ASU plans to change its contract with Blackboard, Inc., hoping to improve the Sun Dollar program for businesses accepting Sun Cards, said Sam Wheeler, executive director for ASU’s Auxiliary Business Services.
Blackboard manages Sun Dollar services for businesses off campus, but Wheeler reported that issues with the service have led University officials to inform Blackboard that they want changes to the program.
“We’ll be making a change in the next four-to-six months and Blackboard has been notified,” Wheeler said. “We are looking for a new vendor down the road, but it’s not official yet.”
Some businesses have reported problems with customer service and technology. Wheeler said he has had trouble reaching Blackboard representatives, an issue merchants with Sun Dollar machines have also complained about.
ASU uses Blackboard as its liaison for off-campus vendors who want to accept Sun Dollars, and Blackboard is responsible for helping those businesses get machines, assisting in keeping them in working condition and servicing them when necessary, Wheeler said.
Businesses typically sign a contract where they give 5 percent of all transactions from Sun Dollars back to the University, which is split between ASU and Blackboard, Wheeler said. He estimated that Blackboard received $25,000 in the last year from the off-campus businesses that accept Sun Dollars.
Matt Maurer, a spokesman for Blackboard, said the company’s documents show the vast majority of merchants appeared to have experienced normal service, citing only three merchants who requested new machines.
“ASU is a valued partner and they are part of our commitment to our clients to review their needs and best suit them,” he said.
However, not all businesses working with Blackboard have been satisfied with the experience, according to several business owners.
“We had trouble getting our machine at first and it was dial-up, which was not convenient,” said Tony Trump, manager of Spoon Me at the Tempe campus Vista del Sol. “We went back and forth. It took about five e-mails and 10 phone calls to get the machine.”
Lisa Bayne, owner of the Tempe boutique Here on the Corner, said her Sun Dollar machine is currently out of service, which lost her at least one customer last week.
“This girl was in here and going to buy a cute little dress with her Sun Dollars and I had to tell her my machine was down and she didn’t have another way to pay for it,” she said. “That’s my frustration right there.”
If clients are having trouble with their machines, they are supposed to call a 24-hour support line, which has a live help desk for all merchant inquiries, Maurer said.
Bayne said she called almost two weeks ago and her machine still isn’t working.
“Since then, I think I’ve talked to someone on that line daily,” she said. “They’ve told me a number of things are wrong. First it was a power surge, then I needed a new machine, now I don’t, but mine needs to be re-programmed. I don’t think they know what to do.”
Since January, Bayne said she has called the service line several times and asked for the machine to be reprogrammed.
“I’m frustrated with their customer service,” she said. “I feel like some of their representatives are just reading instructions off the screen.”
Wheeler said vendors who use Sun Dollars should be able to do so without a hassle.
“This should be working seamlessly,” he said. “The vendors should have the correct technology and shouldn’t struggle with this system. It shouldn’t work like that.”
Reach the reporter at sheydt@asu.edu
