AIT’s Customer Interaction Software is already being rolled out across Alliance & Leicester’s entire contact centre operation, providing customer-facing staff with an immediate one-stop single view of the customer’s history and relationship with the bank, regardless of product. Ultimately AIT’s software will support sales, servicing and processing of all direct and online products. The AIT appointment is a three-year multi-million pound customer focused re-alignment of the bank’s business. This is one of a number of key initiatives designed to support Alliance & Leicester’s strategy.

Chris Rhodes, Alliance & Leicester’s Director of Manufacture and Operations, stated: It was AIT’s ability to address our specific CRM requirements, along with its prestigious client list and commitment to timely delivery, that impressed us most. AIT is seen as the eCRM leader in our industry and we are confident that its expertise will enable us to realise our vision.

Carl Rigby, Chairman and CEO of AIT Group, commented: Over the past 12 months AIT and Alliance & Leicester have built up a very strong working partnership. AIT has been able to blend financial services business awareness with technical excellence, built up over 15 years. We are excited at the prospect of working in partnership with such a prestigious organisation.

Alliance & Leicester is a broad-based FTSE 100 financial services company. Its diversified business is divided into 3 core segments Personal Customers, Small Business Customers and Commercial Customers. The Group is currently undertaking the implementation of a new strategy announced in 2000 with stretching cost and revenue growth targets to be achieved by end 2003. An overhaul of technology infrastructure is a key component of this strategy.

AIT Group plc specialises in the development of eCRM solutions for retail financial services, deploying multi-channel systems encompassing telephone, Internet, branch, interactive TV and mobile telephony. It has developed its specialist knowledge over 15 years, through successful delivery of over 70 customer-centric solutions for its blue chip client base. Clients include Lloyds TSB, The Woolwich, Marks & Spencer Financial Services, Alliance & Leicester, Britannic Money, NatWest, Standard Life, Komercni Banka (Czech Republic), KeyCorp (US) and Benkar Advantage (Turkey).