Union Bank of California has implemented the Ariba Buyer 7.0 solution for internal procurement purposes, and is conducting live transactions. UBOC is the first customer to go live with a complete (not just pilot) implementation of the latest version of Ariba Buyer, having deployed the solution in just 60 days.
Deloitte Consulting acted as prime contractor for the project, facilitating the implementation and integration of the solution with UBOC's back-end enterprise systems.
Ariba Buyer is an Internet-based application for the automation and management of corporate sourcing, buying and internal business processes, ranging from requisition to payment, to travel and expense. The solution has been implemented as an integral part of UBOC's corporate-wide intranet and Internet initiative designed to enhance the bank's customer-focus.
At UBOC, the system has been implemented to power "My Store," an online purchasing system where currently 3000 bank employees can electronically source and purchase goods and services such as personal computers, office supplies and other corporate purchases from its current 13 preferred suppliers, and manage internal business processes such as time and expense reports. The first transaction over the system was the purchase of business cards by the bank's corporate real estate group. UBOC plans to add a further five preferred suppliers to "My Store" within the next month.
Mick Spilsbury, executive vice president and head of Union Bank's e-business solutions group, comments: "By using Ariba Buyer over the past three months, we've already seen decreased cycle times and we've reduced the touch points required for many UBOC purchases."