ARMONK, N.Y., May 17, 2016/PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Security First Insurance, a leading Florida-based homeowners insurance company, has deployed the IBM MobileFirst platform to enhance their mobile experience. Since deploying the app, Security First Insurance has seen a 195 percent increase in average monthly new users and a 140 percent increase in online payments.

To help Security First Insurance improve customer engagement, provide differentiated service in a competitive business environment and easily communicate personalized price savings to customers and prospects, PointSource, a mobile design and development firm specializing in digital transformation and IBM Premier Business Partner, created a seamless, user-focused experience across all platforms including a new Security First Mobile app based on the IBM MobileFirst platform. The app generates an insurance quote in under three minutes using the Instant Quote feature and includes user-friendly account management functionality. Since deploying the app, Security First Insurance has seen a 35 percent increase in leads among mobile users for the company. 

A new and unique feature of the app is an interactive Storm Center, which enables all users to plot their location on the map, track the location of a moving storm against their location and share personalized storm updates via social media. By leveraging weather and location-based insights, Security First Insurance is putting critical, relevant storm information and preparedness tools in the hands of Floridians, while at the same time cultivating loyalty for its brand.

"To stay competitive and drive customer loyalty in the highly competitive home insurance industry, we felt it was imperative to provide a seamless mobile experience that not only delivers on our customers' specific needs, but also provides a differentiating value to all Floridians," said Marissa Buckley, Vice President of Marketing, Security First Insurance. "The Security First Mobile app built on IBM MobileFirst platform does that by offering users the functionality they want, when they want it."

Through features such as the Storm Center, Security First Insurance is creating value for its mobile customers. Findings of a recent Forrester Consulting study revealed that organizations who have implemented a "great" mobile app are earning five times more mobile commerce revenue and realizing a 15 percent improvement in customer loyalty over those using just a "good" mobile app. Contextually relevant insights – such as weather and location data – create a valuable mobile experience and captivate mobile users again and again.

"The success of the Security First Mobile app demonstrates that delivering a consistent, high-quality and contextually relevant user experience can foster a significant competitive advantage," said Michael Gilfix, Vice President, IBM MobileFirst & Smarter Process. "Working with PointSource and leveraging IBM's mobile technologies, Security First Insurance was able to quickly deploy an app that delivered on all of their expectations – as well as their customers' needs – and that can easily incorporate new and innovative features to remain competitive."

The IBM MobileFirst platform is available on-premises or in the cloud. To learn more about IBM MobileFirst and how to engage consumers with powerful mobile app experiences, please visit: www.ibm.com/mobilefirst

About Security First Insurance
As a Florida homeowners insurance company, Security First Insurance provides homeowners, renters, condo unit owners, and dwelling fire insurance to nearly 300,000 customers located throughout Florida. The company is nationally recognized for developing award-winning innovative technology designed to improve the customer experience and streamline catastrophe response. Security First Insurance has been assigned a Financial Stability Rating® (FSR) of A, Exceptional, from Demotech, Inc. and is strongly committed to improving Florida's homeowners insurance market and supporting initiatives that protect residents and communities of the Sunshine State. For more information, visit SecurityFirstFlorida.com.

About PointSource
PointSource is your first step in digital transformation. They bring business, marketing and technology together to create transformative digital solutions. Successful digital strategies combine enterprise expertise and user engagement knowledge. PointSource blends the creative energy of an agency with the technology savvy of a development firm to build digital solutions that solve complex problems and change businesses. For more information about PointSource visit: http://www.PointSource.com 

About IBM MobileFirst
IBM's 6,000 mobile experts have been at the forefront of mobile enterprise innovation. IBM has secured more than 4,300 patents in mobile, social and security, which have been incorporated into IBM MobileFirst solutions that enable enterprise clients to radically streamline and accelerate mobile adoption, help organizations engage more people and capture new markets. For more information on IBM MobileFirst, visit the press kit or www.ibm.com/mobilefirst. Follow @IBMMobile on Twitter, and see IBM MobileFirst on YouTube, Tumblr and Facebook. For more information on IBM Cloud visit: www.ibm.com/cloud-computing.

Contact:
Sarah Murphy
IBM Media Relations
202-551-9396
srmurphy@us.ibm.com 

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SOURCE IBM