Datamonitor is reporting that IBM (News - Alert) has won a services contract from Cigna subsidiary Lina Korea to develop a new technology platform and system for the insurance telemarketing business.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

'Under the deal,' Datamonitor says, 'the company will provide an overall information technology tool including hardware and software, as well as software support services for the telemarketing system based on open industry standards and technology architecture.'

Last October Lina won the Asia Insurance Industry Award for 'Innovation of the Year' sponsored by the Asia Insurance Review magazine. Among 326 companies nominated in Asia, Lina Korea won this award for having the most innovative performance with significant contribution to the Korean insurance market.

Asia Insurance Review, an industry publication, stated that Lina Korea 'pioneers a new market with an innovative model.' Lina was the first company to launch direct mail and telemarketing in Korea to promote communications with clients. As a result, company officials say, Lina Korea 'attracted 430,000 new customers within 18 months.'

The deal also includes an enterprise-wide system upgrade, 'which will also be adopted as the standard telemarketing system across Lina offices in the Asia-Pacific region.'

According to terms of the deal IBM will provide its software, including DB2 database management, WebSphere application server, Tivoli software for IT business service management, Lotus Sametime for collaborations, Datastage for data quality management and Rational development tools.

IBM officials say the solution will run on IBM Power System p6 570 and virtual tape library.

Andy B. Damrow, chief operating officer at Lina Korea, said once established, 'this telemarketing system will improve not only the efficiency of our electronic resources management, but also the company's productivity, service quality and customer satisfaction, as well as support the future growth of the company.'

In November, IBM won a contract from business insurer QBE Insurance Group to develop and maintain QBE's support services including helpdesk, desktop, data center, LAN, WAN and disaster recovery across its UK and Western European offices.

 

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