Windows Phone 7 - a phone for the consumer and the enterprise

The new generation of smartphones has been very popular with consumers. As many consumers are also employees, financial institutions are trying to decide whether there is a fit for the enterprise.

The new Windows Phone 7 is specifically designed for both markets. Recent announcements from enterprise leaders in their field illustrate the appeal of the new Windows phone for individuals and institutions, customers and employees.

Nationwide auto insurer GEICO has agreed to make Windows Phone 7-powered smartphones available to its 24,000 employees so they can make calls, send e-mail, set up business appointments, attend meetings and keep track of vital corporate data all on the go.

GEICO also announced the launch of a new Windows Phone 7 app called GEICO GloveBox that enables customers to pay bills, access insurance policy information and even call for help when they get stuck in sticky situations on the road.

Xinnovation has announced the launch of XiDocs, their automated pitch book solution on Windows Phone 7. Now financial services executives can amend documents more easily on the go to meet sudden changes in client requirements, and receive a fully automated client presentation within minutes of having made the request through an application on their new Windows Phone.

Financial institutions have struggled for years with the challenge of channel integration, but developments in the technology of user interfaces, of which Windows Phone 7 is an example, finally provide the opportunity of a single customer experience across all channels – ATMs, smartphones, laptops and indeed any web based experience whether inside or outside the branch, using the latest touch screen technology.

Beyond the user interface, there is the opportunity to be device independent when it comes to applications. Having Microsoft Office on the smartphone, laptop and slate create the opportunity for a dramatic increase in productivity. Having technology available through the cloud creates the possibility a new world of continuous services. Standalone technology is a thing of the past. In the new world of customer experience and worker productivity, it all has to fit together.