First Direct is going from strength to strength with its widely acclaimed 24-hour Internet-based home banking solution. The UK's leading telephone bank has already attracted 120,000 users for the service and numbers are increasing daily. First Direct grew out of the conviction that customers deserve the very best service in banking and the concept has worked. Its customer base now accounts for more than half of all those who carry out banking over the telephone and it is growing every month. This is very impressive for a company that was launched in 1989 on what was then a completely new idea — telephone banking.

A new and innovative channel

After conducting research with its customers, First Direct recognized there was also a significant demand for PC banking. It decided to explore the provision of such a service in order to:

• Enhance its reputation as an innovative bank
• Introduce a new customer service channel to suit its customers' lifestyles
• Maintain an edge over the competition
• Win new customers

Partnership

First Direct wanted the service to be different and it chose ICL to provide that difference. The two companies worked together over a 12-month period to develop the new service. Close partnership was a key feature of this relationship.

"ICL has the skills, technology and capabilities to get things done," said Peter Simpson, Commercial Director, First Direct. "The key benefit of working with ICL was the way they are able to work in partnership to share a common vision of approaching the solution from the customer, not technology end. ICL's approach is flexible and its thinking is advanced."

Built for the future

The close partnership resulted in an innovative PC banking service which is today heralded as one of the most advanced of its kind in Europe. Its key features include:

• Fully integrated into First Direct's existing 24-hour telephone banking service
• Portable across all distribution channels. This includes future channels such as mobile phones, TVs, network computers and personal digital assistants
• Designed to allow information and services to be tailored for each customer

The solution represents a major first in that it not only addresses the security and performance issues of today, but is Java-built to exploit the technology trends of the future.

According to Andy Bush, Marketing Manager, Sun Microsystems: "ICL has been quick to understand and creatively exploit the application of Java to financial services solutions. In our view ICL has demonstrated its leadership in this field and is undoubtedly one of the most advanced exponents of this technology in the world."

Communicating the brand

The new solution also represents the first time that customers have had visual access to First Direct. Communicating the brand was an important consideration.

Tim Escudier, president of ICL's Financial Services Division, explained: "The philosophy behind the Internet-based banking solution for First Direct is to replicate and stretch its brand to a new channel.

"Feedback from customers has indicated that this has been achieved. Successfully communicating brand and customer service through an electronic channel will be one of the greatest challenges for organizations as electronic customer interaction escalates."

Success

First Direct has been actively listening to its customers' ideas and requests for additions to the service. This feedback has been used to adapt the service to ensure that it meets their needs more precisely.

At the same time, support from ICL has ensured that First Direct's customers are provided with a service which is dedicated to ensuring that they mange their financial affairs in a trouble-free way.

ICL has set up a dedicated call center team in Wakefield to provide technical support. This helpdesk offers advice and guidance on all areas of connectivity and hardware configurations to ensure a smooth connection to the service.

"ICL will make up the final piece of the solution to ensure that our customers receive a problem-free banking service," said Tim Basford, First Direct.

Initial Success

Today, First Direct's PC banking solution is widely acclaimed by PC banking experts for its usability and performance.

Writing in the UK's Computer Weekly, Tony Collins referred to the PC banking solution as: "...without doubt, one of the best designed, most efficient and intuitive software packages I have used.

"I don't think it's necessary to wait for PC banking services to mature. First Direct's product isn't far off getting as good as it can get."

Meanwhile, in a survey by PC Magazine of all UK PC banking services, First Direct came out as offering the best service. The system was described as having 'intuitive and well-designed software which makes using a First Direct account straightforward.'

PC Magazine concluded: "Only First Direct offers a truly usable PC banking solution — even though all the services it offers are exactly the same as with its telephone banking. Other bank services are plagued with performance and usability hindrances that make executing transactions harder than it should be, such as unintuitive interfaces and connection procedures."