CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENT



         THIS  AGREEMENT  ("Agreement"),  by and between TOTAL SYSTEM  SERVICES,
INC., a Georgia corporation (the "Company") and __________________________  (the
"Employee") is entered into as of the 1st day of January,  1996 (the  "Effective
Date");

         WHEREAS,  the Board of  Directors  of the Company  (the  "Board"),  has
determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its  shareholders
to assure that the Company will have the  continued  dedication of the Employee,
notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a Change of Control (as
defined below) of the Company;

         WHEREAS, the Board believes it is imperative to diminish the inevitable
distraction  of the Employee by virtue of the personal  uncertainties  and risks
created  by a pending  or  threatened  Change of Control  and to  encourage  the
Employee's  full  attention and  dedication to the Company  currently and in the
event of any  threatened  or  pending  Change of  Control,  and to  provide  the
Employee with appropriate  compensation and benefits  arrangements upon a Change
of Control which are competitive with those of other corporations; and

         WHEREAS, in order to accomplish these objectives,  the Board has caused
the Company to enter into this Agreement.

         NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

         1. Certain Definitions. (a) The "Change of Control Date" shall mean the
first date during the Change of Control  Period (as defined in Section  1(b)) on
which a Change of Control  (as  defined in Section 2) occurs.  Anything  in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding,  if a Change of Control occurs and if
the Employee's  employment  with the Company is terminated  prior to the date on
which the Change of Control  occurs,  and if it is  reasonably  demonstrated  by
Employee that such  termination  of employment (i) was at the request of a third
party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change of Control or
(ii)  otherwise  arose in  connection  with or in  anticipation  of a Change  of
Control,  then for all purposes of this  Agreement  the "Change of Control Date"
shall  mean  the date  immediately  prior  to the  date of such  termination  of
employment.

                  (b) The  "Change  of  Control  Period"  shall  mean the period
commencing  on the  Effective  Date  and  ending  on the day  after  the date of
Employee's  termination of employment from the Company or, if earlier,  the date
which is 396 days after the Change of Control Date.

                  (c)      "Cause" shall mean:

                           (1)      the  willful and  continued failure  of  the
Employee to perform  substantially the Employee's duties with the Company or one
of its  affiliates  after  a  written  demand  for  substantial  performance  is
delivered to the Employee by the  Executive  Committee of the Board or the Chief
Executive  Officer of the Company which  specifically  identifies  the manner in
which the Executive  Committee of the Board or Chief Executive  Officer believes
that the Employee has

                                       1

not substantially  performed the Employee's  duties,  after which Employee shall
have a reasonable amount of time to remedy such failure to substantially perform
his or her duties; or

                           (2)      the  willful  engaging  by  the  Employee in
illegal  conduct  or gross  misconduct  which  is  materially  and  demonstrably
injurious to the Company.

                  For purposes of this provision,  no act, or failure to act, on
the part of the Employee  shall be  considered  "willful"  unless it is done, or
omitted to be done,  by the Employee in bad faith or without  reasonable  belief
that the Employee's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company.
Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority  given pursuant to a resolution
duly adopted by the Board, or the Executive  Committee of the Board, or upon the
instructions of the Chief Executive Officer,  or an Executive Vice President (or
higher ranking officer), of the Company, or based upon the advice of counsel for
the Company,  shall be conclusively  presumed to be done, or omitted to be done,
by the  Employee in good faith and in the best  interests  of the  Company.  The
cessation  of  employment  of the  Employee  shall not be deemed to be for Cause
unless and until there  shall have been  delivered  to the  Employee a copy of a
resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than  three-quarters
(3/4) of the entire  membership  of the  Executive  Committee  of the Board at a
meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board called and held for such purpose
(after  reasonable  notice is provided to the Employee and the Employee is given
an  opportunity,  together  with  counsel,  to be  heard  before  the  Executive
Committee  of the  Board),  finding  that,  in the  good  faith  opinion  of the
Executive  Committee  of the  Board,  the  Employee  is  guilty  of the  conduct
described in  subparagraph  (1) or (2) above,  and  specifying  the  particulars
thereof in detail.

                  (d)      "Good Reason" shall mean:

                           (1)      the assignment to the Employee of any duties
inconsistent  in any respect with the  Employee's  position  (including  status,
offices,   titles   and   reporting   requirements),    authority,   duties   or
responsibilities  as in effect on either the Change of Control  Date or the date
which is 120 days prior to the Change of Control  Date (if such  earlier date is
selected by  Employee)  or any other  action by the Company  which  results in a
diminution in such position,  authority,  duties or responsibilities,  excluding
                                                                      ----------
for this purpose an isolated,  insubstantial and inadvertent action not taken in
bad faith and which is remedied by the Company  promptly after receipt of notice
thereof given by the Employee;

                           (2)      the  Company's  requiring the Employee to be
based at any  office or  location  more than 35 miles  from the  location  where
Employee  was  employed  on the Change of Control  Date or the date which is 120
days prior to the Change of Control  Date (if such  earlier  date is selected by
Employee);

                           (3)      a   reduction  in  Employee's   annual  base
salary, maximum annual bonus opportunity (including, without limitation, the use
of bonus  goals that are not  reasonable  and  consistent  with the bonus  goals
established for the preceding year), or participation in employee benefit plans,
as such  salary,  bonus and plans were in effect on either the Change of Control
Date or the date which is 120 days prior to the Change of Control  Date (if such
earlier date is selected by Employee) provided, however, that a reduction in the
level of retirement or welfare benefits shall not be considered "Good Reason" so
long as Employee is participating in retirement and welfare

                                        2

plans that are  substantially  equivalent to those provided to peer employees of
Company and its affiliated companies; or

                           (4)      any  failure  by  the Company to comply with
and satisfy Section 8(c) of this Agreement.

                  For   purposes   of  this   Section   1(d),   any  good  faith
determination of "Good Reason" made by the Employee shall be conclusive.

                  (e)  "Disability"  shall be  defined  the same as such term is
defined in either,  at the  selection of the Employee,  (a) the group  long-term
disability  insurance  plan  sponsored or maintained by Company on the Change of
Control Date in which  Employee  participates  or (b) any  individual  long-term
disability  insurance  arrangement  in effect on the Change of Control Date, the
premiums of which are paid by Company for the benefit of Employee.

         2.       Change of Control.   For  the  purposes of  this  Agreement, a
"Change of Control" shall mean:

                  (a) the acquisition by any "person"  ("Person"),  as such term
is used in Section  13(d) and 14(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the  "Exchange  Act")  (other than the Company or a  subsidiary  or any
Company  employee  benefit plan (including its trustee) or an "Exempt Person" as
defined  below),  of "beneficial  ownership" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing
20% or more of the total  number of shares  of the  Company's  then  outstanding
securities;

                  (b)  individuals  who, as of the date hereof,  constitute  the
Board  (the  "Incumbent  Board")  cease for any  reason to  constitute  at least
two-thirds (2/3) of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a
director  subsequent  to the date  hereof  whose  election,  or  nomination  for
election  by the  Company's  shareholders,  was  approved  by a vote of at least
two-thirds  (2/3) of the directors then  comprising the Incumbent Board shall be
considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent  Board,  but
excluding,  for this purpose,  any such individual  whose initial  assumption of
office  occurs  as a result of an actual or  threatened  election  contest  with
respect to the election or removal of  directors  or other actual or  threatened
solicitation  of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person  other than the
Board;

                  (c) consummation of a reorganization,  merger or consolidation
or sale or other  disposition of all or substantially all of the assets or stock
of the Company (a "Business Combination"),  in each case, unless, following such
Business  Combination,  (i)  all or  substantially  all of the  individuals  and
entities who were the beneficial  owners,  respectively,  of the total number of
shares  of the  Company's  outstanding  securities  immediately  prior  to  such
Business  Combination  beneficially  own,  directly  or  indirectly,  more  than
two-thirds  (2/3)  of,  respectively,  the  total  number  of shares of the then
outstanding   securities  of  the  corporation   resulting  from  such  Business
Combination (including,  without limitation,  a corporation which as a result of
such transaction  owns the Company or all or substantially  all of the Company's
assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the
same  proportions  as  their  ownership,  immediately  prior  to  such  Business
Combination,  of  the  total  number  of  shares  of the  Company's  outstanding
securities,  (ii) no  Person  (excluding  any  corporation  resulting  from such
Business Combination, or any

                                        3

employee benefit plan (including its trustee) of the Company or such corporation
resulting  from such  Business  Combination,  or an  "Exempt  Person" as defined
below) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly,  20% or more of, respectively,
the total number of shares of the then outstanding securities of the corporation
resulting  from  such  Business  Combination  except  to the  extent  that  such
ownership  existed  prior  to  the  Business  Combination  and  (iii)  at  least
two-thirds  (2/3) of the members of the board of  directors  of the  Corporation
resulting from such Business  Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at
the time of the  execution  of the  initial  agreement,  or of the action of the
Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

                  (d) the  occurrence  of a  "Triggering  Event" as such term is
defined in the Rights Agreement dated April 20, 1989, by and between the Company
and Trust Company Bank ("Rights  Agreement"),  the provisions of which,  as such
provisions  and  Rights  Agreement  may  be  amended  from  time  to  time,  are
incorporated herein by this reference,  but only so long as the Rights Agreement
is in effect.

For  purposes  of  this  Section  2,  an  "Exempt  Person"  shall  mean  (1) any
shareholder  who (i) is a descendent of D. Abbott Turner (the "Turner  Family"),
(ii) any shareholder  who is affiliated or associated,  as defined in the Rights
Agreement,  with the Turner  Family,  or (iii) any  person  who would  otherwise
become  a  "beneficial  owner"  of 20% of the  total  number  of  shares  of the
Company's  then  outstanding  securities  as a  result  of  the  receipt  of the
Company's  securities or a beneficial interest in the Company's  securities from
one or more  members of the  Turner  Family by way of gift,  devise,  descent or
distribution (but not by way of sale) unless any such person,  together with his
or her affiliates and associates,  becomes the  "beneficial  owner" of more than
30% of the total number of shares of the Company's then outstanding  securities;
and (2) any person who is not otherwise an Exempt Person and who as of April 20,
1989 was the  beneficial  owner of 10% or more of the total  number of shares of
the Company's  then  outstanding  securities  unless and until such person shall
become the beneficial owner of any additional outstanding Company securities.

For purposes of this Section 2, a "Change of Control"  shall not result from any
transaction   precipitated  by  the  Company's  insolvency,   appointment  of  a
conservator,  or  determination  by a  regulatory  agency  that the  Company  is
insolvent,  nor from any  transaction  initiated  by the  Company  in  regard to
converting from a publicly traded company to a privately held company.

For purposes of Sections 2(a), 2(b) and 2(c) of this Agreement  only,  "Company"
shall be defined as Synovus  Financial Corp. or Total System Services,  Inc. For
purposes of Section 2(d) of this Agreement  only,  "Company" shall be defined as
Synovus  Financial  Corp.  Notwithstanding  anything  in this  Agreement  to the
contrary, a "Change of Control" of Total System Services,  Inc. shall not result
from (1) a spin-off of Total System  Services,  Inc. stock to Synovus  Financial
Corp.  shareholders or (2) any transaction (including,  without limitation,  any
transaction  described in Sections  2(a),  2(b) and 2(c) of this  Agreement)  if
Synovus  Financial  Corp.  continues to own more than 50% of the total number of
shares of Total System Services, Inc.'s outstanding securities.

         3.       Obligations  of  Company   Upon  Termination.   In  the  event
Employee's   employment  by  Company  (a)  is  terminated  before  the  one-year
anniversary date of the Change of Control Date either (i) by the Company for any
reason other than Cause or  Employee's  death or  Disability or (ii) by Employee
for Good Reason; or (b) is terminated on, or within the 30-day period following,
the
                                        4

one-year  anniversary  date of the Change of Control  Date by  Employee  for any
reason or no  reason,  or by the  Company  for any  reason  other  than Cause or
Employee's death or Disability, then

                  (a) The  Company  shall pay to  Employee in a lump sum in cash
within 30 days after the date of  termination  the  aggregate  of the  following
amounts:

                           (1)      three times  the  sum  of:   (a)  Employee's
annual base salary as in effect  immediately  prior to  Employee's  termination;
plus  (b)  the  product  of (i)  Employee's  annual  base  salary  as in  effect
immediately prior to Employee's  termination of employment  multiplied by (ii) a
percentage  equal to the average  percentage of  Employee's  annual bonus earned
with respect to the three calendar years ended prior to Employee's  termination,
measured as a percentage of Employee's annual base salary for the year the bonus
was earned;
                           (2)      the product of (a) a fraction, the numerator
of which is the  greater  of (i) six,  or (ii)  number of full  months  Employee
worked in the  calendar  year of  Employee's  termination  (e.g.,  an  October 1
                                                            ----
termination  date results in a numerator of 9) and the  denominator  of which is
12;  multiplied by (b) the maximum  annual bonus for which Employee was eligible
immediately prior to Employee's termination; and

                           (3)      the  product  of  (a)  Employee's  long-term
market grant (equal to  Employee's  annual base salary as in effect  immediately
prior to Employee's  termination multiplied by the market multiple for long-term
incentive  grants for  Employee's  position on the Change of Control Date as set
forth in the market survey being used by Company in making  long-term  incentive
grants); multiplied by (b) either (i) 150%, if Employee has received a long-term
incentive award in the calendar year of Employee's termination of employment, or
(ii) 250%,  if  Employee  has not  received a long-term  incentive  award in the
calendar year of Employee's termination.

For purposes of this  Agreement,  "annual base salary" means  Employee's  annual
rate of pay  excluding  all other  elements  of  compensation  such as,  without
limitation,  bonuses,  perquisites,  restricted stock awards, stock options, and
retirement and welfare benefits.

                  (b)  For  three  years   after   Employee's   termination   of
employment,  the Company shall continue to provide medical and welfare  benefits
(including, without limitation, medical, prescription,  dental, disability (both
individual   and  group   arrangements),   life  (both   individual   and  group
arrangements),  and accidental  death and  dismemberment  plans and programs) to
Employee and Employee's  dependents at the level of coverage elected by Employee
during the open enrollment period immediately  preceding Employee's  termination
of employment  date under  benefit plans that are generally  equivalent to those
provided  generally at any time after the Effective Date to other peer employees
of the Company and its affiliated companies (excluding individual disability and
individual  life  insurance  arrangements,  which must  continue  to be provided
regardless of whether provided to peer employees);  provided,  however,  that if
Employee  becomes  reemployed  with  another  employer  (specifically  excluding
self-employment)  and is eligible to receive  medical or other welfare  benefits
under another  employer  provided plan,  Company shall terminate all medical and
other welfare benefits being provided hereunder; and provided further,  however,
that, at the election of Employee,  or at the election of Company if Employee is
not eligible to participate  under the terms of such medical and welfare benefit
plans (including COBRA  continuation  coverage for which Executive is eligible),
Company shall pay Employee an agreed upon lump sum amount

                                        5

in cash in lieu of the benefits  described in this Section  3(b),  not to exceed
25% of the lump sum amount payable to Employee  pursuant to Section 3(a) of this
Agreement.

                  (c) The Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to
provide  outplacement  assistance  or any other  benefits  and  perquisites  not
covered above, such as a  Company-provided  automobile,  country club and dining
club dues, health club dues, retirement benefits, etc.

         4.  Non-exclusivity of Rights.  Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent
or limit the Employee's continuing or future participation in any plan, program,
policy or practice  provided by the Company or any of its  affiliated  companies
and for which the Employee  may qualify,  nor,  subject to Section  9(f),  shall
anything  herein limit or otherwise  affect such rights as the Employee may have
under any  contract  or  agreement  with the  Company  or any of its  affiliated
companies.  Amounts which are vested benefits or which the Employee is otherwise
entitled  to  receive  under any plan,  policy,  practice  or  program of or any
contract or agreement with the Company or any of its affiliated  companies at or
subsequent to the date of termination  shall be payable in accordance  with such
plan, policy,  practice or program or contract or agreement except as explicitly
modified by this Agreement.

         5. Full  Settlement.  The  Company's  obligation  to make the  payments
provided  for in  this  Agreement  and  otherwise  to  perform  its  obligations
hereunder  shall  not be  affected  by any  set-off,  counterclaim,  recoupment,
defense or other  claim,  right or action which the Company may have against the
Employee or others.  In no event shall the  Employee be  obligated to seek other
employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts  payable
to the Employee under any of the  provisions of this  Agreement  and,  except as
otherwise provided in this Agreement,  such amounts shall not be reduced whether
or not the  Employee  obtains  other  employment.  The Company  agrees to pay as
incurred, to the full extent permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses which
the Employee may reasonably incur as a result of any contest  (regardless of the
outcome  thereof) by the  Company,  the  Employee  or others of the  validity or
enforceability  of, or liability  under,  any provision of this Agreement or any
guarantee of  performance  thereof  (including as a result of any contest by the
Employee about the amount of any payment  pursuant to this  Agreement),  plus in
each case  interest  on any  delayed  payment  at the  applicable  Federal  rate
provided for in Section  7872(f)(2)(A)  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the "Code").

         6. Certain  Additional  Payments by the  Company.  (a) Anything in this
Agreement to the contrary  notwithstanding and except as set forth below, in the
event it shall be determined  that any payment or distribution by the Company to
or for the benefit of the Employee  (whether paid or payable or  distributed  or
distributable  pursuant  to the  terms  of  this  Agreement  or  otherwise,  but
determined without regard to any additional payments required under this Section
(6) (a "Payment")) would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of
the Code or any interest or penalties  are incurred by the Employee with respect
to such  excise  tax (such  excise  tax,  together  with any such  interest  and
penalties,  are hereinafter  collectively referred to as the "Excise Tax"), then
the  Employee  shall be entitled to receive an  additional  payment (a "Gross-Up
Payment")  in an amount such that after  payment by the Employee of all taxes on
the Gross-Up Payment including, without limitation, any income taxes, employment
taxes,  excise  taxes,  and  interest  and  penalties  imposed upon the Gross-Up
Payment,  the Employee  retains an amount of the Gross-Up  Payment  equal to the
Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments.

                                        6

                  (b)  Subject  to  the   provisions   of  Section   6(c),   all
determinations  required to be made under this Section 6, including  whether and
when a Gross-Up  Payment is required and the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and
the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination,  shall be made
by KPMG Peat  Marwick  or such  other  nationally  recognized  certified  public
accounting  firm as may be designated by the Employee  (the  "Accounting  Firm")
which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and the
Employee within 15 business days of the receipt of notice from the Employee that
there has been a Payment,  or such  earlier time as is requested by the Company.
In the event that the  Accounting  Firm is serving as  accountant or auditor for
the individual,  entity or group  effecting the Change of Control,  the Employee
may appoint another  nationally  recognized  certified public accounting firm to
make the determinations  required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be
referred to as the  Accounting  Firm  hereunder).  All fees and  expenses of the
Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company.  Any Gross-Up Payment,  as
determined  pursuant  to this  Section  6,  shall be paid by the  Company to the
Employee within five days of the receipt of the Accounting Firm's determination.
Any  determination  by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and
the Employee.  As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999
of the Code at the time of the  initial  determination  by the  Accounting  Firm
hereunder,  it is possible that Gross-Up  Payments which will not have been made
by the  Company  should  have been made  ("Underpayment"),  consistent  with the
calculations  required  to be made  hereunder.  In the  event  that the  Company
exhausts its remedies  pursuant to Section 6(c) and the Employee  thereafter  is
required  to make a  payment  of any  Excise  Tax,  the  Accounting  Firm  shall
determine  the  amount  of the  Underpayment  that  has  occurred  and any  such
Underpayment  shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the benefit of the
Employee.

                  (c) The  Employee  shall  notify the Company in writing of any
claim by the Internal  Revenue  Service that, if  successful,  would require the
payment by the Company of the Gross-Up Payment. Such notification shall be given
as soon as practicable  but no later than 10 business days after the Employee is
informed in writing of such claim and shall apprise the Company of the nature of
such  claim  and the  date on which  such  claim is  requested  to be paid.  The
Employee  shall not pay such claim prior to the  expiration of the 30-day period
following the date on which it gives such notice to the Company (or such shorter
period  ending on the date that any payment of taxes with  respect to such claim
is due). If the Company notifies the Employee in writing prior to the expiration
of such period that it desires to contest such claim, the Employee shall:

                           (1)      give the Company any information reasonably 
requested by the Company relating to such claim,

                           (2)      take   such   action   in   connection  with
contesting  such claim as the Company shall  reasonably  request in writing from
time to time, including, without limitation, accepting legal representation with
respect to such claim by an attorney reasonably selected by the Company,

                           (3)      cooperate with the Company  in good faith in
order effectively to contest such claim, and


                                        7

                           (4)      permit  the  Company  to  participate in any
proceedings relating to such claim;

provided,  however,  that the Company  shall bear and pay directly all costs and
expenses  (including  additional  interest and penalties) incurred in connection
with such  contest and shall  indemnify  and hold the Employee  harmless,  on an
after-tax  basis,  for any  Excise  Tax or income tax  (including  interest  and
penalties with respect thereto) imposed as a result of such  representation  and
payment of costs and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing provisions of
this Section 6(c), the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection
with such  contest  and,  at its sole  option,  may  pursue or forgo any and all
administrative  appeals,  proceedings,  hearings and conferences with the taxing
authority  in respect of such claim and may, at its sole option,  either  direct
the Employee to pay the tax claimed and sue for a refund or contest the claim in
any permissible  manner,  and the Employee agrees to prosecute such contest to a
determination  before  any  administrative  tribunal,  in  a  court  of  initial
jurisdiction  and  in  one or  more  appellate  courts,  as  the  Company  shall
determine;  provided,  however,  that if the Company directs the Employee to pay
such claim and sue for a refund,  the Company  shall  advance the amount of such
payment to the Employee,  on an interest-free basis and shall indemnify and hold
the Employee harmless,  on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax
(including  interest or penalties with respect  thereto) imposed with respect to
such advance or with respect to any imputed income with respect to such advance;
and further  provided that any extension of the statute of limitations  relating
to payment of taxes for the taxable year of the  Employee  with respect to which
such  contested  amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such contested
amount.  Furthermore,  the Company's  control of the contest shall be limited to
issues with respect to which a Gross-Up  Payment would be payable  hereunder and
the  Employee  shall be entitled  to settle or contest,  as the case may be, any
other  issue  raised  by  the  Internal  Revenue  Service  or any  other  taxing
authority.

                  (d)  If,  after  the  receipt  by the  Employee  of an  amount
advanced by the Company  pursuant to Section 6(c), the Employee becomes entitled
to receive any refund with respect to such claim, the Employee shall (subject to
the Company's  complying with the  requirements of Section 6(c)) promptly pay to
the  Company  the amount of such  refund  (together  with any  interest  paid or
credited thereon after taxes applicable  thereto).  If, after the receipt by the
Employee  of an amount  advanced  by the Company  pursuant  to Section  6(c),  a
determination is made that the Employee shall not be entitled to any refund with
respect to such claim and the Company does not notify the Employee in writing of
its intent to contest such denial of refund prior to the  expiration  of 30 days
after such  determination,  then such advance shall be forgiven and shall not be
required to be repaid and the amount of such advance shall offset, to the extent
thereof, the amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid.

         7.  Confidential  Information.  The Employee  shall hold in a fiduciary
capacity for the benefit of the Company all secret or confidential  information,
knowledge or data  relating to the Company or any of its  affiliated  companies,
and their respective businesses,  which shall have been obtained by the Employee
during  the  Employee's  employment  by the  Company  or  any of its  affiliated
companies and which shall not be or become public  knowledge (other than by acts
by the  Employee  or  representatives  of the  Employee  in  violation  of  this
Agreement). After termination of the Employee's employment with the Company, the
Employee shall not,  without the prior written  consent of the Company or as may
otherwise be required by law or legal process, communicate or

                                        8

divulge any such information, knowledge or data to anyone other than the Company
and those designated by it.

         8.       Successors. (a)   This Agreement  is  personal to the Employee
and without the prior written  consent of the Company shall not be assignable by
the  Employee  otherwise  than by will or the laws of descent and  distribution.
This  Agreement  shall  inure  to  the  benefit  of and  be  enforceable  by the
Employee's legal representatives.

                  (b)      This Agreement  shall  inure to the benefit of and be
binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.

                  (c) The Company will require any successor  (whether direct or
indirect,   by  purchase,   merger,   consolidation  or  otherwise)  to  all  or
substantially  all of the  business  and/or  assets  of the  Company  to  assume
expressly and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same
extent  that the Company  would be required to perform it if no such  succession
had taken place. As used in this Agreement,  "Company" shall mean the Company as
hereinbefore  defined  and  any  successor  to its  business  and/or  assets  as
aforesaid  which  assumes and agrees to perform  this  Agreement by operation of
law, or otherwise.

         9.       Miscellaneous.  (a) This  Agreement  shall  be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia, without reference
to principles of conflict of laws.  The captions of this  Agreement are not part
of the provisions  hereof and shall have no force or effect.  This Agreement may
not be amended or modified otherwise than by a written agreement executed by the
parties hereto or their respective successors and legal representatives.

                  (b) All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be given by hand  delivery to the other party or by registered
or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid

                     If to the Employee:

                     To the Employee's most recent home address as filed with 
                     the Company

                     If to the Company:

                     Synovus Financial Corp.
                     P. O. Box 120
                     Columbus, GA  31902
                     Attention:  General Counsel

or to such other  address as either  party shall have  furnished to the other in
writing in accordance  herewith.  Notice and  communications  shall be effective
when actually received by the addressee.

                  (c) The  invalidity  or  unenforceability  of any provision of
this  Agreement  shall not affect the  validity or  enforceability  of any other
provision of this Agreement.


                                        9

                  (d) The Company may withhold  from any amounts  payable  under
this Agreement such Federal,  state, local or foreign taxes as shall be required
to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.

                  (e) The  Employee's  or the  Company's  failure to insist upon
strict  compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert
any right the  Employee or the Company may have  hereunder,  including,  without
limitation,  the right of the Employee to terminate  employment  for Good Reason
pursuant to Section 3 of this  Agreement,  shall not be deemed to be a waiver of
such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement.

                  (f) The Employee and the Company  acknowledge  that, except as
may otherwise be provided under any other written agreement between the Employee
and the Company, the employment of the Employee by the Company is "at will" and,
subject to  Section  1(a)  hereof,  prior to the  Change of  Control  Date,  the
Employee's employment may be terminated by either the Employee or the Company at
any time prior to the Change of Control Date,  in which case the Employee  shall
have  no  further  rights  under  this  Agreement.  In  addition,  in the  event
Employee's  employment  is  terminated  as  a  result  of  Employee's  death  or
Disability, Employee shall have no further rights under this Agreement. From and
after the Effective  Date this  Agreement  shall  supersede any other  agreement
between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

                  (g) This  Agreement is executed in two  counterparts,  each of
which shall be deemed an original and together shall constitute one and the same
agreement, with one counterpart being delivered to each party hereto.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Employee has hereunto set the Employee's hand
and, pursuant to the authorization from its Board of Directors,  the Company has
caused these  presents to be executed in its name on its behalf,  all being done
in duplicate originals,  with one original being delivered to each party hereto,
all as of the day and year first above written.



                                    ---------------------------------
                                    [Employee]



                                    TOTAL SYSTEM SERVICES, INC.


                                    By:      _________________________________

                                    Title:   _________________________________


                                       10