MARKHAM, ON – Everlink Payment Services Inc. is pleased to announce that it is launching a new solution that will enable independent sales organizations (ISOs), credit unions and banks across Canada to provide their merchants with customizable gift card and loyalty programs. This development is the result of a recently signed reseller agreement with Ottawa based loyalty and rewards technology and service provider Ackroo Inc.

“One of our primary focuses moving into 2015 is to develop strategic partnerships that enable us to efficiently extend our already wide-ranging portfolio of innovative payments solutions,” says Mark Ripplinger, President & CEO at Everlink. “This new gift card and loyalty solution – powered by Ackroo – contributes positively to the evolution of Everlink by not only allowing us to bring a new product to our clients, but by doing so quickly and cost-effectively.”

“Gift card and loyalty programs continue to display strong growth due to their proven ability to attract and retain customers while simultaneously providing merchants with increased revenues and improved insight into customer spending habits,” says Ross Haider, General Manager of POS Acquiring at Everlink. “Our new partnership with industry-leader Ackroo ensures that Everlink will continue honoring our commitment of offering our clients the most innovative, secure and cost effective payments solutions available.”

“We are very excited about the partnership with Everlink Payment Services,” says Steve Levely, Chief Executive Officer at Ackroo. “The integration of our platform with Everlink will provide great growth opportunities for both organizations as the demand for integrated payment, gift card and loyalty continues to grow. We look forward to this being the start of a very long and prosperous partnership together.”

Everlink’s Gift Card & Loyalty program enables ISOs, credit unions and banks to provide customizable, easy to use and affordable solutions that are suitable for merchants, business networks, and associations of any size. They can be offered as standalone gift or loyalty cards, or a combination, and used in a physical store front or online environment.

Ackroo provides gift card and loyalty solutions into the $160 billion North American gift card and loyalty market. Their solutions enable businesses, merchants and business networks to increase profitability and build long-term customer relationships through customized gift card and loyalty programs. Ackroo’s web-based solutions provide the power of a massively scalable software platform in a lightweight online tool that works with existing point-of-sale equipment, making it easy and affordable for businesses to launch gift card & loyalty programs that deliver immediate return on investment. Ackroo is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. For more information, visit: www.ackroo.com

Everlink Payment Services Inc. is a leading provider of comprehensive, innovative and integrated payments solutions and services for credit unions, banks, and independent sales organizations across Canada. In addition to supplying best-in-breed technology infrastructure and payment network connectivity via our well established Payment Network Gateway, we offer a diversified range of integrated payments Lines of Business including: ATM Managed Services, Card Issuance & Management, Fraud Management, POS Acquiring and Professional Services.

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