St. Paul, Minn.— Deluxe Financial Services today announced it has selected participants for the 2005-2006 Knowledge Exchange Small Business Collaborative, with the theme of “Transforming the Customer Experience for Small Businesses.” Beginning this September, 15 financial executives from banks and credit unions nationwide will embark on a year-long series of learning sessions to design and implement strategies for improving satisfaction and loyalty for small business customers at financial institutions. The new Collaborative members will begin their journey on September 28-30, 2005, in New York City. In an often-competitive industry, bank and credit union executives in the Collaborative will work together to strengthen their relationships with small businesses to increase customer loyalty, retention and revenue in today's competitive environment. Guided by Deluxe and thought leaders in the area of customer experience, the Collaborative's 15 members will spend a year together learning and applying the unique disciplines of Customer Experience Excellence. “Great things happen when passionate individuals embrace a common cause and open themselves to new learning and disciplines,” said Jeff Van De Velde, Collaborative Experience Director and Guide. Last year's Collaborative proved that it's not only their business that benefits—but the entire financial services industry.” The Small Business Collaborative will first assess customer satisfaction challenges in their own institution, identifying sources of customer disengagement and opportunities for improvement. Then they will design and implement new customer experience strategies in their own branches, sharing their findings with other Deluxe Knowledge Exchange Series members at the conclusion of the Collaborative in fall 2006. With more than 25 million small businesses nationwide, the Collaborative's new focus comes in response to an industry-wide realization of the importance of this growing customer segment. Deluxe is strategically positioned as a model partner in this effort, with programs like Deluxe Business AdvantageSM already helping financial institutions serve small businesses efficiently and effectively. Guided by Deluxe, the Collaborative will work to orchestrate outstanding customer experiences for small businesses, encouraging banks and credit unions to help one another understand the unique needs of small business customers. “The success of the inaugural 2004-2005 Collaborative, which focused on improving the customer experience in the first 90 days of a new account opening, defined Deluxe's role as a customer experience thought leader in the financial services industry,” said Chuck Feltz, president, Deluxe Financial Services. “The 2005-2006 Collaborative is an extension of our role as a trusted, valued business partner, helping banks and credit unions excel in the eyes of their customers.” The Collaborative is part of the Deluxe Knowledge Exchange Series, a forum for financial institutions to network and gain insights into shared business challenges. Over 3,300 members have access to various components including The Deluxe Knowledge InsiderSM, a comprehensive industry resource for financial institution executives; the Deluxe Knowledge Quarterly magazine and ongoing web seminars and regional workshops that provide opportunities to interact directly with leading business experts. Learn more at knowledgeexchange.deluxe.com.