An existing user of TiteoEnator's mortgage and debt collection system, the new contract extends a previous engagement for 24-hour software support, to include outsourced management of the bank's hardware infrastructure. The contract will also include the implementation of TietoEnator’s Mortgage Sales Portal and Clearview, with the project due for completion by the end of 2007.

David Dunlop, head of mortgage operations at Co-operative Bank, says the bank decided to extend the contract with TietoEnator on the recommendations of Forrester, as part of a strategic move to consolidate its IT supplier base

"Visibility to IT costs over the next 5 years, TietoEnator’s transparent pricing structure, strict service level agreements and 24 hour support are compelling reasons for selecting this managed service model," he says.

Data security was also a significant consideration for the bank with the proposed infrastructure changes and a move from in-house servers to TietoEnator servers. A comprehensive security audit was conducted by the bank and the new infrastructure will include encrypted routers, firewalls and a dedicated secure line for the transmission of sensitive bank data.

The introduction of TietoEnator’s Mortgage Sales Portal will follow the completion of the infrastructure stage, and will aim to provide the bank's customers with an online service for requesting and managing mortgage applications from illustration through to completion.

"Customers are rightly demanding more and more online services, so we’re delighted to be able to offer a complete online mortgage service to both new borrowers and intermediaries," explains Dunlop. "Time to mortgage offer is a key differentiator for lenders and we believe that a seamless, fully automated system will enable us to offer a faster and more efficient service to our customers."

The final phase of the project will be the implementation of Clearview, a desktop-based CRM and business process management system for bank staff.