01.10.2013 - jcpenney Chooses Microsoft Office 365 in Its Mission to Reinvent Retail

REDMOND, Wash. — Jan . 10 , 2013 — As part of its effort to simplify and modernize technology solutions, jcpenney is rolling out Microsoft Office 365 to team members throughout the company. With Office 365 as its communication and enterprise social platform, the company aims to improve customer service and increase information-sharing between team members through the ease and accessibility of the cloud.

“In selecting a cloud solution, we were looking for a partner who would support our goal of becoming America’s favorite store,” said Kristen Blum, chief technology officer, jcpenney. “And when we realized that we could improve customer service even more by providing cloud-based collaboration tools to increase communication between team members, it was easy to choose Microsoft and Office 365.”

Office 365 will improve remote access for employees who can now stay connected virtually anywhere, anytime from smartphones, remote PCs or other mobile devices. And perhaps most importantly, ease of communication will increase between stores, allowing team members to work seamlessly with colleagues at other locations while assisting customers.

“We always aim to help customers at every touchpoint, from entering the store to finalizing a transaction. Office 365 will be a big driver in supporting that pursuit,” Blum said.

Microsoft’s Tracy Issel, general manager for Worldwide Retail and Enterprise Solutions said, “We’re excited jcpenney employees will be able to utilize technology such as Office 365, which is custom tailored to fit their needs. Better yet, I can’t wait for ordinary customers to experience the benefit of this newly connected shopping environment for themselves.”

To try Office 365 for yourself, visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/what-is-office365.aspx. More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available on the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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