Data Points: Can tailor functionality for specific industry needs, such as retail, financial services, or corporate gifting.
Additional Costs
Setup/Implementation Fees: Often vary based on project scope; can range from $5,000 to over $50,000 for large, customized setups.
Monthly Support & Maintenance: Usually included in service agreements; additional support options may incur charges.
Transaction Fees: Per-transaction costs, typically a percentage of sales (varies widely, e.g., 2-4%).
Customization & Development Charges: If extensive custom features are needed beyond standard offerings.
Training & Onboarding: May have separate charges depending on the vendor arrangement.
Training
Dedicated account managers: Personalized support during setup and rollout.
User guides and manuals: Detailed instructions tailored for administrators and end-users.
Ongoing support: Helpdesk and customer service regarding technical issues, usage questions, and troubleshooting.
Training sessions: Available on request, often customized for specific business needs, including refresher courses.
Security Measures
Secure data storage: Encryption of sensitive data both at rest and in transit.
PCI DSS compliance: Ensures secure handling of payment card information.
Regular security audits: To identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Access controls: Role-based permissions for employees and partners.
Fraud detection: Monitoring transactional data for suspicious activity.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA): For system access.
Data backup & recovery: Regular backups to prevent data loss.
Updates
Frequency: Blackhawk Network releases updates several times a year, including minor patches and major upgrades.
Management: Updates are typically managed through a structured deployment process:
Testing: Before release, updates are thoroughly tested.
Deployment: Managed by the Blackhawk technical team, often with minimal disruption.
Communication: Customers are notified in advance about major updates.
Support: Post-update support ensures compatibility and troubleshooting.
Data Ownership and Portability
Data Ownership: Clients retain ownership of their transactional and customer data used within the platform.
Data Usage: The company processes data solely for providing the service; it does not claim ownership.
Data Portability: Clients usually have the right to export their data upon request, facilitating migration to other systems, subject to contractual terms.
Scaling Up / Down
Scaling Up: Usually supported via flexible contracts or Service Level Agreements (SLAs); additional fees may apply depending on volume increases.
Scaling Down: Can be negotiated; may involve minimum commitments or notice periods. Cancellation or reduction often requires advance notice (e.g., 30–90 days).
Contract Flexibility: Some contracts support on-demand scaling, but specifics depend on the agreement and product.
The terms & conditions for contract renewal and cancellation
Renewal Terms: Often auto-renew unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least 30–60 days before expiry.
Renewal Conditions: May include performance reviews, service level assessments, and fee adjustments.
Cancellation Terms: Typically require written notice, with penalties or fees for early termination if specified.
Post-Cancellation: Data access rights may be limited after termination; clients generally have a set period (e.g., 30 days) to export their data.
Renewal/Termination Fees: Possible charges or early termination fees depending on the contract.
Compliance
PCI DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
SOC 2: Service Organization Control reports covering security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
GDPR: Data protection standards for European data subjects, if applicable.
SOC 1 & SOC 2: For financial and security controls.
ISO 27001: Information security management system.
Financial industry regulations: Depending on the product and geography, additional compliance may be required.
