Mining for Gold: Guest WI-Fi Access, Data Analytics and Customer Engagement
Recently I went to a popular home improvement store with the intention of purchasing a yard hydrant to provide water to various locations around my property. As I was searching the aisles looking for a product that fit my needs, I began to do what most customers with smartphones do when in traditional brick and mortar retail establishments; I went online and began to search for product ratings.
Since I am a frequent shopper at this store, I was quickly connected to their guest access which promptly opened up their app on my phone. I was pleasantly surprised to see the integration of their app to my past internet search and was quickly directed to the proper aisle and shelf location. Once there I was able to grab four hydrants that were highly recommended by other purchasers. The app also recommended accessories that were needed to properly install the hydrants: Things like gravel, plumbers tape and cement.
It is this experience that most shoppers today have come to expect from the businesses we are going to give our money to. I received quick and convenient service, a good product, any accessories needed to complete my project, and even a 100% money back guarantee if the solution didn’t fit my needs, all without having to engage directly with an employee. Wow!
As a Wi-Fi network professional, I’ve often heard IT professionals talk about guest access like it was the plague. Today, I hear from those same professionals a desire to up their game on guest access. They want provide lines of business with actionable business intelligence, customer engagement and enhanced brand awareness and loyalty. According to Retail Info Systems News, in April of 2015, 40% of retailers offered guest access Wi-Fi with that number growing to 90% by 2017, and as of June of this year, 85% of hospitals offer guest Wi-Fi as reported by Becker’s Health IT and CIO Review.
How Does Guest Wi-Fi Access Benefit Businesses?
Most businesses today that deal with the public are leveraging their guest access for data analytics to better understand customer behaviors and trends. This data can be a gold mine and can increase revenue by aligning inventory with demand while also improving the customer experience. How much revenue?
Retail Info Systems News discovered a 3.4% average increase in sales from retailers who offered free guest access to their customers. And this is just guest access, we haven’t even begun to see the results of location-based analytics and applications as they pertain to an increase in sales, or the way they affect the delivery of quality healthcare or other services. One thing is for sure, these new location-based applications will provide modern businesses with a personal way to engage customers that will benefit the customer while reaping financial rewards, improved efficiency and brand loyalty.
As a consumer of products and services, my advice is simple. Make my interaction with you as personable and simple as possible. Work together as departments to offer solutions that meet these goals. Turn those solutions into applications that are simple and easy to navigate while at the same time provide you with all the knowledge and intelligence you need to remain strong and relevant. Make my life easier and in return, I will reward you with years of return business.
Want to dive deeper? To hear Dennis speak more on Wi-Fi guest access, data analytics and customer engagement, join us at Topgolf Jacksonville on December 7th for our Elevate Your Mobility Game event.
Dennis Holmes is the Director of Mobility and Infrastructure Solutions for Internetwork Engineering (IE) and has been involved with Wi-Fi for over 18 years. Connect with Dennis on LinkedIn.