The Internet has brought about a lot of changes to the way we conduct business all over the world. Whereas before, you needed to visit a physical store to shop for groceries and other necessities, now you only have to open an app, tap a few times, and have your items delivered straight to your door step with minimal to no additional fees.
All of this may seem to lead to the downfall of brick-and-mortar stores. However, with the strategic application of recent technologies like wireless broadband for retail, business owners can transform the customer experience and open new opportunities for themselves. Here are just a few ways that you can use wireless broadband connectivity to your advantage.
Omnichannel Shopping/Retail
More and more people are accessing the internet through their mobile phones, which is one of the main driving forces behind the 23% year-on-year growth of ecommerce in the United States. Coupled with social media, applications, and different technologies like VR and AR, the shopping experience has been completely transformed in the last few years.
Omnichannel shopping or retailing refers to a seamless shopping experience, whether using an app, visiting the actual store, or browsing the website through a computer or a mobile device. It doesn’t just refer to multi-platform experience where, for example, the store’s inventory is also reflected on its website. Rather, an omnichannel experience actually aids, allows, and enriches consumer conversion through any of these platforms.
An example of omnichannel retailing is making use of an app to keep track of a customer’s shopping habits, then sending customized offers to that customer via email, SMS, or in-app notifications once he or she is near or inside a store. Other executions can be as simple as ensuring that rewards points will be reflected accurately on all platforms or devices and in real-time whenever they are earned or consumed, whether in-store or online.
Inventory Management
With the introduction of RFID tags, inventory management has become not only easier but also more informative. For example, these RFID tags can be embedded with GPS locators to assist staff in monitoring shipments, as well as preventing theft. Moreover, if a certain item is recorded to be more in-demand through POS check-outs, then business owners can replenish stocks of this item more quickly to cater to the demand. You can even determine which items sell better at certain locations through these tags. And all of these details can be made available in a central database, which can be accessed by your staff with the help of wireless broadband connectivity.
Retailers with multiple physical stores can deploy PTP or PMP technologies to help facilitate communication within branches. This is especially valuable for helping arrest fall-outs, especially if a nearby branch can provide a service or item that one branch currently does not have. Cloud storage for different reports, action plans, and other data and documents can also be easily accessed by relevant personnel who need them.
Customer Experience
Nowadays, many business establishments offer wireless connectivity for their customers. Not only does free Wi-Fi make an establishment more attractive to customers, it also opens bigger opportunities for marketing. For example, retail stores can set-up an exclusive Wi-Fi network for its customers, and only those connected to this network can receive promos and special offers.
Indeed, wireless connectivity is something that all businesses should look into. It can easily transform various aspects of the enterprise, from day-to-day business transactions and processes to large-scale promotions and marketing programs. With enough research and preparation, you can use this seemingly simple technology to set yourself apart from the competition.
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