CTT/Portuguese Post-Office selects edocs’ to deliver mail online
edocs, Inc. (http://www.edocs.com/), today announced that its software platform has been selected by CTT Portugal (http://www.ctt.pt/) to launch an electronic mailbox service encompassing electronic statement, billing and payment capabilities to all corporate, consumer and government customers of the Portuguese Post-Office. The new platform is part of a nationwide rollout that will provide customers with solutions for accessing all documents via a secure Universal Electronic Post Office Box (UEPOB), and will specifically provide the ability to view mail and pay invoices anywhere, anytime.
With the rapid growth in online banking and broadband adoption in Portugal, the new service is expected to gain immediate interest from large volume billers in the telecommunications, financial services and utilities sectors. These service providers will benefit from significant cost reduction opportunities across their billing and payment functions and gain a new interactive communications channel with end-users. Portuguese Post is also expecting interest among government agencies that generate high volumes of paper-based communications for citizens and businesses in Portugal.
"With this key project, we are deploying a state-of-the-art Electronic Mailbox solution and we are strategically anticipating the inevitable transition from physical to electronic mail," said Alberto Pimenta, Director of Strategic Development at CTT/Portuguese Post-Office. "The comprehensive functionality and open architecture of the edocs system delivers maximum benefit to corporations and their consumer and business customer bases. These capabilities in combination with the system's robust data security features will drive rapid adoption of the new service."
The application to be developed with edocs will support connections and integration with existing ERP and invoicing systems, electronic postmark certification, home banking systems, universal electronic mailboxes, hybrid mail systems, and payment networks.
The solution provides the best of both the consolidator and biller-direct models of e-statementing. Customers of CTT will be able to go to the CTT web portal site to access their electronic mailbox and to access all bills and statements. Additional levels of detail about each document (e.g. call details, or itemized bank transactions) can be made available within the portal or by means of direct access to each biller's web site. In addition, users will be provided with some of the most advanced electronic payment systems available in Portugal.
"CTT has a compelling vision for the next generation Post Office and this secure Electronic Mailbox, will set the pace for the European community," commented Antonio Ferreira, Iberian Regional Director for edocs. "They are bringing a whole new level of convenience, efficiency and service to banks, billers and consumers in Portugal."
About CTT/Portuguese Post-Office
CTT / Portuguese Post is a medium-sized postal operator in terms of volume and revenue but high performing by measures of profitability and quality of service. CTT is organised in three strategic business units: Mail; CEP (Courier, Express, Parcels & Logistics); and Retail & Financial Services.
Globalisation, increased market liberalisation and competition, as well as the evolution of new information and communication technologies are the main forces and challenges that are shaping the new postal business concept that CTT is building. New technologies, traditionally viewed as threats, are viewed by CTT as immediate opportunities to leverage its core competences (counter and delivery networks, trust and address management) for new added-value proposals.
CTT is building a winning strategy by enhancing value in the traditional and physical postal chain with more data driven processes. CTT sees its role as the Communications Hub, providing messaging services that integrate the different delivery channels – posts, Telco's and ISPs – and offer new services and new solutions in the domain of:
— Hybrid and electronic communications;
— E-commerce (including electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) and e-logistics); and
— Internet services in the domain of certification services (like electronic postmark) and universal electronic mail.
For more information visit www.ctt.pt.
About edocs
edocs is the leading provider of customer self-service and e-billing software for Global 2000 businesses. Its solutions improve the quality of customer care, reduce support costs and deepen relationships with business and consumer customers. edocs' product suite integrates e-statement, e-billing and payment, e-service and advanced self-care technologies and offers a comprehensive platform for all customer service issues. This enables organizations to move customer interactions from expensive paper and call center-based channels to lower-cost and more convenient self- and assisted-service channels like the web, e-mail and IVR. edocs' products and services are used by some of the world's leading organizations in communications, energy, financial services, government, healthcare, manufacturing/distribution and retail. Customers include BT (British Telecom), Fannie Mae, GE Consumer Finance, Independence Blue Cross, Portugal Telecom, Telstra, Toyota Financial Services and TXU Energy. Founded in 1997, edocs is headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts and has operations in Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America.
On December 17, 2004, Siebel Systems, Inc. announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire edocs. The Siebel Systems and edocs boards of directors have approved the acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in early Q1 2005.
For more information on edocs, call (508) 652-8628 or visit www.edocs.com
