ACOM to Throw In Free Printer on Software Sale

August 24, 2010 Alex Woodie

Here’s an interesting deal to consider: Customers that buy a license for electronic payment management software from ACOM Solutions–the kind that moves payments from paper-based checks to electronic payment clearinghouses–will receive a Xerox check printer as part of the deal.

Under the deal that ACOM announced last week, customers who purchase a license for EZPayManager for Windows or IBM i through September 30 will receive a Xerox Phaser 3250N laser check printer. ACOM says the printer has a value of $895 (the Phaser 3250 listed for between $400 and $500 in a Google product search does not include the MICR feature, an ACOM manager says).

EZPayManager helps streamline payments in two ways. First, it provides an onramp to the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH) electronic payment network, where checks and payments are made electronically. The second major feature of EZPayManager is to enable the printing of checks on blank check stock, which saves money by not requiring the customer to purchase pre-printed checks.

Since most EZPayManager customers won’t be able to move all of their transactions to the ACH network, it makes sense to give customers a printer that’s highly suited to printing checks. ACOM started selling the Phaser 3270N–which supports MICR and includes a PCMCIA card slot that can be used to store the graphics and digitalized signatures–about 20 months ago.

The Phaser 3250N prints checks at 30 pages per minute and print resolution of 600 dpi, with a first-page-out time of 8.5 seconds. It can also be used for general office printing by changing the toner cartridge and flipping a switch, according to James Scott, vice president of sales and marketing for the Long Beach, California-based company.