Technology Case Studies, new online registers –

The Australian Business Names Register

Presentation to the Corporate Registers ForumKathrine Morgan-Wicks, Senior Executive Registry Transformation13 March 2013

Australia: Quick Facts

*New Zealand is about here somewhere

Welcome to the Business Names Register

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yIvZsmNjoI

What is the Business Names Register?

• Register of names under which businesses trade in Australia

• Key objective to ensure the public can identify the person/entity behind a business name

• Consolidation of 8 State & Territory registers

• System is 100% online

How does it compare to other ASIC registers

• One of ASIC’s largest registers with 1.8M business names

• Built on a new technology platform• System 100% online with almost all

interactions online• Compare to companies register –

22 years old and only 75% online

Registry Transformation Vision

Development of the ASIC business name system guided by vision:• Customer centric• Simple• Adds value to the Australian economy• 100% Online• High performing

Registry Transformation Journey

2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012

April 2010: Online Margin Lending Licensing

April 2010: New online Credit Registration system

July 2010: New online Credit Licensing system

July 2010: New online financial reporting via XBRL (SBR)

December 2010: Improved Customer Enquiry Service (Migrate Customer Relationship management system)

31 March 2012: New online search services & ASIC Connect launched (1st ASIC Connect service)Conduct free and paid searches of ASIC’s public registers via ASIC’s new online registry website, paying by Credit Card.

January 2012: ASIC migrates Charges Register to the new National Personal Property Securities Register, supporting a Whole of Government initiative.

* Dates to be confirmed

2012/2013

June 2011: New Revenue Management System (FSS) impacting registry services & unclaimed monies.

January 2013*: New SMSF Auditor Registration Service Register online as an SMSF Auditor (Stronger Super Reforms).

Last updated 6 March 2012

To be confirmed*: New online company registration service and registry maintenance portals Register a company via ASIC’s website, paying by Credit Card. Maintain your details simply across registers.

To be confirmed*: Registry replacement complete – companies register

1 July 2013*: Online service to licence Accountants providing financial advice (Future of Financial Advice Reforms)

1 July 2013*: New Tax Agent Registration Service for financial planners Register online as a financial planner providing limited taxation advice.

28 May 2012: New Online National Business Names Service (2nd ASIC Connect service) Search, register and maintain a national business name with ASIC.

2013/2014

To be confirmed*: Registry replacement complete – other registers

October 2012: Business name renewals

November 2012: Business names maintain and cease

November 2012*:

Joint ABN / business name registrationRegister in one transaction for an ABN and national business name via linked transaction between Australian Business Register and ASIC.

1 July 2012: Carbon Credits New financial product authorisation for Carbon Credits.

ASIC’s legacy mainframe registry systems (e.g. ASCOT) migrated to new technology. Unlock new value from our public registers, allowing ASIC to move to a customer-centric, simple, 100% online, high-performing registry business that adds value to the Australian economy.

December 2012:* Australian Charities & Not for Profit Commission

2013-2014 * Insolvency reform: New and changed registry reporting requirements

Designed for customers• Online

o Transact at a time and place convenient for you• Cutting red tape

o Quicker, cheaper, easiero Applicants or their agents can transact directly

• Customer focusedo Pre-populated information from government databases

• Help toolso ASIC can answer your queries along the wayo Screen help, website, call centre, expert staff

Challenges of 100% online

• Merger of paper-based registers• Built on a new untested technology platform• Designing new national processes while

legislation still in development• Migration of unreliable data• Legislative uncertainties and political factors• Certain sectors resistant to doing business

online (maybe 5%)

Where are we now?

• 1.6M grandfathered business names transferred to register

• 190,000 new registrations• 5M free online searches conducted• 92,000 maintain & cease

transactions e.g. change details • 240,000 renewals issued

Registering a business name

• An Australian business number is needed• Check name availability of proposed

business names• Choose registration period (1 or 3 years)• Business holders details• Eligibility and declaration• Payment• Confirmation

Mia Kelly – sole trader

• Small retail fashion business run from home in Perth

• Growing national online trade

• Registers a business name• Checks her details on the

public business names register

Sign up to ASIC Connect

Sign up to ASIC Connect

Enter details

Sign up to ASIC Connect

ABN Step

ABN Look up

Name step

Prefilled ABN details

Enter proposed name

Name results

Traffic light result

Similar names

Registration period

Select 1 or 3 years

Cancel your application

Save and come back later

Save your work and move to next step

Business name holder details – sole trader

Enter• Birth details• Residential address• Email address

Business addresses– sole trader

Enter• Address for service• Principal place of

Business• Email• Mobile for SMS

Address table

Declare any disqualifications, convictions etc.

Eligibility step

Declare step

Declarations

Authorisation to apply

Payment step

Fee to be paid

Pay now or pay later (within 10 days by

invoice)

Confirmation step

Congratulations!

Record to keep

Other things you can do

Searching the business name

index

Mia’s business name

Searching the business names

index

Free information about Mia’s business name

Support available

• Customer Call Centre• Significant web content

– Business names tab• User guides• Social media

– Facebook, Twitter and YouTube• Subscription service• Business names booklet

Customer Call Centre

• Enquiries well above forecast and funded levels– Currently 3,000 calls per day– Funded for 500 per day

• More phones lines needed• More staff needed• New strategies for

customers to transact electronically

User guidesUser guides

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

Tips to going online

• Stick to your online vision• Adapt it to your customer group• Be prepared to move on the detail when you

get it wrong• Focus on technology stability (challenge this

before deployment)• Define 'exceptions' justifying paper and

manage them as exceptions