Volkswagen Bank GmbH Sp. z o.o. Branch in Poland (Volkswagen Bank) is an institution that provides bank- ing services related to the purchase and operation of cars, including Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA and Porsche brands. It is part of Volkswagen Financial Services (VFS), which also offers leasing services and service packages to individual and business customers. Many years of experience gained on foreign markets make the financing of vehicle purchase the field in which the bank is the best specialist. It guarantees not only professional service and the security of all concluded transactions, but also focuses on the constant improvement of the offer for its clients.
It was the desire to continuously improve the quality of provided services that influenced Volkswagen Bank’s decision to implement innovative technological tools that would allow for the optimization of many corporate banking processes and enable the efficient adjustment of the institution to the regulator’s requirements. The Bank was looking for a proven solution which would improve, among others, the service of enterprises and allow to build a permanent competitive advantage. The solution was to be characterized not only by an open architecture, but also by flexibility, enabling the efficient management of the product portfolio and the safe and quick implementation of changes. Therefore, Volkswagen Bank decided to continue its cooperation with Asseco Poland, which was responsible for the implementation of the Asseco Enterprise Banking Platform (Asseco EBP) – an omni-channel electronic banking system for business.
The project began in November 2018 and was divided into two stages. The first one assumed the implemen- tation of new electronic banking. In the next one, Asseco carried out the migration of clients from the old def3000/CEB solution to the new one.
The new transaction system is based on the concept of mini-applications, which allows the Bank to shape and launch banking products and services in the Internet banking system free of charge and quickly. Thanks to a wide range of functionalities, it provides comprehensive support for entrepreneurs in the area of financial services. At the same time, it ensures integration with the financial and accounting systems of corporate customers and the security of executed transactions.
Under the project, Asseco has implemented the following mini-applications: Accounts, Transfers, Deposits, Cards, Loans, Messages and Applications. Additional- ly, it has moved e-banking solutions from the bank’s infrastructure to the Data Processing Centre (CPD) in Wrocław. In order to reach these goals, the implementation team had to develop a new model of cooperation at the operational and maintenance level.
During the project, the bank decided to implement the Asseco Open Banking API (Asseco OBA). This resulted from the need to meet the requirements of the European Union PSD II Directive, which defines the principles of cooperation between banks and payment service providers, i.e. the so-called TPP (Third Party Providers) in the area of open banking. It was also connected with the introduction of the so-called Strong Customer Authentication, which guarantees a higher level of credibility and resistance to fraud. Therefore, the project team implemented a mobile application for order authorization - Asseco MAA (Mobile Authorization and Authentication), which uses PUSH messages as an alternative to SMS messages.
A big challenge in this part of the project was the date of entry into force of the new regulations, but thanks to the efficient organization of work, the implementation team introduced all changes on time. It was composed of over 70 Asseco experts and the bank’s 20 employees who worked closely together at each stage of the implementation.
Key benefits
The implementation has allowed Volkswagen Bank to develop its omni-channel strategy and build a lasting competitive advantage. Thanks to Asseco EBP, the client is free to decide which banking service and communication channel they will use. In addition, the activity initiated in one channel is continued in another, without losing data or quality.
The new electronic banking has provided the customers of Volkswagen Bank with an efficient and quick access to modern banking products. Thanks to the application of RWD (Responsive Web Design) they can use their banking on both stationary and mobile devices. They also have the possibility of a mobile authorization of ordered instructions, which now takes place with a single click.
The implementation of the project has enabled the efficient management of the bank’s portfolio and significantly accelerated the launch of the new offer on the market. It has also established the bank’s position as a partner for business, which not only watches over and helps to manage a company’s finances, but also recognizes its needs and helps implement them.
Thanks to the implementation of the omni-channel platform, on which the new e-banking is based, the bank has gained the opportunity to cooperate with fintech companies that can deliver new mini-applications without the involvement of Asseco. In turn, the introduction of a two-stage authentication has significantly improved the security of operations; the implementation of the Asseco MAA mobile token has reduced the costs of SMS messaging.