Callataÿ & Wouters

Rabobank IDB: Direct Banking Powers Greenfield Strategy

"With the automation that Thaler provides, we have successfully delivered on our competitive position. Thaler has met all of our requirements for performance, reliability and security, and will seamlessly accommodate future plans for growth in customers, products, and transactions."
Gert Bouwman, Global Head of Rabobank IDB

Rabobank’s strategic ambition: becoming the Direct Bank of choice

Rabobank International Direct Banking (Rabobank IDB) seeks to become the Direct Bank of choice for financially self-directed customers in selected markets around the globe. By connecting with customers entirely online, without a costly network of brick-and mortar branches, the bank seeks to minimize customer fees and maximize investment returns.

"Rabobank IDB gives its clients a powerful infrastructure and high-quality financial products; the customer does the rest"
Gert Bouwman, Global Head of Rabobank IDB

The choice of a secure, reliable platform for internet banking

To launch a new banking network run entirely on the internet, Rabobank IDB needed 100 % reliability from its IT platform. Specifically, Rabobank IDB needed the system to provide support for online access, savings accounts, payments, loans and investment funds. Some of the key criteria that led to the selection of the Thaler Direct Bank solution were:

• A Ready to run package
• Ease of adaptability to the needs of local markets & built-in compliance
• User-friendly interfaces

Smooth entries in new markets

Within 14 weeks of signing a contract with Callataÿ & Wouters, Rabobank IDB had launched a pilot direct-banking operation in Belgium. Together the two partners then identified new territories where the direct-banking concept might be most successful. The next four implementations were each completed in less than six months. The Belgian pilot became profitable by the end of 2007. By the first half of 2008, Rabobank IDB had more than 250,000 customers across all five markets.

Hosted infrastructure to increase customer focus

To enhance its customer focus, Rabobank IDB chose to host its entire IT infrastructure with Schuberg Philis, a provider of mission-critical outsourcing services. Callataÿ & Wouters in partnership with Schuberg Philis provide the bank with a 100% functional uptime guarantee, supported on a 24/7 basis.

"By using a single location for all the servers of our local web sites, we can centralize technical support and achieve considerable economies of scale"
André van der Linden, Manager of Shared Services at Rabobank IDB

Download the customer case brochure