A California executive plans a high-profile launch of a new ATM-style machine that delivers airline tickets, cash and insurance policies, a new twist in the high-tech delivery of financial and travel services.
Vajid Jafri, president and chief executive of Docunet of South San Francisco, Calif., has assembled a high-powered corporate partnership to put the machines in an estimated 1,500 locations within the first year.Docunet scheduled an announcement on the new machines last week in Washington and plans partnerships with computer services company Electronic Data Systems, equipment maker Olivetti North America, phone company Bell Atlantic and Chemical Banking Corp.
Jafri says, "Docunet is to product delivery what the fax is to information delivery." The company plans to install its stand-alone Docunet Delivery Machines, featuring color touch screens and manufactured by Olivetti, in about 1,000 locations for consumers in the next year, he said.
The remaining 500 machines are targeted for large corporate offices.
At first, the machines will deliver airline tickets that previously had been ordered by customers through travel agents or by themselves. Tickets to concerts and other events will be available early next year.
Linked to an EDS financial services network, consumers will be able to use major charge and credit cards, such as American Express or Visa, as well as bank ATM cards, he said.
"In due time, we'll provide things such as mutual funds, insurance policies and health and welfare benefits," Jafri said.
Jafri lost two court battles to TWA and American Airlines in the 1980s but said those lawsuits aren't relevant to the new Docunet technology, which he said is proven and has been working in 20 test sites for four years.
One of Jafri's numerous previous business ventures was Tri World Travel in Houston, which was sued by American Airlines in 1983 for switching from American's Sabre airline reservation system to a system formerly owned by Trans World Airlines, known as PARS.
A Houston judge ordered Jafri and Tri World to pay a $232,454 judgment.
Jafri said TWA had asked Tri World to switch reservation systems, which he called a common practice in the industry, and TWA said it would pay the damages involved in such a switch.
When it didn't, Jafri's Jafcom Systems of San Mateo, Calif., filed a $3 million lawsuit against TWA in 1985 for the unpaid damages and for misappropriating technology Jafri said he had developed, Travel Weekly reported.
Jafri lost the case in a 1989 jury trial.
TWA spokesman Don Fleming said he didn't immediately have access to the lawsuit's history and declined comment.
Jafri said the past legal troubles don't mean he will have difficulty in delivering Docunet's considerable promises. He said the airline lawsuits involved issues in the airline ticket industry, while Docunet offers a service that eventually will integrate financial, entertainment and travel services.
Calls to Docunet were not immediately returned.