UK banking group Alliance and Leicester (A&L) has awarded a contract to overhaul its legacy core retail and commercial banking systems to technology consultancy Accenture. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Under the deal Accenture will replace A&L legacy systems covering retail current accounts and savings, personal loans and commercial banking with its Alnova technology platform in a phased implementation over the next three years.
Ian Buchanan, director of technology, A&L, says: "The new system will enable us to increase our flexibility, and to simplify our operations by removing duplication and complexity in our use of technology. It will also improve the efficiency of our business operations and enhance customer service with real time, customer focused processes."
Accenture is currently working with the bank to implement an image and workflow system to support its commercial customer service operations. A&L says the first phase, implemented in the summer, has already made a significant contribution to improving efficiency and responsiveness to customer queries.
Adrian Lajtha, Accenture's group chief executive, financial services, says banks such as A&L are seeking to streamline IT and related processes in order to respond to customers' changing needs.
The new Accenture system is one of a number of initiatives being implemented under a programme to transform A&L into a leading direct bank.