Leading building society deploys Intel?-powered Sony VAIO Z1VA* notebooks to increase productivity and enhance customer service


Intel Solutions Conference at IDF, Barcelona, Spain, 20 April 2004 – Intel today announced that Schwäbisch Hall, Germany’s largest building society, has equipped each of its 3,600 field sales employees with Intel® Centrino™ mobile technology-based Sony VAIO Z1VA* notebooks in an effort to enhance customer service.  The wireless PCs will enable Schwäbisch Hall’s external salesforce in Germany, France and Luxemburg to work more productively and flexibly, delivering high-quality access to crucial customer data and product information in advance of and during sales meetings.  The building society has provided all remote employees with a ‘suitcase’ computing solution, comprising a printer, scanning device and Intel-based notebook.
 
As part of an ongoing four-year PC replacement cycle, Schwäbisch Hall required new notebooks that would deliver extended battery-life, heightened levels of security and improved wireless connectivity to ensure its external salesforce could be at its most productive.  Mobile workers will use the Intel Centrino mobile technology-powered Sony notebooks to achieve faster access to critical portfolio and product information as well as data on partner institutions’ mortgage, insurance and fund products.  In addition to delivering enhanced performance, the Intel Centrino mobile technology-based Sony VAIO Z1VA notebooks were chosen for their sleek design and small form-factors that complement the building society’s innovative image.
 
“It is critical that our external sales people have access to customer and product information while on the road as any disruption seriously impacts their ability to communicate with customers and prospects,” said Wolfgang Perl, sales project leader, Schwäbisch Hall.  “Having previously used Sony notebooks, we recognised their ease-of-use and low maintenance requirements.  Now, with Intel Centrino mobile technology, we can achieve new levels of performance through the longer battery life.  The new notebooks quickly provide our salespeople with fingertip-access to critical customer and product information, improving productivity and service.”
 
When assessing the new mobile computing solution, Schwäbisch Hall provided a sample of 60 external sales employees with 10 assorted notebooks to ensure end-users were involved in the evaluation and decision-making process. Citing increased performance and battery-life, employees chose the Intel Centrino mobile technology-based Sony notebooks as best suited to meeting their demanding business needs.
 
“Improved connectivity, processor performance and battery life in mobile devices have dramatically enhanced mobile employees’ ability to access the information they need, when they need it, heightening overall business productivity,” said Erik Steeb, Marketing Manager Intel EMEA.  “Schwäbisch Hall is a good example of an enterprise that is using wireless technology to bring productivity to its business operations.  Intel Centrino mobile technology helps facilitate access to mobile data and enables remote workers to work not just for a couple of hours but throughout the whole day.” 
 
"For Sony the deal with Schwäbisch Hall is of high strategic importance. It documents not only Sony’s new adjustment on the B2B-Business, but is at the same time also the beginning of a long-term commitment in this important market segment," said Mr. Andre Steinau, Head of Corporate Business Sony Deutschland GmbH.
 
The Sony VAIO Z1VA is powered by a Pentium® M processor 1.6GHz running Microsoft Windows XP Pro Edition*.  The notebook includes integrated wireless LAN, built-in CD-RW/ DVD with 60GB hard drive, and is truly mobile, weighing just over 2 kilogrammes.
 
Representing Intel’s best technology for mobile PCs, Intel Centrino mobile technology was specifically designed for mobility, and includes a new mobile processor, related chipsets and 802.11 wireless network capability that have been optimised, tested and validated to work together.  In addition to its integrated wireless capability, Intel Centrino mobile technology includes features designed to enable extended battery life, thinner-and-lighter notebook designs and outstanding mobile performance.

-Ends-
 
About Intel Corporation
Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
 
Intel, the Intel logo and Intel Centrino are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. 

 For more information please contact:
Briony Peters/Rola Zaarour
Gulf Hill & Knowlton
Tel: 971 4 33 44 930
Email: rola.zaarour@hillandknowlton.com

* Other brand names may be claimed as the property of others Wireless connectivity and some features may require you to purchase additional software, services or external hardware. Availability of public wireless LAN access points limited. System performance, battery life, wireless performance and functionality will vary depending on your specific hardware and software configurations. For more information on Intel’s mobile performance, visit: www.intel.com/performance

© Press Release 2004