INTERNATIONAL BYTES

ABN AMRO, Amsterdam, has selected a customer relationship management (CRM) solution from Data Distilleries.

The Data Distilleries CRM product will allow ABN AMRO to extract data from customer profiles and use it to provide real-time solutions through the Internet or a call center, thereby insuring consistent service across multiple channels. The bank will use the software at its Consumer and Commercial Clients division to aid call center, direct mail, Internet and bank branch operations.

"We chose Data Distilleries because it will help us generate results very quickly," said Joep Vaessen, head of marketing intelligence at ABN AMRO. "The software also integrates extremely well with operational CRM and back-office systems."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Osterreichische Volksbanken AG (OVAG), Vienna, is replacing its antiquated back-office system with Summit Systems STP Operations software.

The new system, which will debut in second quarter 2001, will provide the bank with comprehensive back-office processing for interest-rate derivatives and FX options, using client-specified Windows NT and Oracle database engines.

"We were able to significantly reduce operational risk created by the aging back-office system and increase processing efficiency through Summit's seamless integrated platform approach," said Christian Mucha, head of derivatives back office at OVAG

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Royal Bank Of Scotland will use Chordiant software as its platform for multi-channel customer relationship management (CRM).

The Chordiant platform gives the bank the flexibility to rapidly change customer facing business processes. Royal Bank also chose the product because ability to be easily integrated with existing software.

"By combining the Chordiant platform with the Prime Response campaign management application already in use, we can develop highly personalized customer profiles and make these immediately available across the enterprise," said Steve North, head of strategy and architecture and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HPC group, a leading European brokerage based in Paris, London and Frankfurt, will use its RadianzNet global financial extranet to distribute a new electronic trading platform for money markets to 103 banks throughout Europe.

The new service, called atenX, will be used by banks in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria to trade money markets in a secure online environment. The atenX service will also allow member banks access to other Radianz applications and content.

"Radianz's extranet is of tremendous value to atenX because it will enable us to quickly distribute an electronic service out customers need to do business with each other," said Frederic Metz, CEO of HPC.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe has completed its installation of the Fontis eBanking solution from Midas-Kapiti International (MKI).

The Fontis Internet and PC banking software will allow the bank's corporate and retail clients around-the-clock access to a range of secure banking services such as balance and statement reporting, money transfers, third party payments, treasury information and email.

'We want to establish ourselves as the first and leading Internet banking player in Zimbabwe,' said Douglas Mamvura, marketing and sales director for Commercial Bank. "Fontis is the ideal solution for us. A scalable and modular system, it will allow us to expand our services over time and to cater to growing numbers of customers as and when required."