Customer Solution Case Study
/ / Jordanian Payments Provider Rejects UNIX System in Favour of More Secure Database
Overview
Country or Region: Jordan
Industry: Electronics
Customer Profile
Oryx is the largest electronic distribution and bill payment service in Jordan providing a secure delivery channel for e-vouchers in addition to a convenient and secure bill payment channel for householders.
Business Situation
Oryx wanted a state-of-the-art, secure online transaction switching system capable of handling many simultaneous transactions including payment authorisations and pre-paid pin code distribution (e-vouchers).
Solution
The Sky+ online transaction switching system is based on Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server, part of Microsoft Windows Server System™ integrated server software, and Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000.
Benefits
n Secure infrastructure for business growth
n Innovative solutions for non-financial organisations
n Rapid updates to Web site without extra costs
n Safe electronic fund transfers for merchants / “Similar legacy infrastructures were traditionally a UNIX-only solution, but we preferred a solution based on Microsoft Windows 2000 Server… and Microsoft SQL Server 2000.”
Amer Al Muhaisen, CEO, Oryx
Oryx, the leading electronic transaction processing and distribution service in Jordan, wanted a secure system to support expansion to offer more services to the marketplace. Oryx originally launched as a joint venture with a European partner, which ran the service with a solution traditionally based on UNIX. Oryx, now wholly Jordanian owned, has preferred to base its Sky+ secure online transaction switching system on Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server and Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000. Oryx made the decision because reliable and secure performance was essential for the business, data management was easier with Microsoft technology, and SQL Server 2000 offered additional security and peace of mind. The company is now offering more services instead of plain-vanilla products. It is planning to work with three regional banks to develop new business opportunities elsewhere in the Middle East.
Situation
Oryx is the largest electronic distribution and bill payment service in Jordan providing a secure delivery channel for e-vouchers in addition to a convenient and secure bill payment channel for householders. It started business as a joint venture with a European company, but since March 2005 has been privately owned by Jordanian shareholders with chief executive officer Amer Al Muhaisen holding 75 per cent of the equity.
The Oryx estate includes more than 1,200 merchants located throughout Jordan who benefit from electronic funds transfer. The fledgling business has ambitious plans for expansion through alliances with regional financial institutions.
In 2002, Oryx’s founders saw the potential in Jordan for a secure online transaction switching system capable of handling many simultaneous transactions including payment authorisations and pre-paid pin code distribution (e-vouchers). The company wanted to offer more services including point of sale (POS) top ups and other financial transactions targeting consumers on a large scale.
Al Muhaisen says: “We wanted to reinvent the business of shops in Jordan and the Oryx terminal gives shoppers confidence that their transactions will be dealt with accurately and securely.
“But, we also had plans to introduce new services such as telephone calling cards, Internet access cards, and even cards for purchasing classified advertisements. Three years on, Oryx is now a respected brand name in Jordan handling 30,000 to 40,000 transactions a day.”
The next step for Oryx is to offer cross-border transactions, particularly mobile phone top ups, working in partnership with three regional banks and extending to the Gulf states, Yemen and Iran.
Al Muhaisen says: “Additionally, we are introducing programs to transform Oryx from an infrastructure provider to that of an active service provider to both merchants and consumers alike.”
Solution
Oryx is using Sky+, a state-of-the-art online transaction switching system capable of supporting a huge number of operators with fast and secure switching of any type of online transaction through Oryx terminals.
Sky+ deployment in Jordan comprises two separate processing centres linked through a 2 mb-leased line, which are synchronised in real time. Both sites are live with EPOS terminals configured to dial either site.
Al Muhaisen says: “Sky+ now has been configured to ensure uninterrupted service round the clock. Similar legacy infrastructures were traditionally a UNIX-only solution, but we preferred a solution based on Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server, part of Microsoft Windows Server System™ integrated server software, and Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000. Databases are replicated within each site and mirrored on the alternate site.”
Oryx made the change for several reasons. ”Performance was critical for us because the stability, security, and reliability of our system was essential,” says Al Muhaisen. “We are dealing with most of the high-end utilities and telecommunications companies in Jordan. The banks are also working with us on bill payments and other consumer products such as consumer cash-back from the shops as an alternative to ATMs.”
The second driver was data management. Oryx developed its customer relationship management (CRM) system in house using the Microsoft .NET Framework. By using Microsoft technology for the online transaction switching system, it was easy to integrate with the company’s in-house CRM system and to use Microsoft Office Excel® 2003 spreadsheet software for data management.
Finally, SQL Server 2000 offered Oryx built-in security, which complemented the additional security layers in its proprietary system for processing bill payments and e-vouchers.
Benefits
Secure Infrastructure Offers Environment for Expansion
Oryx is already the largest electronic distribution and bill payment infrastructure in Jordan providing a secure delivery channel for e-vouchers, as well as a secure bill payment channel for households.
With Windows 2000 Server and SQL Server 2000, Oryx is supporting bill payment for major telecommunications companies including Fastlink and Jordan Telecom. It is also handling HSBC credit card bill payment for MasterCard, Jordan Modern Telecommunication Network Services (JomoTel), Bahrain Telecom Jordan calling cards and VOIP service, Jordan Telecom calling cards (Weinak), Cyberia Internet access cards, in addition to a card for booking advertisements in the Middle East's leading weekly print classified (Al Waseet).
Al Muhaisen says: “We are moving from services like plain-vanilla top ups for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Internet access to more sophisticated transactional services including card-based loyalty schemes.”
Safe Electronic Funds Transfer for Merchants
Oryx uses Microsoft technology to offer the fastest, most cost-effective merchant solution in Jordan for debit and credit cards at the point of sale.
Al Muhaisen says: “The Oryx terminal in Jordan is a guarantee that payments will be handled securely and accurately. More than 1,200 merchants are dependent on our sophisticated security environment. We expect to launch more operators in Jordan and services in other countries using Jordan as a processing hub.”
Reduces Distribution Costs for Customers
Oryx is saving its customers in the banks and telecommunications companies hundreds of thousands of dollars on distribution costs and is cutting out sub dealers with its direct links to shops.
Al Muhaisen says: “We are saving our customers between 10-15 per cent on their costs by providing a direct link to the merchants. The shops themselves are also saving money by shrinking their stockpiles. For the consumers, our terminals offer convenience. When they go out to shop, they can pay their utility bills at the same time.”
Innovative Solutions for Charitable Fund Raising
Oryx specialises in handling secure financial transactions with the financial services and utilities industries among the first to respond. However, the system can manage a massive number of simultaneous transactions and is capable of fast and secure switching of any type of online transaction through Oryx terminals.
Al Muhaisen says: “In the past we have offered prize validation service for instant scratch and win schemes for soccer in Jordan for redemption at the shop. We are now in talks with the Jordanian Olympic Committee about how we can assist with a solution to help them with their fund raising.”
Microsoft Windows Server 2003
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