March 2007

Combined expertise provides customers with online capability for setting up and validating Direct Debits

E-transaction software provider, Albany Software, and Business Web Software, the author of online information capturing applications, have announced a new partnership that will provide new and existing customers with the ability to introduce automated DD sign up via the Internet. Both companies cater for a large number of local authority trusts and first encountered each other whilst working on an e-Government project for Colchester Borough Council.

Based in Cambridge, Business Web Software is a 50 person strong company that has designed the 'Achieve Suite', a set of corporate applications including online forms, searchable FAQs, guided processes and knowledge management. Business Web works with over a third of all UK local authorities as well as several international customers in the US, Australia and Europe.

Established in 1989, Hampshire based Albany Software has developed a suite of software tools to oversee the delivery of documents, data and funds for business and is best known for its ALBACS range of payment solutions.

Joint customer, Colchester Borough Council led the adoption of direct payment services across local authorities, deploying 11 direct payment applications for its 156,000 residents such as Council Tax, Housing Benefit and Business Rates and was awarded a Quality Award, at the 2006 Bacs Local Authority Direct Debit Challenge. Residents are provided with a number of ways in which they can apply for the Direct Payment service including the bespoke online form created by Business Web Software. When a customer submits their application, Albany's verify API product will then check the bank details are correct, safeguarding against a resident being potentially left in arrears.

Don Campbell, Marketing Executive at Business Web Software, comments on the partnership, "This new relationship will be of immense benefit to both organisations, offering new opportunities and allowing us to provide an even better service for our mutual customers. Another exciting prospect is that Business Web will be able to offer a consultative service now that it is supported by Albany's transaction software expertise."

Georgia Leybourne, Sales and Marketing Director of Albany Software adds, "We are extremely pleased to be embarking on this new partnership with Business Web and have confidence that it will be a success. Both businesses operate within similar sectors and employ similar ethics for customer service, highlighted by the cooperated effort at Colchester Borough Council - this resulted in the council receiving a Quality Award at the 2006 Bacs Local Authority Direct Debit Challenge."

Don Campbell concludes, "We had not considered partnering with such an organisation before and the fact that the relationship has grown in such a way makes it all the more valuable to us, demonstrating that both companies have a commitment towards addressing customer requirements. Business Web and Albany are both market leaders in their respective fields so it makes sense to be working together."

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