UK telenet bank Intelligent Finance has hired IT consultancy, Ultimate People Company (UPCO), to help transfer operations from external IT contractors to an in-house team of 150 people.
The HBOS-owned Web and phone bank initially contracted with Irish software Vision for the delivery of fast-track IT systems to support its launch two years ago. Vision's 100 consultants were supported by a small Intelligent Finance team of 50 IT people and 250 contractors.
Julie McClelland, director business design and IT at Intelligent Finance, comments: "We are running a significant recruitment programme alongside the delivery of IT solutions for our next generation of innovative products and services. At the same time we are reducing our reliance on outside consultants and need to ensure we have captured their knowledge and expertise before each of them leaves."
She says Vision and contractors will continue to play critical roles in specialist areas, but with a smaller team of around 80 people.
UPCO's job is to develop processes that transfer the knowledge of departing contractors to the in-house team. The UPCO contract covers skills development of new staff, sharing existing knowledge and retaining knowledge within the bank of those due to leave.
Intelligent Finance currently employs 2000 people and has just opened a third back office facility at Rosyth in Scotland.