In addition to the highly anticipated Dynamic Product Packaging capabilities, ICBS features funds management tools, lending enhancements and efficiency improvements which will provide financial institutions several business benefits including the ability to generate additional revenues and increase efficiencies. Five clients have already signed for the new version and will begin implementing this year. Globally, more than 300 top tier financial institutions are utilizing Fiserv's CBS Core Product Suite.

"As a technology company that focuses on solving business problems, Fiserv designed this release with a financial institution's business benefit in mind," said Tony Catalfano, president, Fiserv CBS Worldwide. "The pressure on banks to increase profits through efficiency coupled with their desire to improve customer retention were key drivers in our development of this latest version of ICBS. The adoption of Product Packaging by several clients prior to its release exemplifies our clients' trust in our ability to repeatedly deliver cost-effective and innovative solutions that solve their business problems."

Designed to increase customer loyalty and profitability, Dynamic Product Packaging is a highlight of ICBS. This feature enables banks to create attractive product packages to meet customers' needs, thus capturing a greater percentage of their banking business. Financial institutions will also be able to offer preferential pricing and control eligibility requirements for customers who purchase packages rather than individual products. Features such as these make Product Packaging a key differentiator in customer retention and profitability for financial institutions.

As Datamonitor points out in its 2008 Trends to Watch: Retail Banking Technology brief, "the need for capital will see a race for deposits and customer retention, with the focus back on prime lending driving the need for stronger pricing personalization, push for product bundling and focus on product innovation."(1)

In addition to the features mentioned above, Product Packaging includes a Funds Management and Sweeps tool to help financial institutions generate revenue by maximizing interest earned on excess available funds. New retail and commercial lending features such as semi-monthly loan payments, improved collection of past due payments, the ability to offer extended loan Fiserv Lending Sio maturities and flexible credit line management are also included and will help financial institutions to create revenue generating opportunities.

Efficiency improvements in ICBS include G/L enhancements for control and research and a full common file audit reporting feature. These capabilities will improve security and control for finance departments, efficiently balance the bank, manage exceptions and enhance tracking and reporting for internal and external auditors.

Fiserv ICBS is a complete, real-time, SOA-based core processing solution for global banks and consumer finance companies that provides immediate business benefits with a high degree of flexibility that can be tailored to support a wide variety of business models. World class organizations rely on ICBS to increase operational efficiency, expand their markets and rapidly deliver a complete range of deposit and lending products. Proven in production to be highly scalable in mid-tier and large institutions in 43 countries and 21 languages, ICBS is a flexible solution that supports: savings and term deposits, current accounts, loans, sophisticated overdraft and ACA processing, mortgages, collections, trade finance, treasury, insurance, imaging, document management and card products. ICBS is recognized as a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for International Retail Core Banking(2). ICBS 9.0 is already integrated with Fiserv Aperio, customer interaction and business process management, CBS Teller, CBS Communicator integration layer, CBS Data Warehouse, Fiserv NetEconomy AML solution, Fiserv Treasury and Fiserv Trade to provide financial institutions with a complete end-to-end solution.

(1) Datamonitor. "2008 Trends to Watch: Retail Banking Technology, Trends and investment priorities across the Americas and Europe." Publication Date: February 2008.

(2) Free, Don. "Magic Quadrant for International Retail Core Banking, 2008." Gartner Industry Research. Publication Date: April 3, 2008.