While CrediPalm is providing extra time for ACCION loan officers, expanding the use of the application does present some challenges for the ACCION IT staff. Each affiliate uses a lending model that reflects the characteristics of their clientele, so the software cannot be generic. In addition, widely differing computer standards in Latin America make uniform formatting impossible and make integrating the software with a lending organization's computer system a challenge. These customizations, however, do ensure the solution offers the greatest benefit to each lending affiliate, so planning for them in advance is an essential part of setting expectations about how quickly the solution can be rolled out across the organization's global affiliates.

Christine Harland Williams is President of Harland Communications and tracks handheld solutions used in the enterprise. She can be reached at ppme@harlandwebs.com.