When you get right down to it, no purchase is truly an online transaction unless payment takes place online as well. By leveraging the Ariba B2B Commerce platform, we can rapidly deploy our next-generation electronic payment and procurement services to corporate buyers and suppliers of all sizes. Through the integration of American Express services and interoperability between the innovative American Express B2B Commerce Network and the Ariba platform, our two companies will make it easier for mutual customers to rapidly participate in and benefit from the new B2B economy. American Express and Ariba will jointly develop a suite of E-payment services, designed specifically to meet the changing requirements of the global B2B economy. Buyers will benefit by paying only for goods delivered and by eliminating manual payment steps such as check-writing, check distribution and invoice reconciliation.
Suppliers benefit from reduced cycle time between order and payment postings.
Suppliers also benefit from seamless integration of the payment and billing information between the Ariba platform and American Express' supplier billing software, reducing time-consuming manual processes, eliminating manual invoice creation and improving data accuracy. The companies agree to provide enhanced levels of support for each other's products during the implementation process for mutual customers. Both firms will facilitate the joint enablement of suppliers on their respective networks. Additionally, both companies will recommend the integrated solutions to their respective customer bases. In addition, the companies will provide open interoperability between the American Express B2B Commerce Network and Ariba B2B Commerce platform, multiplying trading opportunities for buyers and sellers in both networks.