Windows Phone 8, Microsoft Dynamics for Retail Mobile POS deployed to 19,000 at Delta

More than 19,000 Delta Air Line flight attendants are now using new Windows Phone 8 handheld devices and a Microsoft Dynamics for Retail mobile point-of sale solution that includes Avanade's Connect Store offering to handle on-board purchasing as part of Delta's efforts to improve the customer experience. 

18,500 more devices will be deployed in the next fiscal year, according to Avanade in an announcement on their blog.

The device, a Nokia Lumia 820, is another investment in technology that Delta has made to benefit its customers as well as its employees - on the ground and at 30,000 feet, company officials said.

Microsoft, Avanade and AT&T developed the solution after months of development and feedback from flight attendants, according to officials. The Windows Phone 8 device - the Nokia Lumia 820 - will include a Delta-specific customer experience developed by Avanade on the Microsoft Dynamics for Retail mobile point-of sale platform and will operate over Wi-Fi and AT&T's 4G LTE Network. Plans are to expand the solution over the next three years to the newest Nokia devices, officials said.

Avanade's Connected Store for Retail, deployed in combination with the new hardware and the Dynamics for Retail mobile POS, will also come into play.  Here's how Avanade describes the product:

Leveraging Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the Connected Store offering make it possible for retailers to predict fluctuations in demand and scale store infrastructure by reducing customer wait time during check-out. The solution helps retailers implement process improvements such as using mobile devices to process in-store sales. The solution also offers advanced analytics to help pinpoint areas to improve store performance.