By Broc
Jenkins, Wilson Electronics LLC
Despite what you may have heard, in-store
shopping is far from dead. In fact, a recent study predicts that the number of
people shopping in brick-and-mortar stores will increase between 3.8% and 4.4%
in 2018.
That’s not to say there isn’t fierce online competition.
Sales there, too, are predicted to increase by 10% to 12%, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2018 economic forecast.
True, shoppers like the convenience factor of shopping from home. So if you’re
a retail store owner and you expect to compete, you’ll need to make sure that
you offer your in-store shoppers the same conveniences and the same hassle-free
experience.
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For most shoppers, convenience means that
their smartphones are a big part of the in-store shopping experience. A recent
survey showed that 65% of shoppers are more likely to
consult their smartphone than to ask a store clerk for assistance. So is your
retail store’s cell signal ready to meet the demands of shoppers that rely so
heavily on these devices?
Enhancing The Customer Experience
The ability to access the information they
want while in your store can be the difference
between making a sale and gaining a repeat customer, or losing a customer
altogether. With 90% of the population owning a cell phone, customers have come
to rely on the convenience their cellular devices provide — whether that’s
accessing digital apps and downloadable coupons while shopping, or contacting
friends and family for purchasing advice. A strong connection is also essential
to customers wanting to do some quick product research in real time. No matter
how they’re using their devices to make purchases in your store, they’ll expect
the transaction to be seamless and secure.
Weak cell signal within your store means an
unpleasant in-store experience and unhappy customers. This problem is
exacerbated in larger retail spaces and malls when many mobile users gathered
in one place overload cell signals.
Fixing Poor Cell Signal In Your
Store
In addition to the taxing load of large
volumes of users, many retailers struggle to maintain coverage due to building
materials such as brick, concrete and steel, which can severely impede indoor
cell signal. Retailers are often perplexed because, while cell signal outside
of their stores may be abundant, that signal isn’t maintained inside the
building.
This common problem can be effectively
addressed with the implementation of a cell signal booster. Passive
distributed antenna systems, commonly referred to as passive DAS, capture
existing outdoor cell signal, bring it inside the building, and amplify it
throughout your retail space by as much as 32 times. This allows you to
eliminate poor signal, dropped calls, and slow web access that frustrates
customers and can result in lost revenue.
Secure Transactions
In addition to the convenience strong cell
signal provides for your customers, it also offers them peace of mind that
their in-store transactions will be secure. While in-store WiFi may solve the
problem of accessing coupons or making calls, it can also open your store up to
security concerns, especially in retail settings without designated employee
and customer networks or proper firewalls. This can expose your store to
spyware and viruses, and potentially compromise valuable customer and company
data.
With a reliable in-store cellular connection,
you can provide a positive in-store experience without putting the customer
— or your store’s reputation — at risk.
A reliable cell phone signal is paramount to
the success of your retail store, and if you think all of your customers are
online then you’re missing the opportunity to profit from all of the shoppers
that will head out into brick-and-mortar stores in 2018. It’s important to
provide your customers with carrier-agnostic coverage so they can do all of the
things they expect to be able to do in your store, regardless of their cellular
service provider.
Broc
Jenkins is a strategic accounts manager at Wilson
Electronics LLC. His primary responsibilities involve the sales and business
development of the WilsonPro M2M product line, as well as managing special
projects and opportunities within the Wilson Electronics commercial sales
organization. Since joining Wilson Electronics in 2009, Jenkins has held
positions in technical support, product line management and key account sales.
