IBM touts business mobile communications boost

IBM has launched software designed to aid firms' mobile commerce efforts by speeding business processes and improving customer satisfaction.

IBM WebSphere CEA Mobile Widgets could help bridge the gap between web and mobile calls, to speed up processes such as insurance claim filings and web retail sales by a quarter, the firm said.

For example, a sales representative would be able to walk a customer through a web site or claim form remotely, vastly improving the user experience.

IBM also announced it is extending its Lotus Notes Traveler software to Android devices, helping remote teams collaborate securely. The product already supports BlackBerrys, Nokia Symbian phones, Windows Mobile devices, the Apple iPhone and most recently, the Apple iPad.

Finally, IBM announced software and services to help communications services providers gain insight into the status of facilities such as mobile phone masts.

Intelligent Site Operations allows for real-time monitoring and management of these facilities to ensure better maintenance.

IBM called on research which suggests that within five years there will be 20 times the amount of mobile data and content, and as much as 40 times more mobile transaction spending.

This, it said, highlighted the need for better management tools, and offered a ready and suitable marketplace for its new software.

"IBM has been focused on delivering higher-value capabilities to organisations that meet their enterprise mobile computing requirements," said Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive at IBM Software Group.

"We've been steadily investing in this space for more than a decade, both organically and through acquisition. As a result, we are better positioned than any other vendor to capitalise on the enterprise mobile opportunity and help our clients deliver a new level of intelligence to their ever increasing mobile workforce."