7/27/16
The Internet and its influence are all around us. In the past few years, millions of devices, from smart thermostats in homes to smart cars on the highways, have joined the Internet of Things, or simply IoT.
The Internet of Things is changing the way retail stores operate as well. Connected devices provide sales reps and managers with more information than ever before about customers' behavior in and outside of the store.
A real benefit of IoT and its connected devices is that customers are attracted and empowered to make initial buying decisions on their own. This frees up sales reps to educate, cross-sell, and upsell.
Here are four additional IoT technologies that are transforming brick-and-mortar retail for the better.
Kiosks have been around for several years, but those using the latest technologies are helping retailers transform the shopping experience of consumers, thereby converting more of them into customers. Kiosks interactively engage customers by providing product information, product comparisons, social networking opportunities, available inventory, and more.
Internet-connected, self-service kiosks serve as comprehensive product databases that enable customers to research exciting devices on their own. By the time they engage with sales reps, they'll be excited and knowledgeable about available products.
In-store signage has long been used to draw customers' attention to new or popular devices, sales, and clearance prices. This traditional type of signage may never completely go away, but digital signage is a game-changer when it comes to creating a better shopping experience.
Digital signage eliminates the time-intensive process of manually changing out a multitude of signs every time a new device or product line is added to or removed from inventory, when devices are placed on clearance, or when they are the focus of a promotional campaign.
Dynamic, Internet-connected signage allows retailers to easily respond to these types of changes. They also do a better job of grabbing the attention of customers, delivering tailored, up-to-date messaging, and can even use trending data from social media to push sales. This creates more opportunities for reps to upsell and cross-sell to premium devices and add-ons.
Connected Bluetooth beacons, vending machines, and other devices harness customers' data, such as previous purchases and stated preferences. This type of data allows retailers to create a totally personalized shopping experience from the moment a shopper enters the store.
Customers receive push notifications when they walk past items they've purchased in the past or added to their "favorites" list and can use mobile point-of-sale technology to buy on the spot. Talk about a huge productivity boost for a sales team!
Sales reps can't be everywhere at once. However, thanks to smart cameras strategically placed throughout the store, they can quickly:
This knowledge, achieved using "people-less" images to comply with privacy laws, allows retailers to make smarter merchandising decisions and sales teams to create more opportunities for sales by better understanding their customers.
The Internet of Things environment is the future of retail, and those failing to embrace and understand it are placing themselves at a distinct disadvantage.
Are you currently using these new technologies to more fully understand who your customers are and what they want and expect when shopping in your stores? Could you benefit from the data they provide to develop strategies for better developing your sales staff and increasing overall revenue?
Leverage the Internet of Things-related technologies to your benefit to increase sales and create unforgettable customer experiences.
The Intel® Retail Edge Program is an engaging training program that allows you and your sales team to fully embrace the Internet of Things by learning about the latest Intel-powered devices and technologies. Learning activities and other available resources help sales reps learn how to best position these products and technologies to your customer base.
One such resource is the Intel® Retail Experience Tool, or RXT. The RXT is a portable and interactive tool reps can use right on the sales floor to help engage customers while they’re shopping.
Learn how the dynamic training platform of the Intel® Retail Edge Program, its resources, and its tools prepare your sales team for success.
This article originally appeared on LinkedIn* Pulse. To view the original article, click here.
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*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
© 2016, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Retail Sensor Platform, Intel Retail Experience Tool, RXT, and Intel Retail Edge Program are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
