Deutsche Bank is to augment its global online cash management capabilities through an agreement with Sun Microsystems, involving a billing solution from iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions, a Sun-Netscape Alliance.
The Bank has selected iPlanet's BillerXpert, B2B Edition software as the foundation for its second-generation, global B2B electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) service known as db-eBills.
Duncan Peruch, iPlanet sales manager at Sun Microsystems SA, says this is a tremendous vote of confidence in Sun and iPlanet and further validates iPlanet's strengths in billing and presentment of software solutions that deliver continuous services, with massive scale for the B2B and B2C space.
"Deutsche Bank selected iPlanet after a rigorous evaluation process, in which it determined that iPlanet offered the most flexible, fully scalable software architecture that would enable the Bank to build a fully functional global B2B capability," says Peruch. "This includes both its EIPP (electronic invoice presentment and payment) and EBPP (electronic bill presentment and payment) services."
The new, significantly enhanced global platform will be launched in the US, Europe and Asia during the second half of this year and will be hosted by Deutsche Bank. The bank's existing product db-eBills, which facilitates secured fund transfers and settlement between business partners over the Internet, has been deployed in Asia since July 2000.
Norbert Wanninger, head of Deutsche Bank's Global Cash Management for Corporations says: "We have identified that there is a huge potential for an EBPP solution in the B2B market and have already experienced great success with db-eBills in Asia.
"iPlanet's commerce services, specifically its billing software application, will give us the flexibility to develop its EBPP solution to the specific needs of our clients.
"Our new global platform will be a unique offering that will continue to leverage db-eTrustCard, the first Identrus-based hardware security solution used in a live business environment. We expect db-eBills to be one of the core pillars in our cash management product suite."
Corporate customers using the db-eBills system for billing will gain immediate advantages, including improved customer service and dispute resolution, reduced costs and a more efficient collections cycle. Payors will see a multi-currency, multi-lingual system whose workflow tools facilitate easy adaptation to existing business processes and payment methods appropriate to local business practices.
Since iPlanet's technology is based on open standards, it is compatible with billers' and billing service providers' systems. Users will also benefit from a global server network offered by both iPlanet software solutions and Sun.
Mark Tolliver, President of iPlanet E-Commerce Solutions, says, "DeutscheBank is a major player in commercial banking and a leader in B2B transactions. iPlanet is pleased to have been chosen to help streamline cash management operations for their extensive customer base around the world. B2B billing requires sophisticated technology for automated and customisable processes.
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