DNB

“This has involved groundbreaking development work, with DNB and Nets working together to put this multi-signature solution in place. Nets provided the actual motor, which was then integrated into and adapted to the finance group’s needs,” bank director Ivar A. Johnsen explains. He was in charge of the project at DNB.

The solution is ready for use, and as of this autumn, borrowers will be able to complete the entire loan application process at dnb.no.

DNB has been a key driving force in the development of electronic ID and signature solutions in Norway. The banks and Nets have been working together on this solution for many years, with a common understanding that electronic transactions can greatly benefit Norwegian society. Now that DNB is ready with the first major application of e-signatures in the banking landscape of Norway, the expectations are huge. Beyond Norway’s borders, these efforts have certainly not gone unnoticed.

We opted to start with fully electronic loan application processing, and we have tested this thoroughly in our personal banking service. It has worked very well. The conventional loan application process requires a number of physical signatures, from the applicant as well as any joint borrowers, guarantors and witnesses. Now, all parties can sign electronically using their BankID,” Johnsen explains.

Win-win

DNB receives several hundred thousand loan applications each year. The savings in terms of time and resources – for the bank and the borrower – will be significant. Johnsen estimates that, within three years, 50% of the Group’s personal customers will be signing loan applications electronically. Besides the timesavings, each borrower will also have an easy way of retrieving documents from his or her personal electronic bank vault.

The road ahead is no less exciting! Our ambition is to automate a number of customer-facing bank processes based on secure electronic transactions between the bank and the customer. It is technically possible to fully automate loan processes, with automatic look-up of underlying databases such as credit information, but this will take a while to implement yet,” Johnsen explains.

The bank also wants to use BankID and the multi-signature engine to develop and improve other customer services, such as credits, savings products, insurance products and cards.

Opening up a myriad of opportunities

Secure identification and signing open up all sorts of business opportunities for us. Customers used to have to be signed up to online banking in order to enter into agreements with the bank online, just because that was the only practical method we had for identifying them. That’s no longer necessary. Now, people who don’t have any previous relationship with us can conclude agreements just as easily as existing customers can. That opens up exciting possibilities for us,” Johnsen says.

One member of the Group, Vital, allows life insurance contracts to be concluded using electronic signing. "Customers identify themselves with BankID, select the product, sign the contract electronically, and agree a direct debit mandate using AvtaleGiro. It means a lot to us that the order or agreement can be concluded while the customer is still in buying mode. Many fall away when several days elapse between initial contact and entering into the contract.”

Johnsen is exceptionally pleased about working with Nets. “I don’t think there’s any other environment in the world that could have developed this engine. Our partnership has been characterised by mutual trust and flexibility, and we’re delighted,” Johnsen adds.