Barclays launches iPortal, a single point of access for all business needs

Barclays has today announced the launch of the Barclays iPortal, an online hub allowing businesses to access all their banking services through a single gateway.

Providing an immediate snapshot of bank accounts and products, iPortal’s customisable interface enables users to authorise payments, manage cash, trade services and loan facilities. This can all be done via a single secure login, using the Barclays Biometric Reader, which is being made available to Barclays’ Corporate customers.

Michael Mueller, Head of Cash Management at Barclays commented: “Traditionally online banking systems have not always made life easy for businesses. Corporate banking solutions that bridge existing products produce disparate, complex and outdated systems that require multiple logins on a variety of platforms, making banking a time-consuming and disjointed process. With iPortal, we are changing all that.”

A brand new product, built from the ground up rather than retooling or overlaying existing ones, Barclays iPortal provides users with consolidated ‘to do’ lists, and real time alerts and notifications where actions are required. Businesses today operate in a globalised economy, and iPortal provides decision makers with an overview of group balances, across different business divisions and activities in multiple countries.

The system was developed to take advantage of the added security offered by Barclays Biometric Reader, which uses Hitachi’s Finger Vein Authentication Technology (VeinID). Used to make payments and confirm transactions, the device’s infrared lights scan the blood flow in a user’s finger. More secure than a fingerprint, the solution eliminates the need to remember PIN and passwords.

“In recent years, banks have rolled out ever more personalised services, to meet consumer demands for ways of banking that fit around their lifestyle,” added Mueller. “But what’s to say the same idea can’t apply to business users? The development of iPortal is another major step towards our vision of the future of corporate banking; simplifying and personalising the experience to enable decision makers to spend more time focusing on the business of doing business.”

Designed to reduce time spent on administration, users are able to send and receive secure messages with Barclays relationship and support teams via iPortal to streamline communication. It will also act as a market intelligence tool, providing users with the latest market research and insights specific to their business and industry.

iPortal can be accessed through all major web browsers, and the iPortal App will be available on tablet and mobile devices for financial controllers and company executives. Using Agile delivery methodology for the first time in Barclays Corporate, Barclays is able to act on customer feedback to continuously innovate and seamlessly upgrade iPortal.

Barclays iPortal is available to corporate customers with immediate effect, and the first orders for the Biometric Reader will be shipped from November 2015.