“By delivering advanced productivity tools to our employees on a mobile computing platform built on Windows 8.1, we are setting the stage for them to have the freedom to work to their full potential, anywhere.”

Diana Klug, Director of Marketing, Boeing

Boeing wanted a mobile platform to boost employee productivity. It uses touch-enabled devices that run the Windows 8.1 operating system and offer a highly secure, easily managed mobile work experience that’s consistent across devices and scenarios. The Boeing vision is to provide sales representatives with a custom Windows modern touch app on Windows-based tablets to easily access information and provide more responsive customer service.

Business NeedsBoeing fuels its growth through a shared vision: “People working together as a global enterprise for aerospace industry leadership.” Today, the company is supporting that vision by empowering some segments of its talented workforce with a mobile computing platform that meets employees’ expectations of being able to perform productively anywhere.

“The modern workplace is changing,” says Diana Klug, Director of Marketing at Boeing. “Our employees expect to work well in different environments using a computing platform that supports mobility and boosts productivity. They want seamless access to corporate data in the office, on the shop floor, traveling to a meeting, or talking to customers.”

Until recently, Boeing IT staff faced some challenges in delivering a mobile computing platform for employees. Although some executives carried mobile devices, they were frustrated with the user experience. “Boeing security constraints required that we use a container application for the mobile devices,” says Brian Miles, Windows Client and Deployment Specialist at Boeing. “To read email, executives had to log on to the device and then to the container application. The devices didn’t integrate

well in our environment, which caused extra work for IT staff.”

Boeing sales representatives also need reliable, seamless connectivity to business data to furnish airline customers with information demonstrating the value of choosing Boeing. “Working through a typical multiyear sales cycle requires huge amounts of tailored, detailed, analytical information,” says Klug. “To support good customer conversations, it’s crucial that sales reps have that data at their fingertips. In some environments, connectivity back to Boeing can be a barrier to providing responsive answers.”

SolutionBoeing gains a foundation for mobile productivity by adopting a new computing platform based on the Windows 8.1 Enterprise operating system. It worked with Microsoft Services Consulting to help ready the environment for deployment. “Windows 8.1 meets our security requirements and works with our infrastructure, so it’s easy to manage users and devices,” says Miles. “We can deliver a consistent user experience for employees across all devices, build Windows 8.1 modern touch apps, and deploy them with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2, which we already own.”

Customer: BoeingWebsite: www.boeing.comCustomer Size: 168,000 employeesCountry or Region: United StatesIndustry: Aerospace

Customer ProfileHeadquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Boeing is one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense companies, with customers in 150 countries.

Software and Services Windows 8.1 Enterprise Microsoft Server Product Portfolio− Microsoft System Center

Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Microsoft Services − Microsoft Services Consulting

Technologies− Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption

Hardware Microsoft Surface Pro tablets Dell Venue 11 Pro tablets

For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: customers.microsoft.com

Windows 8 EnterpriseCustomer Solution Case Study

Mobile Productivity at Boeing Takes Flight with Latest Desktop Operating System

The company worked with Wirestone, a member of the Microsoft Partner Network, to create the Sales and Marketing app, a touch-enabled app that’s deployed on Dell Venue 11 Pro and Microsoft Surface Pro tablets running Windows 8.1. “Using the app, we are beginning to explore the potential of sales and other personnel connecting to the Boeing network to access the data and content that they need,” says Nicholas Barry, Data and Systems Analyst at Boeing. “Via cached data or wireless connections, they can edit files using the tablet keyboard and better prepare for meetings. They can choose slate mode to deliver customized presentations. In the office, it’s simple to plug in the device and sync files. There’s no barrier to working productively anywhere.”

According to Miles, Boeing IT staff is “more comfortable managing the security elements of the Windows 8.1 client” than other operating systems. “With Windows 8.1 security features like Secured Boot and Measured Boot, we can avoid rootkits, and by using BitLocker Drive Encryption, we can eliminate third-party encryption for our hard drives,” says Miles. “With Used Disk Space Only encryption, we can deploy the operating system to a device, saving employees hours of productivity impact.”

Boeing is using Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring 2.0 to simplify how it manages encrypted drives for Windows 8.1 devices. It plans to use Windows To Go to streamline how it provisions computing resources for on-site contractors. This feature makes it possible for Boeing to create a Windows To Go workspace that can be started from a USB-connected external drive.

BenefitsBoeing has a new computing platform that’s setting the standard for mobile productivity. “We’re making progress on delivering information and productivity tools to our employees on a mobile computing platform built on Windows 8.1,” says Klug. “When this technology is in place, they will be better positioned to work to their full potential, anywhere.”

Establishing Mobile Productivity

Boeing is launching other mobility projects that include Windows 8.1 in addition to the app used by the sales force. It is deploying 300 Dell Venue 11 Pro tablets running the Windows 8.1 operating system to facilities maintenance staff who use them to upload work orders in the field. Employees are also requesting tablets that run Windows 8.1. “Our commercial airplane division is excited about the productivity benefits provided by the Windows 8.1 platform,” says Miles.

Improving Employee Productivity and Responsiveness Boeing’s vision is that sales representatives will be more efficient by using the Sales and Marketing touch-enabled app running on a versatile, portable device. “With the latest product materials at their fingertips, our sales and marketing people can easily navigate through the app to find the right data to illustrate the benefits of choosing Boeing. This is yet another tool to increase productivity and strengthen customer relationships over the long term,” says Klug. “We build some of the world’s most technically sophisticated products. By using leading-edge mobile technology from Microsoft to help sell those products, we reinforce our competitive advantage.”

Reducing IT Costs Through Simplified ManagementToday, Boeing can manage desktops, laptops, and new Windows mobile tablets using the same enterprise-wide management infrastructure, including System Center technologies. “We’ll save IT management time and money while empowering our employees to work productively with the same computing experience, anywhere. It’s a great scenario,” says Miles.

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published July 2014