Harbinger Selected by Sunoco, Inc. to Build Integrated Payment Processing Portal
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1999--Harbinger Corporation (NASDAQ: HRBC), a worldwide supplier of electronic commerce software, services
and solutions, announced today that it is partnering with Sunoco, Inc. (RM) (NYSE: SUN), one of the largest independent U.S. petroleum refiners, to build a portal
that will facilitate the company's payment request processing system for its network of more than 200 wholesale lubricants distributors. The portal is expected to
increase inventory turnaround times, streamline business processes, and update and enforce business rules in real time. Under terms of the contract, Sunoco Inc. will
license Harbinger Express Web e-commerce software and harbinger.net(SM) value-added processing technology, and will retain Harbinger as its Application
Service Provider (ASP) for outsourcing, hosting, trading partner certification and implementation services.
More than 300,000 buy-back claims are traded annually within Sunoco's distribution network, with only 10 percent currently exchanged electronically. Sunoco is
targeting 100 percent participation from its Sunoco Lubricants and Kendall Motor Oil distributors during the rollout. Buy-back claims used within the petroleum
industry for payment and credit processing. The portal will facilitate cost savings and efficiencies by improving turnaround and cash flow as the company streamlines
traditional paper-driven business processes. Using a standard Internet connection, distributors will be able to go directly to the portal, log on using their Harbinger
Express Web e-commerce software, and begin trading immediately. Rollout of the solution to distributors is expected to be complete by mid-year 2000.
"By tapping into the Internet to roll out and implement our e-commerce solution, we're able to redefine our business processes in an efficient manner and quickly
deploy it to our trading partners," said Curt Knapp, Sunoco Vice President of Lubricants Marketing and Sales. "harbinger.net and Harbinger Express make good
business sense. We wanted a solution that would drive us from 10 percent efficiency to virtually 100 percent efficiency overnight. And Harbinger can make that
happen."
"As a Fortune 500 company, Sunoco's implementation is particularly significant because it demonstrates Harbinger's ability to go into an enterprise-level company,
assess its critical business needs, and provide an industry-tailored solution with just-in-time deployment," said James M. Travers, Harbinger President and Chief
Operating Officer. "As companies look to transact business in real time, the Internet is the logical next step. This partnership is consistent with Harbinger's focus on
providing IP connectivity with back-office integration." |
