New Tablet-Based Solution From Verizon Employs Industry-Specific Mobile Tools to Boost Sales and Service
Retailers and other businesses on the front lines of customer service increasingly need mobility solutions tailored to each business’ particular requirements. However, businesses have had to make do with off-the-shelf devices and bolt-on services.
Verizon Enterprise Solutions is solving this problem by introducing a new tablet-based solution that enterprises can customize to provide such features as handling point-of-sale payments and inventory management. Announced at the International CTIA Wireless 2012 trade show on Tuesday (May 8), the solution equips mobile workers with custom tools for boosting sales, improving service and increasing operational efficiency – with enterprise-grade security and device management built in.
“Verizon is filling an important gap between the ‘bring your own device’ movement and IT departments endeavoring to tailor consumer tablets for business,” said Janet Schijns, vice president of vertical and mid-market solutions for Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “We’ve created a winning formula on our network behind the device by enabling enterprises to securely integrate applications and services in a more open operating system. As a result, our customers can equip the front lines of sales, service and operations to create richer, more immediate customer experiences that grow revenue and strengthen loyalty.”
The new offering features Android-based, durable, enterprise tablets that have no preloaded applications — in other words, a “blank slate.” Companies can employ the Verizon Private Applications Store for Business to authorize their employees to download enterprise apps that have been pre-approved by the companies and are specific to their lines of business. This approach provides an attractive alternative to businesses’ adapting off-the-shelf, consumer-grade tablets.
Verizon’s ever-expanding ecosystem of partners helps support the company’s end-to-end solution for integrated applications, services and tablets.
New Verizon Offering Meets Wide Variety of Business Needs
Verizon’s new offering is tailored to meet the needs of various industries. For example:
Transportation – Companies can use the tablets to monitor fuel prices, weather and construction conditions. In addition, when company mechanics encounter problems while servicing engines, they can use the tablets to access technical manuals, demos and specialized websites.
Retail – Store associates can use the tablets to manage store operations, monitor inventory, demonstrate products to customers, accept coupons and scan a credit card for a purchase — all from the floor.
Financial services – Banks and payment processing companies can deliver valuable new services for their merchant and retail customers, such as inventory management and coupon scanning.
Vantiv, an integrated payment processor for businesses and financial institutions in the United States, is among the first enterprise users of the new Verizon solution, deploying it as a mobile payment processor for retailers and merchants using Vantiv’s payment systems. Vantiv’s customers can use the payment processor anywhere in the store — rather than being tied to a cash register or other stationary device — to verify and authorize a customer credit card and process the transaction. Vantiv also enables its customers to use the solution to manage inventory.
To meet the needs of various organizations, the tablets are available in a variety of models, including an extra heavy-duty model that is designed for outdoor use in inclement weather and extreme conditions.
Via the Verizon Machine-to-Machine Management Center, customers can manage their tablets, including viewing real-time connection status and usage. This provides customers with trending information that they can use to help their businesses grow and operate more efficiently. In addition, Verizon offers mobile device management capabilities to provide confidence that tablets and resident information remain secure.
