GE Access Launches Direct Account Access For Solution Providers

GE Access

The Boulder, Colo.-based distributor launched Direct Account Access at its annual New Frontiers Conference held here. The program gives solution providers 24x7 access to their accounts, allowing them to view and print invoices, account history, receipt application and transaction activity.

Prior to Direct Account Access, customers had to request the information from a GE Access Financial Service associate, who would manually run a report and fax or e-mail the information.

"GE Access has been responsive whenever we've needed something, but this will be very helpful," said Jim McHugh, vice president of sales at Strategic Technologies, a Cary, N.C.-based solution provider.

The application does not allow solution providers to make changes to their account, but they can view outstanding invoices, payments, product returns and other invoices, said Frances Draper, vice president of risk management at GE Access.

"The key benefits are it allows [solution providers greater efficiency of their own staff. It's time not spent on the phone with us. Also, it's available 24x7, so you can close your books on time without having to wait for information from us," Draper said.

"This is the first in a series of Web-based tools we'll be bringing out in the next year," said Michael Minard, executive vice president at GE Access. "It was brought about largely by the ERP upgrade we made, from Oracle 10.7 to 11i last November. This gives us the foundation for future tool sets."

In October, GE Access plans to add a dispute section where solution providers enter the relevant information, which is then electronically sent to a member of GE Access' financial services team.

"We're looking at other enhancements such as automatic payments," Draper said. "It took a long time to get 11i in, but now that we're there, we're going to start seeing the benefits."

GE Access hired a third party to verify the security of the links between the distributor and partners, Draper said.

"We followed banking standards to put out information via the Web," she said. "We also hired our own hackers. We know the security is working."