Large corporations share many of the issues faced by banks in managing fast, efficient, transparent and low cost payment systems - both in terms of satisfying their own financial needs, and in meeting the expectations of customers, suppliers and other counterparties.

There are a number of urgent challenges that Oracle and its partners can help corporates address, with technologies that are becoming industry-standard within the banking sector itself, and with leading edge solutions purpose-designed to meet the specific requirements of corporate treasurers and finance directors.

In a society that has become increasingly cashless, reliance on point of sale transaction and payment systems that are a decade or more old is a clear obstacle to the effective management of liquidity, as well as a block to providing levels of service customers expect, and to using customer information effectively to drive sales.

But changing POS systems to meet all these challenge can be a daunting task. For a leading edge solution that improves POS system effectiveness, without disruption, and with lower long-term TCO, Oracle and Distra combine to provide fault-tolerant, scalable, adaptable POS replacement.

Another key area where corporates are collaborating more effectively with their banking partners is in the context of SWIFTNet payments. Phase 2 SWIFTNet opens up new opportunities for organisations to improve the processing and reporting of payments. Oracle's recent majority acquisition of i-flex enables us to offer the market leading IT and consultancy solution for companies wishing to leverage this advantage - see i-flex SWIFTNet solutions.

There's also a fuller discussion on all the drivers in corporate/bank connectivity within The next steps in corporate to bank connectivity.

As recent Financial Insights/IDC report comments: "Locking customers into proprietary interfaces and front-end systems will no longer be viable as banks seek to move beyond simple payment processing into helping businesses integrate their financial supply chains." Oracle has developed a corporate to bank solution - Financial Gateway - that helps all parties achieve their aims.

Oracle Payments Architecture provides the underpinning for managing all these issues, and with our partners we can provide a total payments solution fit for purpose now and into the future.