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Deal Confirms WBT as Leading Vendor to Financial Services Sector

Dublin, Ireland - June 21st, 2004 - WBT Systems, a global leader in enterprise e-Learning solutions, today announced that it has been selected by FIRSTPLUS, one of the fastest growing consumer finance specialists in the UK, to deliver its e-learning solution. WBT worked with its UK partner, ComputerWorld to secure the deal. FIRSTPLUS will manage its training and track certification for regulatory purposes with the WBT solution.

Based in Cardiff and a subsidiary of Barclays Group, FIRSTPLUS provides a range of personal finance products. Like all financial institutions in the UK, it faces strict supervision by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and must prove that employees have been regularly updated on a number of financial regulations. FIRSTPLUS realised that, if properly leveraged, a blended approach to learning offered the potential for improved management, tracking and delivery of the training function. This in turn would result in reduced risk to the organisation and a rationalisation of training costs. WBT Systems has proven experience in delivering such benefits to world-renowned companies like Credit Suisse and Dow Chemical. This, along with an in-depth understanding of the complex regulatory environment, together with outstanding ROI metrics from similar WBT solutions, made it an easy choice for FIRSTPLUS to award WBT the contract.

FIRSTPLUS envisages integrating its Instructor Led Training (ILT) with online learning capabilities, to deliver a best-of-breed performance and training solution for its workforce. According to Rhodri Jones of FIRSTPLUS, "What we particularly liked about the WBT solution was its rich, flexible functionality which allows reuse of existing training programmes while also allowing us to offer our employees the advantages of online Continual Personal Development".

Declan Kelly, CEO WBT Systems commented, "We are delighted that FIRSTPLUS has opted to implement a WBT solution. This underlines WBT’s commitment to partner with market-leading financial services companies to solve critical business issues and deliver real value".

About FIRSTPLUS

FIRSTPLUS was established in 1997 and is now one of the UK’s leading consumer finance specialists. From a standing start, it employs a large skilled workforce who deal daily with a nationwide network of brokers and thousands of retail customers from offices in Cardiff, Wales. FIRSTPLUS Financial Group Plc is a Barclays Bank Plc company. FIRSTPLUS’ success is due to innovative secured personal loan products and its philosophy of lending "to people, not to property". For more information on FIRSTPLUS, please see www.firstplus.co.uk.

About WBT Systems

WBT Systems is one of the leading providers of intelligent learning solutions across the globe. Its solutions help organisations to address the business issues that are imperative to success in an increasingly competitive world. Best of breed solutions include mitigating risk and reducing costs by implementing advanced, robust compliance tracking solutions and driving top-line performance through enabling sales and customer services channels. WBT's implementation experience spans a variety of industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, and pharmaceuticals in blue-chip companies such as ABB, AHIMA, Alexander Forbes, Basler Insurance, Belgacom, Clinphone, Credit Suisse, Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, Diageo, Dow Chemical, Eurocontrol, Husqvarna, Innovatia, Liberty Group, Ryanair, Smith & Nephew, Valero and Volvo CE. WBT Systems' is recognised as a leader in both the e-Learning Suite and LMS Magic Quadrant Reports by the Gartner Group.

Established in 1995, WBT Systems is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany and the Netherlands. For more information, see www.wbtsystems.com.

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