Retailers have been asking this question for some time now. Some may think that it’s not that important or not worth the hassle, but that can’t be further from the truth. Today’s customers aren’t easy to please. They like being connected to their friends wherever they go and having access to information on the Internet. That’s why it’s a great idea to invest in WiFi for retail.
You can add a lot of features to your guest network that will increase both the client’s satisfaction and the information that you get from every visitor. Take a look at all the options you have. Providing an Internet connection to your clients is only the most basic advantage you get from setting up your own network.
Now, let’s take a look at today’s market so you’ll better understand why establishing WiFi for retail is so important, and how it can improve both your profits and the customer experience:
The modern customer
The Internet has been a great tool for customers to make smarter, more informed decisions when buying a product or investing in services. They have become much more tech-savvy and, because of that, they now want and expect it whenever and wherever they go shopping.
As we said earlier, the customers like being connected to other people. They might want to share their location on social media or maybe take a picture with a product they intend to buy.
By providing them with WiFi, you not only make them happy, but they’re actually promoting your business through social media. They’ll also want to look online for coupons, promotions or other ways to get more out of shopping.
If you do set up a guest network, customers will also become more loyal. If they take a picture inside the store or check in online, they’ll constantly be reminded of the store when interacting on social media. Another example is that maybe they have an important email that they have to read. They’ll know they can do it while shopping at your store.
The efficiency gained through WiFi for retail
You might think that setting up WiFi is just for the sake of the customer, but you couldn’t be further from the truth. A location & presence module can be an invaluable tool for retailers who want to provide the best services possible and increase productivity.
This module lets you see exactly where your clients are in the store and the routes they take while browsing your products.
No one likes waiting for an employee to tell them where the product they want is. With this technology, you can locate customers who seem to be searching aimlessly or just standing around. Store employees can easily find these customers and help them find a product or make a decision.
You also get the bonus of having an analysis regarding where customers look while inside the store. With that data, you can improve the layout or placement of the products, speeding up the whole process.
You’ll know what products your clients are most interested in and you can place them in the best spot, for example.
Powerful loyalty programs and promotions also become a breeze to manage with this technology.
What retailers are doing wrong
We’ve already talked about how important WiFi can be for the success of a retailer but many don’t seem to understand the full potential of WiFi for retail.
Many are afraid of setting up guest WiFi because of the security risks, so they miss out on the benefits. Others use older technology that just can’t stand up to the customer’s standards which, again, means that they aren’t getting all the advantages they could have.
The solution to both these problems is upgrading to newer models. Current technology not only supports bandwidth-heavy applications, but it also has extremely good security, making rogue access point broadcasts, eavesdropping, and other typical vulnerabilities impossible to be exploited.
Airangel is one of UK’s leading guest WiFi providers, See our list of services or request a demo.