Haigh Consultancy Services (HCS) are delighted to announce the successful integration of the Deutscher Sparkassenverlag (DSV Gruppe) smart card solution into their eBilling suite.
Smart cards are an essential part of an eDelivery solution, as they are the only permissible method of hosting a Qualified Digital Signature which is used to sign electronic documents.
A document that has been electronically signed (e.g. an invoice PDF) cannot be changed without invalidating the digital signature. This both makes the document admissible in law, and reassures the recipient that it is genuine.
The qualified digital signature is critical in this process, as it is the only legally admissible method for signing electronic documents that carries the same weight as a physical signature.
HCS initially developed a solution to sign with smart cards some 8 years ago, however constant changes in the technological landscape mean that regularly refreshing this processes is essential.
The DSV Gruppe, based in Germany, were chosen as a supplier due to their highly respected credentials as a provider of smart cards and qualified digital certificates.
The company has worked closely with HCS over the last 8 weeks to ensure that their solution operates well within the HCS eDelivery framework, provided through the company’s Aurora and Data Workflow Manager products.
These products are used by HCS’s clients such as the Avis Budget Group who deliver electronic invoices to their clients across the globe.
The Company
Haigh Consultancy Services (HCS) is a leading IT consultancy firm providing IT services and products. Its clients include some of the largest mailing houses and postal operators in the UK as well as major companies from the Financial Services, Utility and Leisure Industry sectors such as Close Brothers Group, Avis Budget Group and HomeLet Insurance
The company was formed by Managing Director, Paul Haigh, in 1998 and specialises in Hosted Billiing Solutions, ebilling, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Archive & Retrieval, Data Workflows and Processing and Hybrid Mail. HCS is based in Leicester, with two satellite offices in the Ukraine.
HCS is an ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 accredited software house, maintaining rigorous software development quality systems and has vast experience in developing and maintaining data solutions for transactional print and direct mail.
The Products - Aurora
Aurora is a combined electronic billing and document archive and retrieval system. Originally developed for the transactional print market the application offers an integrated ebilling and document storage solution for inbound and outbound communications.
Archive and Retrievals facilities allow documents to be indexed, stored and accessed quickly and securely. Thin client technology allows access from anywhere on the internet.
Aurora can utilise existing print data to create an electronic version of the physical document. Your customers can instantly view a true document copy of the printed correspondence on a screen - from any location.
There are secure facilities for users to view, print, download, email or eFax a document from any location with multiple user access levels, audit logging and secure data transfer.
Through the use of pre-determined business rules documents are archived swiftly and securely with comprehensive document indexing for fast document retrieval
The Products – Data Workflow Manager
Data Workflow Manager is used by major UK mailing houses to automate their data processing operations and reduce data processing times. Initially developed for the transactional and direct mail print industries, Data Workflow Manager is now available to all organisations.
Bespoke programs and scripts, third party software and even external equipment data can all be integrated under a single management system.
Through a simple to use GUI, customised workflows can be created for a specific customer, application or document type.
Implementers can create and link their own workflow components while Operators can control and monitor job progress while managers can produce system reports and monitor system security and usage.
The products – Unity Hybrid Mail
Unity offers a simple, cost effective solution to consolidate traditional mail from any desktop application.
Unity Integrates seamlessly with your network to create a virtual printer, enabling users to create documents at their desktop before selecting the Unity printer to securely transfer the files to our head office for printing, enclosing and posting.
The service is ISO27001 Information Security compliant, with data encrypted from point of dispatch to offer you peach of mind.
Documents are enclosed in a C5 envelope with up to eight A4 full colour duplex pages. Mail is securely delivered by either DSA 2 day service, or by Royal Mail first class and we offer a full online track and trace system with proof of delivery to Royal Mail.
The service will consolidate print output into a single mailing across networks, locations and geographies, benefitting organisations with several branches and/or sites.
The DSV Group (Deutscher Sparkassenverlag)
The DSV Group, consisting of Deutscher Sparkassenverlag and its subsidiaries and associated companies, is among the ten media groups in Germany gener-ating the highest sales (with annual sales of EUR 880.3 – preliminary figure 2012). As a specialized solution provider, the DSV Group provides the institutions and associations of the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe (Savings Banks Finance Group) with both analog and digital media content. The Group’s products include social media solutions and other solutions for mobile devices along with content for online periodicals and conventional published media such as books, guide series, and industry and customer publications, as well as educational media and training materials. Electronic forms and advisory systems, technical equipment, and bank cards round out this product range. The spectrum of products and services is enhanced by IT-supported services, payment solutions, Web sites, and all-around agency services, including communications plans and PR events. The company has approximately 1,800 employees, and its headquarters are located in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. The DSV Group also operates a large number of offices in other cities across Germany.
DSV's Core Competence: Card Management
As the center of excellence for bank cards of the Sparkassen-Finan¬zgruppe, the DSV Group offers end-to-end card, application and se¬curity solutions. DSV, Germany's leading smart card provider, holds a national market share of approximately 60% in the bank card segment, with 45 million cards issued. Under the S-TRUST brand, the DSV Group is a leader in issuing digital signature cards, which enable legally binding communication over the Internet in accordance with the German Digital Signature Act. In the DSV Group's card network, DSV's own card pro¬duction operations at EPC Electronic Payment Cards ensure that the Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe maintains its competitive edge in card technologies. As a leading provider of card payment services in Ger-many, DSV's associated company B+S Card Service is a partner to local savings banks and retailers. The DSV subsidiary S-CARD Service manages cross-regional card projects.
