Accenture has signed a five-year application outsourcing contract with Nordea to develop and maintain applications that will support the bank's customer websites. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

The agreement is designed to help Nordea improve customer service and increase cost efficiencies. With 30 websites and more than 7 million monthly visitors, Nordea's online channel is one of the most important access points for its customers and an increasingly vital channel for sales and service.

Under the terms of the agreement, Accenture will assume responsibility for maintaining and developing Nordea's Web content management platform for its customer websites. The platform is based on Microsoft .NET technology. Accenture will provide the services through local facilities in Denmark and through its Global Delivery Network using centres in Bangalore, India.

"This agreement gives us access to skilled resources and the benefits of international expertise in Web application development and maintenance," said Henrik Korch, business chief information officer for marketing at Nordea. "It will also ensure that we have the flexibility to ramp up and down according to our demand and changing business needs."

"In selecting a reliable business partner to help us, we focused on track records of innovation, creativity and new ideas," said Juha Toivari, vice-president and head of digital marketing at Nordea. "Accenture's knowledge of our business and proven ability to provide enhancement and management services for Microsoft applications make it an ideal business partner."

Accenture will deliver the services in collaboration with Avanade, a business technology services provider. Avanade is majority owned by Accenture.