The Bank of the West has launched an online account opening project to enable customers to open accounts without visiting a branch, utilizing real-time processing to reduce customer loss due to previous delays. A multi-year partnership with Bottomline Technologies is set to provide the necessary system, which includes features like applicant authentication, risk scoring, and real-time account creation. The online application process involves multiple steps, including user verification and the option for customers to access additional financial products after account approval.

1. Project Details: Bank of the West (Online Account
Opening)
Bank of the West (BNP Paribas) bank has the project for customers to open the
accounts online. The company has promoted this project on priority so that
customers can open the accounts online without visiting any bank branch and the
account details are available real time. The earlier process used to have batch
processes and it was time consuming and was not real time. Analytics data showed
that company had lost many potential customers due to lack of real time processing.
The company has signed a multi-year deal with Bottomline Technologies to develop
and manage the new system.
One of the modules of this proposed system is real time online account opening. The
potential customers can visit the bank’s site and open an online account/s by
providing valid SSN (Social Security Number) and other personal details.
The Bank of the West (BNP Paribas) will have an interface with Bottomline
Technologies which provides the solutions to different financial institutions.
Bottomline provides the platform to Bank of the West by customizing their standard
product. Different settings for customers with different products e.g checking
account, savings account, premier account with different fees, services etc. are
provided
The key functions available during online account opening are as follows:
 Authentication of the applicant
 Risk Scoring the applicant
 Validating that the applicant qualifies for the product
 Applicant’s acceptance of disclosures/Collecting Regulatory information
 Opening the account/Cross selling other products
 Funding the account (EFT-Electronic Fund Transfer, Debit/Credit Card, Check)
 Data updates in FIS HOST (Mainframe)

2. Project Tasks
Create the process flow for online account opening. This process flow must consider
the online account number creation within 5 minutes on successful submission
application of the online form.

3. Solution
The potential customer visits the website of Bank of the West and applies for the
online account.
The steps involved are as follows:
A) User visits the website of Bank of the West
B) User clicks on “Apply Online for Bank Account” selecting particular product
C) User provides the personal details including SSN (Social Security Number) and
other details (e.g. Address, Employer, Income etc)
D) User clicks on Submit
E) In the background, the validation is done for risk score, IP address validation,
fraud activities with particular SSN
F) Customer accepts all the terms and conditions, disclosures, fees etc.
G) The account is approved (or declined) on the basis of above validations
H) Other offers (competitive products) are displayed to the customers; if the
customers are interested they can grab those since the validation is already
done.
I) All the details of the customer are saved in Mainframe system
J) Customer can fund the account (EFT-Electronic Fund Transfer, Debit/Credit
Card, Cash/Check)
K) Welcome Letter, Debit Card, Check Books sent to customer
Here is the process flow (Flowchart)-