New digital solutions

As part of the effort to develop and implement new digital solutions for more effective and customer-friendly communication, we are developing a secure customer portal. The portal is intended to meet the customer's needs throughout the application process – before filing the application, during processing and after the application has been decided. This is intended to contribute to improved efficiency, good user experiences and reduced costs, both for NIPO and for our customers. The services are available through NIPO's existing website and are integrated with ID-Porten and Altinn.

In 2017 we developed an application guide for trademark applications intended to give the customer better support and guidance in completing the application, so that more applications are correctly completed and with sufficient information. The application guide for trademarks has been used by selected customers, and a corresponding guide for patents and designs will be launched in the first half of 2018. This type of tool will provide gains through shorter case processing time, less administration and more good rights.

Link to Search Service

New functionality

In addition to developing new services, we improved the functionality and user interface of several existing services. We improved search functionality in the area of patents and trademarks (new searches) and launched a message function in the search service based on integration with ID-Porten and the message inbox in Altinn.

The proportion of outgoing digital letters from NIPO via Altinn has increased year by year, and in 2017 the last of our major customers became digital users of this channel. 70% of all letters to customers were sent via Altinn in 2017.

NIPO has been proactive in bringing about a payment solution in Altinn. The solution is now used for paying for applications filed via Altinn, and in the period from 2015 to 2017 the number of applications shelved due to non-payment was reduced by a third.

E-payment for renewing rights was launched in late 2015, and was later improved in 2017. 97% of all renewals now take place via this service. Gains for customers are a faster, simpler and almost error-free renewal process. For NIPO, this means fewer manual tasks. In developing self-service solutions, we are in close dialogue with customers in order to meet their needs, which has contributed towards ensuring that the proportion of digital transactions is now high.

Name search

To ensure a better start for entrepreneurs and new business startups, NIPO, NORID and the Brønnøysund Register Centre joined forces to develop the name search solution Name search (Navnesøk).

This search service was launched in March 2017. Name search makes it easy for entrepreneurs and new business startups to check whether domain names, business names and trademarks are vacant, all three in a single search. The name search service reduces the risk of name disagreements and name grabbing. It also gives entrepreneurs greater understanding of the relationship between the three areas when the service is used. The service was well received, as shown by user numbers. In 2017, the service received a total of 71,000 visits, and 430,000 searches were made.

Norwegian archive standard – NOARK5

NOARK is a Norwegian standard for documentation management developed and maintained by the National Archives. Public enterprises are required to use NOARK-approved systems for logging and electronic archiving of case documents. NOARK5 is the latest version of the NOARK standard, and in 2017 we devoted resources to making our specialist case system ready to comply with NOARK5.