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Financial services company American Express and network operator Verizon Wireless announced they will integrate Serve, a next-generation digital payment and commerce platform, on many Verizon mobile phones and tablets. Over the coming months, Verizon Wireless customers will be able to establish Serve accounts that will enable them to make payments and redeem offers for goods and services directly from their mobile phones and tablets using Serve.
Serve is designed to simplify the online checkout experience by authenticating a mobile number, then allowing a customer to make a purchase on-screen. Verizon customers who use Serve can expect to buy goods and services on their mobile phone in just a few clicks. Merchants who accept Serve mobile payments will have access to a streamlined option for processing and settlement. The Serve card is currently accepted by the millions of merchants in the United States who accept American Express.
American Express and Verizon said they would also collaborate to source, distribute and simplify redemption of online and mobile offers with participating merchants through the use of the Serve account. For example, as customers redeem certain offers or coupons using their mobile phones, the credit may automatically appear in their Serve account.
The two companies are also working with Payfone to support Serve checkout on Verizon Wireless devices. Payfone’s pre-authorization and intelligent routing features will help Verizon Wireless customers who use the Serve application make mobile payments simply and securely, according to a joint press release issued by the companies.
“Our collaboration with Verizon highlights the speed at which Serve is evolving to reach a wide audience,” said Dan Schulman, group president of enterprise growth at American Express. “Verizon Wireless customers will soon be able to complement their busy lifestyle with a trusted payment platform that delivers a fast, flexible and secure way to manage their day-to-day mobile purchases, and together we’re taking the necessary steps to make mobile commerce a reality.”
Greg Haller, president of enterprise and government for Verizon Wireless, said Serve provides a quick and intuitive way for our customers to use their mobile service in a refreshingly convenient way. “Our commitment to building the entire mobile payments ecosystem, through our Isis joint venture and now with Serve, gives customers incredible new ways to use their mobile devices,” he said.