ACCESSVIA AND SYMBOL ANNOUNCE NEXT GENERATION MOBILE COMMERCE INITIATIVE
Companies Jointly Demonstrate Consumer Marketing System at FMI May
5-7
CHICAGO, May 5, 2002 - AccessVia and Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SBL) today announced a joint demonstration at the Food Marketing Institute show of Symbol's next generation Mobile Commerce Initiative integrating AccessVia's Presentation Management Engine and Authoring Tool. The system is designed to extend promotional marketing efforts directly to a consumer engaged in the shopping experience and is the result of the companies' partnership to develop wireless technologies for multi-channel retail outlets, announced earlier this year.
The Symbol Mobile Commerce Initiative enables personalized, in-aisle interactions between retailers and their customers by providing product information, targeted promotions and access to store services. By integrating AccessVia's Presentation Management Engine and Authoring Tool, Symbol can now deploy on the latest wave of full-color, browser-based interactive computing devices for an enhanced customer shopping experience. This gives retailers more power in extending the store brand and product information to consumers in the store and adds device flexibility for the future.
"This is the first of many deliverables associated with AccessVia's partnership with Symbol to improve customer-facing displays, mobile wireless devices and employee-facing applications," said Dean A. Sleeper, AccessVia CEO. "Together with Symbol, our goal is to help retailers boost their profit by providing superior customer communication, and to do so seamlessly across a myriad of devices. Whether in print or through the emerging variety of in-store display devices, AccessVia technologies give retailers powerful new tools to communicate with their customers."
"The joint demonstration features Symbol's mobile, wireless computing devices, supported by AccessVia's Presentation Management Engine. With the authoring tool, AccessVia Designer, retailers have the ability to input, format and deliver information to customers without relying on the IT department. The retailers can change and format information easily, without costly and slow software deployment cycles. The demonstration can be seen in the Symbol booth, number N4356."
"With AccessVia, we're adding powerful authoring tools for our devices and overall mobile commerce initiatives," said Steve Mathers, Vice President of Marketing, Integrated Systems, Symbol. "Symbol gives retailers the ability to interact with customers at the point of decision, while they're in the store making product choices. Our partnership with AccessVia is geared to providing retailers with the tools to quickly deploy wireless applications for both their staff and their customers for a more impactful level of customer service at greater operational efficiency. This translates into greater ROI and, ultimately, profit for the retailer.
"Symbol uses IEEE 802.11, standard-based Spectrum24® Wireless LAN technology to seamlessly link shopkeeper and shopper. A wireless, bar code-scanning-enabled device welcomes the shopper by name on its display, reports year-to-date savings and loyalty points, and lists customer-specific "specials." In the store aisles, the shopper scans each item before placing it into the shopping basket. As the item is scanned, details are displayed on the easy-to-read screen - along with discounts or preferred-shopper specials and suggestions for additional purchases. Customers can also place deli and other in-store orders and be notified by the system's dynamic alert engine when their order is ready.
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About Symbol
Symbol Technologies, Inc., is a global leader in mobile data transaction
systems, providing innovative customer solutions based on wireless local
area networking for data and voice, application-specific mobile computing
and bar code data capture. Symbol's wireless information appliances connect
the physical world of people on the move, packages, paper and shipping
pallets, to information systems and the Internet. Today, some 10 million
Symbol bar code scanners, mobile computers and wireless LANs are utilized
worldwide in markets ranging from retailing to transportation and distribution
logistics, manufacturing, parcel and postal delivery, government, healthcare
and education. Symbol's systems and products are used to increase productivity
from the factory floor to the retail store, to the enterprise and out
to the home. Information about Symbol is available at www.symbol.com
About AccessVia, Inc.
AccessVia takes retailers beyond price point to a place where they can truly connect with customers at the moment of choice. Smart consumers expect more than flashing lights and red type. The new consumer requires new messaging.
AccessVia Consumer Messaging Optimization Services help you to envision that future and make it happen. Seasoned retail professionals, armed with best practices, industry benchmarks and new ideas, work with your team to transform your consumer messaging effectiveness and efficiency. AccessVia Publishing Platform solutions provide the software tools to extend your retail brand promise to the Last Mile – where the customer chooses to browse or buy.
Create new business processes for the future then manage your publishing systems with software being used today by Global 500 companies in over 40,000 retail stores. Take your customers beyond price point with AccessVia.
For more information contact:
Gaylene C. Meyer
Public Relations Manager, AccessVia
206.285.4994 x150
