Microsoft introduced a new approach to banking at the BAI Retail Delivery Conference. Branded “experienceBanking,” this new approach flips the usual Microsoft strategy on its head, and looks at banking technology from the customer’s point of view.

What does the customer want, how can the bank respond, and how can technology help rather than, as often happens today, stand in the way?

At the conference, Microsoft housed its business and technology partners in a model branch to show how applications can work in the real life of a banking operation. In simple transactions, such as making a deposit or getting cash from an ATM, customers want fast, accurate transactions. But when they are seeking something more complex, such as advice on whether to refinance a mortgage, move from floating to fixed rate, lease or buy a car, or on the optimal durations for a CD, customers want advice from employees who understand the bank’s products and the specifics of their financing needs.

Behind the scenes, Microsoft-based solutions can provide the links between legacy silos to draw on multiple sources of information using Windows Server 2003 and the .NET platform. For this to be useful, it has to be presented in a user-friendly interface so a customer service rep can quickly see an individual customer’s profile and even receive some prompts on which products would be most suitable.