In Brief (four items)

Nat City to Hire 150 For Technology Unit

CLEVELAND - National City Corp. said last week that it plans to expand its commitment to technology by hiring 150 people for its project services group.The hirings would come after a 50% increase in National City's technology budget in the past year.

National City, which has $87 billion of assets, also announced it would build a 100,000-square-foot facility as offices for the new employees. The company said it expects the facility to be completed by January 2001.

Hamy Anthony Hai, senior vice president, was named director of project services in 1999. He joined National City in 1998 as head of information services.


Big Growth Predicted In Web-Sales Software

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - Sales force automation software revenues are ready to jump to almost $5 billion by 2003, according to International Data Corp., from less than $888 million in 1998."The Internet's potential to change much of the way buying and selling is done cannot be overstated," said Judy Hodges, director of IDC's customer relationship management research program. "Universal browser access to global servers and data bases and other developments have led to new and revolutionary forms of e-commerce and diverse innovations affecting sales force automation and customer relationship management."

The market for sales force automation software is in its early stages, IDC said. Sales in the United States accounted for more than 71% of revenues in 1998. IDC predicted that U.S. revenues would fall to 67% of the total by 2003.

IDC mentioned Siebel Systems as well positioned to extend its leadership in the sales force automation market. Siebel is the only vendor to have a double-digit market share, IDC said, and it recently expanded its product line to include offerings that appeal to companies of all sizes and across many industries.


Pa. Thrift's Branches To Use Alltel Package

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Alltel Corp. has agreed to install front-office software for Harris Savings Bank of Harrisburg, Pa.The Little Rock telecommunications and data processing company is to install its Integrated Platform Solutions software, which handles functions including deposits, new accounts, teller operations, new accounts, sales tracking, and mortgage loan origination. The bank has used Alltel's Horizon core processing software since 1998.

Harris Savings has assets of more than $2.6 billion and operates 40 branches in Pennsylvania and Maryland. It chose Alltel's system because of its flexibility, range of features, and integrated product design, said Jim Durrell, executive vice president and chief financial officer. The software runs on AS/400 computers from International Business Machines Corp.


Bank Processor Gives E-Billing to N.J. Firm

PRINCETON, N.J. - Princeton Ecom, a New Jersey-based payments company, has agreed to present electronic bills to bank and thrift customers of FPS Gold, a bank data processor in Provo, Utah.FPS Gold supplies telecommunications, software development, and customer service support to 80 financial institutions in the United States.

Princeton Ecom presents electronic bills and makes bill payments on behalf of customers at more than 30 major on-line billers, including Bell Atlantic Mobile and Cellular One. Its telephone and electronic payment services are used by more than 600 U.S. corporations.

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