Multi-Connect supplies IVR technology for Zimbabwe`s first telephone banking facility

Contact centre and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems specialist, Multi-Connect, has successfully implemented Zimbabwe`s first telephone banking application for conducting transactions via a touch tone or cellular phone.

Howard Haines, Multi-Connect`s managing director, believes the contract, with Metropolitan Bank, underscores his company`s growing reputation as one of South Africa`s leading authorities in IVR.

Metropolitan Bank, Zimbabwe`s youngest commercial bank, approached Multi-Connect to develop and implement the InterVoice-Brite IVR system late last year, after it visited several major players in South Africa`s banking and financial services community and asked for a supplier reference.

The system, incorporating InterVoice-Brite IVR technology, took just eight weeks to develop and implement. It went live on December 8 last year and has since been running successfully, without a single modification. Lovemore Mango, Metropolitan Bank`s general manager said the system would eliminate the need for its customers to queue for service, bringing Zimbabwe abreast of technological advances that were already being enjoyed by banking customers in other parts of the world.

He said the introduction of Metline, as the new service is known, was part of the major project by Metropolitan to introduce a new range of technology based products and services as it prepared to expand its operations both on the domestic and regional market.

Since the implementation of Metline there has been a dramatic upsurge in new accounts at the bank, with thousands of Zimbabweans making the most of the opportunity to enjoy, for the first time, one of the key benefits of first world banking.

The system involves four major applications as well as a full back-end solution, including a vital, inbuilt profiling security process. Customers are given a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) as well as an access card. The PIN ensures complete confidentiality of sensitive account information.

The system allows customers to initiate transactions from wherever they are in the world, 24 hours a day. Transactions range from ordering a cheque book (including the size of a cheque book), balance enquiries and automatic faxing or e-mailing of statements, transferring of money to linked accounts, payment of bills, getting the latest foreign exchange rates and obtaining information on other services and products provided by Metropolitan.

According to Haines, the system is as sophisticated as any available in South Africa: "Metropolitan`s mainframe is very modern, offering tremendous flexibility in the back-end environment."

This is Multi-Connect`s first, total-project export order and Haines hopes to expand the company`s reach into the African market where there is an increasing demand for specialist application capabilities in the contact centre arena and banking arenas.

The InterVoice-Brite IVR, which is installed in over 17 000 sites in 65 countries, is distributed in South Africa by Multi-Connect.