ANZ ends e-business trial

By ADAM GIFFORD

The ANZ has closed down its anzebiz.com internet-based procurement service because of a lower than expected demand from customers.

Project manager Ivan Gojak from ANZ global transactions said the bank tried to bring suppliers and customers together into a virtual marketplace, but the volume of transactions did not justify continuing.

"When we were first looking at this, the analysts and the market suggested this would be bigger than Ben Hur," Gojak said.

Anzebiz.com used marketplace software from MRO, with a small amount of customisation, and the site was hosted in New York by Digital Island.

About seven staff were involved full time on the project, which covered both sides of the Tasman.

"The technology was irrelevant really. We didn't go overboard."

He said other people had spent millions on technology which did them no good, because the issue was about business processes.

A large consulting effort was required to make electronic procurement and marketplaces work.

"It needs to be a collaborative effort between buyers and suppliers, and that is not our core business."

The bank had learned a lot from the exercise, and could get back into it if e-procurement took off.

He said the bank never got to the stage of charging its customers or suppliers, so there were few financial complications in closing the service.