News

askHarris selects MEI cash acceptor

March 27, 2002

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - MEI, a leading supplier of electronic payment systems, is providing the LE3000 cash acceptor for use in askHarris.com's bill payment kiosks. These kiosks are used in Texas, Florida and California grocery stores that accept utility bill payments. askHarris kiosks enable grocery store patrons to pay their utility bills with cash, checks, debit or credit cards, providing storeowners with alternatives to customer service booths.

Bob Munkatchy, president of Houston-based askHarris, said that because a large number of askHarris patrons do not have bank accounts, the ability of the kiosk to accept cash is vital to the company's success. Cash transactions are 50 percent of total transactions.

The LE3000 bill acceptor takes $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills facing up, down, or either direction, even if the bills are torn, wrinkled and dirty. The machine includes a removable, lockable cassette for increased security. Optical technology reads the variations in the magnetic ink on any bill, enabling the bill acceptor to validate bills with a high degree of accuracy, and to transport bills without touching them, reducing the chances of jamming.  
  
askHarris develops, manufactures and deploys kiosk information systems and bill payment systems.

MEI (formerly Mars Electronics International) has been developing advanced, secure and high-performance electronic payment systems since 1969. MEI's products include electronic cash acceptors, coin change-giving machines, card-based cashless payment systems and electronic audit systems.