ABSA Bank and Pastel Software have allied to launch PlanetPastel.com, an e-commerce portal for small to medium enterprises (SMEs).
Ivan Ferrer, chief executive of Pastel Software, says the alliance "will help to change the face of e-commerce for SME businesses in SA".
At R500 a month, PlanetPastel (www.planetpastel.com) will offer SMEs a full e-commerce solution, including secure online credit card payment.
As a banker in a dying industry, if you do not challenge yourself, you`ll end up a dinosaur.
Fanie Leach, operating executive, ABSA corporate bank
A dial-up service is also being offered by PlanetPastel, at a monthly fee of R55. Ferrer says the price is highly competitive and that the service is geared to those who do not require support. It offers 5Mb of free home page space, five e-mail addresses and unlimited Web access.
In addition, the portal promises to bring a number of business and strategic information features to the client`s desktop. These include news content, a shopping mall, a business advice centre, a business directory and a JSE share price ticker service.
Michael Bryer, operations director of Pastel International, believes "PlanetPastel will soon become the leading e-commerce portal in SA".
Bryer praised ABSA for its involvement in the product evolution, saying it had shattered his impressions of what banking partners should be, as it had become more than just a portal sponsor.
"As a banker in a dying industry, if you do not challenge yourself, you`ll end up a dinosaur," says Fanie Leach, operating executive, ABSA corporate bank. "E-commerce presents challenges to the way banks conduct their businesses."
He adds that ABSA`s strategic objective is to focus on and expand its involvement in e-commerce. "In the corporate and business market, ABSA already has e-relationships with 90% of its clients. Not only do I want this to increase to 100% but I also want to assist clients to extend the e-commerce side of their business."
Share