First Data, a US-based provider of electronic commerce and payment processing services, and American Express, have entered into a new merchant services agreement in Poland.
Under the terms of the agreement, First Data will become the exclusive merchant acquirer and merchant processor for American Express card transactions in Poland.
First Data will assume responsibility for the range of merchant services including signing new merchants to accept American Express branded cards, managing relationships with existing merchants and processing merchant transactions on the American Express network.
First Data will also be responsible for managing and implementing new services for American Express merchants in Poland, including migration to the Europay, MasterCard, Visa standard. American Express card acceptance will remain available to Polish merchants through a number of acquiring agents, overseen by First Data.
Nigel Bidmead, senior vice president and head of First Data’s international retail business, said: This exclusive agreement gives First Data’s Polish operation a sustainable, competitive advantage, unmatched by any other bank or competitor in the region. We believe that we will be able to further grow card acceptance for American Express in Poland and introduce a totally new level of service quality to our merchants.
Pascal Guignard, vice president and general manager of global network services in Europe, Middle East and Africa for American Express, said: In First Data we have an ideal services provider. Through this agreement, American Express will be well-positioned to enhance the value provided to merchants. Together we will continue to focus on expanding card acceptance and usage at merchant locations that attract high spending American Express cardholders from both within and outside Poland.
