In Brief: J.C. Penney Will Use Fair, Isaac Software

J.C. Penney Co. has purchased Fair, Isaac & Co.'s Triad account and customer management software for its proprietary portfolio of 25 million active card accounts.

Penney cards are accepted at 1,200 department stores and 2,800 Eckerd drugstores, as well as for catalogue and Internet purchases.

Triad, which is widely used by financial services institutions around the world, "will help us identify and prioritize strategies so we can refine our offerings to customers in a more precise and proactive fashion," said Rodney Carter, director of credit portfolio and financial management in the J.C. Penney credit division.

The retailer also is taking custom behavior and payment projection models for credit line management, authorizations management, and collections of delinquent accounts.

"We like the flexibility that Triad offers in model implementation," said Todd Nichelson, account strategy manager, J.C. Penney Portfolio Management. He said the system will allow Penney to review accounts proactively and offer credit-line increases well before customers call to request additional services.