Paradigm Shift: Windows 8 Wants Bankers to Reach out and Touch It
2013; American Bankers Association; Volume: 105; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0194-5947
Autores Tópico(s)Digital Platforms and Economics
ResumoWindows 8 has the potential to recoup Microsoft's dominance in the digital realm, leapfrogging Apple technology, and continuing to be the operating system of choice for business. With its unique combination of on the start page, familiar Windows applications in the background, and identical software used in all three types of devices, Windows 8 could become as ubiquitous as the PC, tablet, and smartphone combined. That's what the giant tech company is betting on--literally. onslaught of this new behemoth has bankers scrambling to understand its capabilities and then make the best use of it. We have a large number of customers who are committed and making their plans now to roll out Windows 8 enterprise wide, says Victor Dossey, industry technology strategist for banking at Microsoft. These types of devices are a great opportunity to interact with customers more effectively and to give them an engaging and a memorable experience--one that is positive--from the banking world. Up until now, Apple has owned the pinch, jab, and finger-swipe paradigm for maneuvering digital applications. But with its Windows 8 introduction, seeks to upset that applecart with its own brand of user interface--one it hopes will become as pervasive as the original Windows was, only adapted to what consumers and businesses increasingly are demanding. Industry analyst Gartner Inc. says Microsoft is taking a big gamble with this new approach, but it's a critical one. When the PC dominated personal computing by providing a single device for messaging, internet access, gaming, and productivity, Windows was a powerhouse for Microsoft, says Michael Silver, vice-president at Gartner. However, smartphones and tablets, led by the iPhone and iPad, have changed the way people work, making the PC just one of several devices people use. PC is increasingly simply a peer with other devices. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bank of America is one of the first banks to unveil a mobile-banking application available through Windows 8. Why? Marc Warshawsky, senior vice-president and head of mobile solutions, says, The Windows 8 app is just the latest demonstration of Bank of America providing customers the best experience, no matter how they choose to interact with us. Possibilities of Windows 8 literally starts with what Microsoft calls live tiles that the user selects, positions, and programs according to individual preferences. are dynamically and continuously updated with the specific type of information on which the user wants to be kept up-to-date. That way, the user can see it right away without having to click and boot up the application. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tommy Bradford, managing director of Strategic Alliances Group at Jack Henry, offers an example: For any type of loan performance, or any type of portfolio performance, you can program it so the tile periodically updates with specific information saying if things are going well or not. becomes a visual filing explains Dan Fisher, president and CEO of Copper River Group. It's very similar to apps, but it's not apps. Those can constantly update and run in the background. It could be an email list. Stock market quotes. Alerts. All those kinds of things. Depending on whether the computer, tablet, or smartphone in use supports it, the user can manipulate the tiles--and then, once activated, the underlying programs--by touching, pinching, and/or swiping the screen presentations with his fingers or, if preferred, through the familiar mouse-and-keyboard. We've heard from our bank clients that they really like the fact that if the application they are using doesn't lend itself to the touch they can always default back to the standard mouse-keyboard environment, says Bradford. Bring core to the floor A key difference with Windows 8 is that once it is installed, approved users can access the bank's core system, behind the firewall, through any device--computer, tablet, or smartphone, according to Scott Hansen, executive vice-president for business development at Harland Financial Services. …
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