Union Bank of California Assists its Business Customers by Providing Web-based Applications From Smart Online's Business Center

Union Bank of California Assists its Business Customers by Providing Web-based Applications From Smart Online's Business Center

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Union Bank of California now helps its business customers to start, protect, manage and grow with Web-based software from Smart Online.

Smart Online(R) Inc. today announced a private-label syndication partnership with Union Bank that powers the renovated Small Business Resource Center of California's fourth largest commercial bank with business tools from the leader in Web-delivered software for small-to-medium-sized businesses with up to 500 employees.

Smart Online's software runs as an online business service in all Web browsers. This streamlines a wide range of business tasks and enables business owners to dedicate more time towards customers and to boost revenue. There is no need for software installation, maintenance, support and IT expertise, an approach that also reduces cost and risk.

"Smart Online offers the broadest range of practical, effective, business- critical applications for businesses," said Christy Schmitt, senior vice president with Union Bank's small business segment. "That gives customers of UBOC the ability to spend less time installing and updating technology, and more time managing the success of the business, generating more revenue -- while also taking better advantage of the many benefits of online banking and business operations."

"The new Union Bank Small Business Resource center provides unparalleled resources to assist small-to-medium businesses with everything from getting a loan to completing a human resources manual," said Michael Nouri, chief executive officer of Smart Online. "It's the ideal model for businesses that are busy achieving the American dream of independence. They don't have in- house technical support. They don't have time to spend running to the bank everyday. Yet a little help and the right resources will better assist them on the road to business success."

About Smart Online

Smart Online Inc. ( http://www.smartonline.com/ ) is one of the pioneers of Web-native applications and is the first vendor to offer a private label syndicated online business platform that enables Web delivery of critical applications and services for small-to-medium businesses. The company launched in 1993 with 15 shrink-wrapped business software titles sold to users through retail stores. Smart Online led the industry by converting to Software-as-a- Service (SaaS) Web delivery in 1999. Today, the company markets Web-based applications to customers via Smart Online's Web site and by private labeling its syndicated software services for use on large corporate Web sites in the financial services, media, manufacturing and telco industries.

About Union Bank of California

Based in San Francisco, UnionBanCal Corporation (NYSE:UB) is a bank holding company with assets of $47.0 billion at September 30, 2004. Its primary subsidiary, Union Bank of California, N.A., had 301 banking offices in California, Oregon and Washington, and 21 international facilities, at September 30, 2004. The company's Web site is located at http://www.uboc.com/


Source: Smart Online Inc.

CONTACT: Steve Leon of Technopolis(R) Communications Inc.,
+1-512-288-0950, or sl@technopolis.com , for Smart Online

Web site: http://www.smartonline.com/
http://www.uboc.com/


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