate in the study sessions without worrying about handling foreign currency when paying for meals. The cards are as simple to use as a normal credit card, and the online cardholder portal is easy to access with a personal pin and allows the user to check the balance on the card at any time. The cards can be set up to be loaded with any amount from 300 euros a month to 4,000 euros a month depending on the client’s needs.

Reduces the risk of financial loss By using B4B, IVP was able to protect their client from the risk of losing money through uncontrolled employee spending, errors or potential fraud. Furthermore, the system ensured policy and regulatory compliance and guarded against losses through unclaimed or repaid VAT. “We are very happy to be working with B4B,” says CFO Roberto Viola.

“We count on our partners to support our client offering.

B4B makes the payment process very easy.”

B4B and the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup

Expenses

On the 30th May to 14th July 2019, cricket fans around the globe had their eyes firmly fixed on Lord’s as the thrilling 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup took place. As the top ten cricket teams in the world came together to battle it out for the world cup title, B4B Payments offered their services to the cup’s hosts, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), to provide elite payment solutions to the cricket teams, their management and key CWC staff.

B4B Payments’ prepaid business cards allowed teams from around the world to easily distribute funds to their players and staff. As B4B Payments’ prepaid business cards can be used anywhere in the world that accepts Mastercard payments, they can be monitored closely to ensure funds are being used in the correct way. This ensures corporate expense management is effortless and receipts can be managed through B4B Payments’ digital tools.

Sam de Terte, Financial Controller for the ECB, said: “I was very pleased with the solution B4B Payments provided to help support the players, officials and staff during the CWC19.

The B4B team’s professionalism when rolling out the solution and the support provided to ensure the teams and officials could concentrate on their on-field performance, providing the best World Cup experience for the fans around the world.”

When trying to execute such a prestigious event, or travelling around the world to compete in a sports event, the last thing you want on your mind is obtaining, carrying and storing a large amount of cash. For the ECB and the teams taking part in the event, B4B Payments eliminated this problem with their prepaid business cards.

B4B Payments continue to offer their services by partnering with future sports events and help sports teams and event organisers around the world say goodbye to inefficient expense systems.

Salvation Army choose Fintech prepaid cards specialist B4B Payments in modern slavery response Press Release

Cashless advocates and prepaid payments company, B4B Payments is lending its technological weight to The Salvation Army in the vital work to support recovering victims of modern slavery, by working with the organisation on cashless payment technology.

Cashless advocates and prepaid payments company, B4B Payments is lending its technological weight to The Salvation Army in the vital work to support recovering victims of modern slavery, by working with the organisation on cashless payment technology.

The Fintech organisation, which is a fast-growing player in the prepaid card industry for over 14 years, is helping The Salvation Army to roll out its prepaid cards among victims of modern slavery for whom cash is an insecure method of payment. The rapid introduction of this new technology is one of many measures The Salvation Army and its partners have initiated with support from the Home Office to adapt the way support is provided to victims of modern slavery in its care. The use of prepaid cards enables The Salvation Army to minimise face to face contact during the coronavirus pandemic in delivering subsistence payments to which victims of modern slavery are entitled under the Government contract through which The Salvation Army provides vital support to help them begin their journey of recovery.

Modern slavery is a problem which is still surprisingly prevalent around the world. Since 2011, The Salvation Army has supported more than 10,000 victims of modern slavery.

In 2019, 46% of potential victims who entered support were referred from London. It is estimated that one in two hundred people around the world is a slave, victims of all manner of exploitation hidden in plain sight in farms, factories and car washes and forced to work in the sex industry and even criminal activities such as drug smuggling.

Thanks to their amazing work in Britain and around the world, The Salvation Army is helping victims of modern slavery to begin new lives living independently when they are rescued from their captors, supporting the work undertaken through the Government contract with additional support programmes through our own charitable funds.

By partnering with B4B Payments, The Salvation Army is able to give the people it helps a prepaid MastercardÂŽ. This means that staff can give the victim all the money that they are entitled to at once without fear that they will be targeted, and it works as a viable alternative to cash. Users are also able to make cashless payments online using this method, just like a traditional bank card, so they can more easily access Government services or pay for things from home if they have a disability or restricted by social distancing measures.

Continued over...

Major Kathy, Betteridge, Director of Anti Trafficking and Modern Slavery for The Salvation Army said ”Even in these challenging times with coronavirus, The Salvation

Army and our partners are doing all we can so that victims have the best care possible, to keep them safe and help them continue their recovery.

Bringing forward the roll out of prepaid cards has been one of the key adaptations we’ve successfully introduced in recent weeks to help survivors of slavery as they not only begin to live independently but also supporting them to do this within Government guidelines, to protect them from infection.

The Salvation Army’s Victim Care Fund has made a contribution of £20,000 from its charitable resources to make sure we could get the prepaid cards to the vulnerable people in our care as quickly as possible.

We recognise the extraordinary demands on our staff, volunteers and partners, and want to thank them all, along with suppliers like B4B Payments, for stepping up in their rapid response to a fast-moving situation which has been exceptional and deserves commendation.”

B4B Payments CEO Paul Swinton said: ”It has been hugely rewarding to provide our

services to The Salvation Army because they’re tackling some of the biggest social problems in the world today. Financial inclusion is an issue that cuts across so many different areas including Modern Slavery, domestic abuse, people trafficking and homelessness, and it is vital that we as a financial technology company do our bit to innovate and help the less fortunate.”

Ends

Note to press: Please include annotations below: Stats on modern slavery and how The Salvation Army are supporting victims Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. The Card is issued by Wirecard Card Solutions Ltd (“WDCS”) pursuant to license by Mastercard International Inc. WDCS is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct electronic money service activities under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (Ref: 900051) --------------Press Contact: Katrina Hutchings, Marketing Director B4B Payments katrina.hutchings@b4bpayments.com For media enquiries, please contact The Salvation Army’s PR & Communications office: media@salvationarmy.org.uk / 020 3657 7555

B4B Payments [www.b4bpayments.com] provides forward-thinking payment processing solutions, which enable any size organisation to manage expenses, simplify payroll, reimbursements, and offer employee rewards and incentives.

With over 1,000 customers and growing, B4B Payments, voted the Best Prepaid Product of the Year in 2019, operates throughout Europe and North America.

As a leader in Fintech and prepaid payment solutions for over 12 years, employing a global team, B4B Payments continues to offer innovative, flexible, and time-saving solutions that streamline and eliminate antiquated finance and accounting processes.

B4B Payments Europe is a member of the Federation of Small Businesses, PIF (Prepaid International Forum), Innovate Finance, and the Mayor of London’s International Business Program.

Formerly known as Payment Card Solutions, B4B Payments also manages and operates the re-loadable scrapyard pay-out solution, www.bread4scrap.com.

About The Salvation Army’s modern slavery work: The Salvation Army was awarded the government contract in 2011 to provide specialist support for adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales, including safe accommodation, counselling, medical care, translation services and legal counselling. Victims seeking help have been trafficked to or within England and Wales and are referred to the service through a dedicated referral line 0800 808 3733 available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information visit the website: www.salvationarmy.org.uk/modern-slavery The Salvation Army is an international Christian church and registered charity which has been transforming lives for more than 150 years. Working in 131 countries worldwide, The Salvation Army offers friendship, practical help and support for people at all levels of need. In the UK and Republic of Ireland this work includes more than 750 community churches and social centres. Registered Charity Nos. 214779, 215174 and in Scotland SC009359, SC037691. For more information visit the website www.salvationarmy.org.uk

EF - Education First partners with B4B

Payroll and Payouts

EF - Education First is a world leader in educational travel and has been opening up the world through education for over 50 years. Founded in 1965, the team continues to inspire young people through immersive cultural experiences, helping teachers and students to study abroad, explore historical sites and access academic degree programs. With 612 offices and 52,000 employees, EF offers experiences in 114 countries across Europe, Asia and North and South America.

As a group tour operator offering immersive learning experiences, EF Education First International (EF) needs to be able to quickly and easily send funds from its headquarters in Zurich to tour directors out in the field. These tour directors are at the heart of the cultural experience, expertly guiding groups around exciting destinations and local landmarks. Easy access to a payment solution is vital.

EF and B4B Payments have worked together since 2017 to provide an efficient but flexible solution to ensure funds are easily sent around the globe to the right tour director at the right time.

Prepaid expense cards mean less admin and more time; Time to do the things that matter most.

As a result of our partnership, EF is making use of our round-the-clock corporate expense management system across the world, from London and Lima to Tokyo and Krakow, ensuring greater efficiency throughout the entire company. EF Finance Director Steve Clark says: “We worked with B4B Payments to install a payments solution that is efficient for the central back-office as well as our global tour needs.”

EF uses B4B corporate expense cards to distribute funds to its tour directors all over the world. Our prepaid expense cards are simple to use, which allows tour directors to easily cover on-the-road expenses freeing them up to focus on their number one priority, the travellers.

Mitigating risk and a clear audit trail of funds was a primary goal of EF’s brief to B4B when the programme was set up. It was just as important that the back-office users could find the system easy to use and reduce admin tasks along with the associated stress and pressure these bring.

EF uses the B4B’s system ability to bring ‘four-eyes’ onto financial transactions, set differing authorisation and budget levels depending on the tour.

Overall, these benefits lead to greater efficiency and optimal performance as our premier expense management platform cuts business costs and excels at a global level.

Ultimately, by partnering with B4B Payments, EF has found a solution that offers both flexibility and security. Steve Clark adds: ”We’re very happy with the B4B product and the service we’ve received from the team in London. Not only the initial product we procured in 2017 but also the incremental services they have brought to us based on our changing needs and feedback. B4B understands that we’re not a static business and is happy to grow with us as we move forward.”

B4B corporate expense cards are the answer for a leading charity, London Youth Expenses

This top charity finds that B4B’s prepaid business card platform is the perfect support for the running of its many programmes.

Paying expenses through petty cash was a timeconsuming headache for Shazia Mert, Programmes Support Officer for London Youth. Switching to corporate expense management through B4B Payments was a fantastic solution for her busy organisation.

Important work London Youth is a charity whose purpose is to improve the lives of young people in our nation’s capital. Last year, working through a multitude of different youth organisations, they supported more than 27 000 young people, giving new hope and opening up opportunities to grow and thrive. The project management challenges and the administrative load of this vital work can be overwhelming. So when Shazia found there was a better way to handle expense payments, she was immediately interested. B4B Payments’ corporate expense cards helped London Youth in three main ways: Quick and convenient Because the cards are pre-loaded with funds, the administrators can easily control and account for the amounts allocated, and the users do not have to use their own cash or juggle receipts and expense claims. Users can pay for goods and services, online or store-based, that accept Mastercard payments. The prepaid cards just saved so much time and frustration says Shazia: ”Paying funds by petty cash meant there were more likely errors in calculation, and we were unable to provide funds in advance when needed.”

With the new system, there is positive buy-in from users, and participation in events and programmes by members of the charity’s Youth Board is now fully supported.

Secure The cards can be loaded with any amounts from 300 to 4,000 euros a month. Cardholders can check balances online using a PIN, and topping up funds in an emergency is fast and straightforward. Lost cards are not a problem, with replacement cards issued within 24 hours. For London Youth, a further benefit was reducing the risk of losing money through uncontrolled spending, errors, or potential fraud. Furthermore, the system ensured policy and regulatory compliance - a critical factor in the management and accounting practices of any charity.

Great customer support B4B’s team makes sure that everything runs smoothly. ”Right from the start, the B4B team has been clear and helpful and friendly. Having one account manager who I can go to is so helpful. Having had the opportunity to build a rapport with my account manager, I know I can always trust her to deal with any problems or questions I may have. She already knows how my organisation uses the account, and so she can advise me accordingly.”

Shazia Mert, Programmes Support Officer

Church Service: Finding solutions with B4B Payments

Expenses

Connect Church took control of spending and increased the effectiveness of their multiple programmes by using prepaid business cards from B4B Payments.

Connect Church was founded 80 years ago in Birmingham and has grown to become a vibrant church for the modern age. It is multigenerational and multinational drawing people from across the city, and around the world, through its online services on Facebook and YouTube. It is run by a small staff who work hard to coordinate the work of more than 100 volunteers.

Until recently, the work of the church was facilitated using petty cash, or by people paying from their own pockets and claiming reimbursement. These methods were difficult to administer across so many activities and volunteers. Paperwork was not always submitted correctly, and the system was continually at risk. When staff made online purchases from their own pockets, there was often unavoidable delays before the money was reimbursed, which affected their family budget. Vital activities and services were delayed or adversely affected as a result. Connect Church needed a corporate expense management system that would work for them.

Finding payments solution that worked As a way of facilitating the online payments, Connect Church first considered debit and credit cards, linked to the church’s main account. However, they quickly recognised that this would still be difficult to administer as well as being a security risk.

Using corporate expense cards through B4B payments turned out to be the ideal solution.

Now, funds are loaded onto the cards by the administrator, according to an approved budget. The process is simple, and fast so that even emergency payments can be quickly handled 24/7 and the cards can be topped up as needed.

Users can then make purchases anywhere that accepts MasterCard® payments, in-store, or online. Receipts are uploaded online, so keeping track is secure and straightforward. Because the administrator can view all transactions in real-time on the secure B4B interface, users are not able to make large purchases or be tempted by a large credit balance.

Set up was simple, and support was available at every stage. The church staff found that working with the B4B team was a pleasure throughout the process.

“From day one, our interactions with the B4B team have been warm and helpful. They have always been quick to respond to our enquiries for support, and even though we are a relatively small concern, we have always been treated well as their clients.”

– Tracee McAtear, Executive Pastor

The proof is in the pudding The church immediately saw an increase in the number of services and programmes they were able to offer. The staff and volunteers no longer held back by slow, cumbersome claim processes could focus on running the activities of the church. Staff and key volunteers felt empowered to make their activities happen without delay and without the risk of being personally out of pocket. The church, which is also a registered charity, is run by trustees who can now rest assured that funds are responsibly utilised and accounted for according to fiduciary regulations.

Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. The Card is issued by Wirecard Card Solutions Ltd (“WDCS”) pursuant to license by Mastercard International Inc. WDCS is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct electronic money service activities under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (Ref: 900051) © 2006 - 2020 B4B Payments. B4B Payments is the trading name of Payment Card Solutions (UK) Ltd and is the operator of the B4B Prepaid Mastercard®.

All UK - B4B Payments, PO Box 76256, London, SW1P 9NU; Lithuania - UAB B4B Payments Europe, Lvovo Str 105a, Vilnius, LT-08104. USA - B4B Payments USA, 275 Grove Street, Suite 2-400, Newton, MA 02466 B4B Payments is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to conduct electronic money service activities under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (Ref: 930619).

B4B Payments is a Mastercard® Principal Member. Mastercard® is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.