From: "Nancy K. Martin" 
Subject: Wells Fargo Unveils Plans to Pilot Electronic Bill Presentment;      
        Online Pioneer Says Customers Will Be (fwd)
   
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 1997 23:16:44 -0800
From: Kelly Ford 
Reply-To: Blind-x Blind Exchange & Discussion
     
To: BLIND-X@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
Subject: Wells Fargo Unveils Plans to Pilot Electronic Bill Presentment;      
        Online Pioneer Says Customers Will Be (fwd)
If anyone's associated with Wells Fargo or the other organizations
mentioned in this, it would certainly be nice to know if they have
explored the compatibility of this technology with things like screen
readers.  It seems like they could leverage such a technology with ADA
compliance if done correctly but who knows if they've ever heard of screen
reaaders.
Posted at 8:19 a.m. PST Wednesday, December 3, 1997
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Wells Fargo Unveils Plans to Pilot Electronic Bill Presentment; Online
Pioneer Says Customers Will Be
Using Latest Innovation in '98
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 1997--Wells Fargo today announced
its plans for an electronic bill presentment and payment pilot in early
1998, which will pave the way for customers to receive and pay their bills
electronically within the year.
This pilot, which will be conducted with an employee group, is the latest
in a long list of innovations pioneered by the bank since it first made
online banking services available to customers through the Internet in
1995.
`Our customers enjoy the flexibility and control that online banking
offers,` said Dudley Nigg, executive vice president of Online Financial
Services at Wells Fargo.
`But without the ability to receive and then pay bills online, an important
piece of the puzzle has been missing.  Electronic bill presentment and
payment completes the promise of online banking, offering consumers a new
level of convenience, simplicity and power.`
The pilot is expected to be the first to be supported with new technology
developed by MSFDC, a joint venture between Microsoft and First Data
Corporation. `Wells Fargo has demonstrated its ability to be ahead of the
curve in delivering what the online customer wants, both in terms of
product and service.  Wells is a valuable partner in making an end-to-end
bill presentment and payment system a reality for consumers,` said Chuck
White, co-general manager of MSFDC.
Initially, pilot participants will receive their Wells Fargo credit card
bills presented through MSFDC, but the Wells Fargo service will ultimately
be capable of delivering all of a customer's bills, even when presented
through other sources.
Customers receiving their bills online will have the convenience of
receiving all of their bills in one place and scheduling payment at any
time.  Wells Fargo's new offering will be free to its customers.
Billers will also find electronic bill presentment to be an attractive
option.  Bills will be richly formatted, branded by each individual biller,
and include all product information and disclosures typically included with
a paper statement.  In addition, the cost to deliver bills and process
payments will be greatly reduced.
Wells Fargo first offered online services in 1989, and in 1995 became the
first major bank to offer its retail customers banking over the Internet.
Today customers can access their account balances and transaction history,
transfer funds between accounts, pay all of their bills, apply for new
accounts, and order travelers checks, cashiers checks, and foreign currency
through Wells Fargo's online banking service.  More than 400,000 Wells
Fargo customers now bank online.
Founded in 1852, Wells Fargo & Company has operations in Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and
Washington.  As of Sept. 30, 1997, the company had assets of $97.7 billion.
--30--bl/sf.. blm/sf
CONTACT: Wells Fargo              Kim Kellogg, 415/396-3070
or              Edelman PR              David Lyons, 415/433-5381
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