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  • ING Deploys Palm Handheld Computing Technology.

    e-Agent mobile system by Sysware Corporation enhances workforce efficiency, improves employee satisfaction and reduces costs.

    ING Antai Insurance Company has achieved cost reductions and an improvement in workforce efficiency since March 2001, using the e-Agent Mobile Business System designed by Sysware Corporation and running on Palm® handheld computers. Currently, there are more than 6,000 ING Antai agents in Taiwan using the system on Palm handhelds to enhance productivity and customer satisfaction.

  • "Enterprise solutions such as e-Agent solution minimises time delay and data turnaround time while mobile data communication is done through Palm handheld computers; thus, our workforce performance is highly benefited and enhanced."

    Mr Tommy Chan
    Senior Manager, System Planning Center
    ING Antai

    The Challenge
    One of the insurance industry's major challenges is being able to promptly select from the wide variety of insurance products available in the market to provide a tailor-made insurance profile that meets an individual customer's needs. Insurance agents need to remain constantly up-to-date on the latest insurance products and policies.

    Use of technology based on the Palm OS® platform mobilises the information resident in ING Antai databases, enabling insurance agents to offer customers on-the-spot personalised insurance policies.

    "Enterprise solutions such as e-Agent solution minimises time delay and data turnaround time while mobile data communication is done through Palm handheld computers; thus, our workforce performance is highly benefited and enhanced," said Tommy Chang, senior manager, System Planning Center, ING Antai.

    ING Antai also recognises that sustained after-sales services is a vital element in maintaining competitive advantage. The e-Agent Mobile Business System supports comprehensive after-sale service, such as reminders on premium due dates and customer birthdays, updates on policy changes and follow-up on various customer requests. They are equally important in retaining existing customers and generating new business from current customers.

    The Solution
    Sysware Corporation announced its mobile solution for the life insurance industry, e-Agent, in January 2001. Shortly afterwards, Sysware Corporation succeeded in tailoring e-Agent to suit the operation of ING Antai in Taiwan.

    e-Agent, allows mobile workers to download information and applications onto Palm handhelds. The second stage of software development has been completed. The mobile workforce is capable of handling tasks online, including database management, updates on insurance policy, premium enquiries, life insurance package calculation, schedule reminder, to-do list and other administration tasks.

    In view of the success of the ING deployment of e-Agent, Sysware Corporation will further enhance the solution to offer a wider range of functions. The open Palm OS also enables the insurance agents to access thousands of software applications online.

    Chad Liu, Vice President of Mobile e-Commerce BU at Sysware Corporation, said, "e-Agent recognises the increasing importance of the mobile workforce, enhancing efficiency and ease of the working environment.

    The Outcome
    The results for ING Antai have included simplified work processes, enhanced quality of service and improved time efficiency.

    ING Antai now has more than 6,000 insurance agents in Taiwan using the e-Agent Mobile Business. The target is to increase deployment to 10,000 agents by the end of 2001, with the goal of further enhancements in efficiency.

    About ING
    Internationale Nederlanden Groep N.V. (ING Group) was ranked the fifth in "World Super 50" in the July 2001 issue of Forbes Magazine. The Group is active in banking, insurance and asset management in over 65 countries, with more than 100,000 employees providing a full range of integrated financial services to over 50 million customers worldwide. At the end of 2000, ING Group had total assets of 715 billion and achieved a 16-fold increase in market capitalization from 5 billion in 1991 to 75 billion. Through continuous expansion, ING Group becomes one of the first integrated financial service providers in the world. During the last decade, by acquiring American insurer ReliaStar, Aetna Financial Services and Aetna International, ING grows its operation in Asia and Americas. These acquisitions have placed ING among the top ten in US insurance companies and have made it the second largest foreign life insurer in Asia. ING is also the world's eleventh largest asset manager.

    About Sysware Corporation
    Sysware Corporation is a subsidiary of Systex Group Corporations, with a paid-up capital of NT$320 million and 230 employees. Sysware positions itself as the "Provider of e and M Integration to Enterprises" by executing the operations of Network Software Business Group and Financial and Mobile Business Group simultaneously, along with customer service as its core mission. Sysware is able to offer six line of business of value-added services to enterprises: "Managed Security Services", "e Commence & Network Software Distribution", "Mobile Commence", "Wireless Peripheral & Platform", "Financial Trading System", "Financial Information Services", and "Internet Software/Hardware Distribution".

    In the Mobile Commerce area, Sysware leverages its leadership of the front-end and back office system in the arena of international finance in order to achieve its cutting edging application in PDA. Thus, Sysware has been successfully integrating the mobile business with the industries of insurance, automobile, financial, POS, medical and brokerage. By applying the cross-link marketing strategy between the e and M business groups, Sysware offers its large customer base with valuable integrated solutions. Sysware sets its goal to transform itself into the one-stop solution for enterprises. Further, Sysware aims to provide its current corporate customers who have implemented Check Point Firewall and Oracle Database with e- to mobile business solutions. In order to familiarise with its products and services for its customers, as well as to obtain various certifications, Sysware has established an "Educational Training Promotion Center", which provides Palm OS mobile business consulting, PDA operating instructions.

    For more information, please visit the Sysware Corporation website at http://www.sysware.com.tw.