The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU), a leader in global payment
services, and Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG), the nation’s largest
drugstore chain, have launched quicker and simpler international and
domestic money transfers through a new Western Union stage-and-pay kiosk
model via the Walgreens BalanceTM Financial platform.
Effective immediately, customers can conveniently send or receive money
at more than 7,650 Walgreens and Duane Reade locations in 49 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The
transaction can be initiated at a kiosk using a photo touchscreen and
finalized immediately or at another convenient customer time on the same
day. The service is available at Walgreens stores between 8 a.m. and 9
p.m.
The Walgreens roll-out follows Western Union’s multi-year agreement
signed with the national drugstore leader last year. The additional
locations will also expand the Western Union® U.S. agent
location count to more than 50,000.
According to Odilon Almeida, President of Western Union, Americas and
European Union, “Western Union’s advanced point of sale model
enhances access and experience by simplifying process, granting control
and facilitating speedy service end-to-end for customers, as well as
retail agents.
“We are bridging retail experience with digital innovation delivering
upon our omni-channel strategy, while making it simple and fast for our
customers. We are pleased to be rolling out this breakthrough service
model in collaboration with Walgreens,” Almeida said.
“Customers trust us to move their money across the globe and in return
they are expecting customized treatment and recognition. We are
listening to them and have raised the bar in offering self-service
experience along with built-in compliance capabilities,” he said.
With this new offering, consumers will experience accelerated
transactions by using the self-serve kiosk to independently fill out
their transactions. From the retailers’ perspective, it provides
additional convenience to customers, facilitates digital compliance
checking and efficient check-outs.
Western Union plans to roll out its quick and simple stage-and-pay
point-of-sale model via multiple channels, including customer service
hotlines, smartphone applications and kiosks.
Western Union services are a part of Walgreens suite of financial
service products that make it easy for millions of consumers to manage
their money in store, online or with a mobile device.
“In keeping with our goal to be first choice for health and daily living
for everyone in America and beyond, Walgreens will offer Western Union
Money Transfer transactions as part of our expanding suite of financial
services. Components like money-transfer transactions empower customers
by giving them easy access to powerful financial tools,” said Jason
Dubinsky, vice president and treasurer of Walgreens. “By giving
customers the ability to send and receive money at our stores, we are
delivering on our promise to offer financial services that provide
convenience and value.”
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment
services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western
Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union
provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient
ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to
purchase money orders. As of June 30, 2014, the Western Union, Vigo and
Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network
of over 500,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and
over 100,000 ATMs. In 2013, The Western Union Company completed 242
million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $82 billion
of principal between consumers, and 459 million business payments. For
more information, visit www.westernunion.com.
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Copyright Business Wire 2014