In-store/Retail IoT Applications can provide unique shopping experiences to cultivate a better relationship with your customer. In the world of retail, sellers need to not only sell desirable products; but also, to create an experience excites customers enough to get them into their store. This has been a challenge since E-Commerce became such a necessary part of the modern consumers shopping habits. Store owners need to attract clients while simultaneously reducing their costs.
Enterprise IoT
In-Store/Retail
Applications of IoT in Retail
IoT solutions can benefit businesses by enabling:
IoT Scanners
Many stores have started to use handheld scanners/smartphones for their team to check out customers in different parts of the store. Many have built-in cellular to do so even if the primary Internet connection is unavailable.
Interactive Displays
Displays use sensors and cameras to collect data on who is watching specific content and then analyzing that data to make merchandising decisions.
Reliable, Secure Connection
When a store switches to cellular technology (such as a router or gateway to replace their landline connection) They enjoy the benefits of increased flexibility, reduced set up time, and easier deployment of smart displays into stores. Cellular gateways allow for reliable, secure and quick access to these displays.
Efficient Decision Making
Big Data and Artificial intelligence solutions help companies make sense of all the IoT data collected. AI can enable more efficient decision-making on things like inventory levels and personalized offers delivered to a customer's phone.
Pre-Register Credit Cards
IoT scanners are allowing customers to pre-register their credit cards. Once they have done that, they can walk around the store, scan items at checkpoints, and leave without stopping at the register!
Predicting Purchases
Big Data and Artificial intelligence solutions help companies make sense of all of the IoT data collected. AI can enable more efficient decision making, from anywhere, using smartphones and tablets.
What IoT Hardware is Suited to Retail Applications?
Smart lighting systems use smart light bulbs to allow for real-time decisions as to lighting. Using sensors to only light up areas where customers/staff are, ensures that critical lights are working correctly (reducing safety issues). These systems often use cellular technology to allow for remote access to view the status.
RFID tags are used to improve the tracking and security of key items. If a product is not where it is supposed to be, alerts can be sent in real-time to prevent it from getting lost. As well, high-value assets can be tagged, and a staff member is alerted if they are removed from their display via their smartphones or tablets.
GPS tracking can be used to track entire shipments, a large pallet of items or even individual items between locations or on their way to customers. This reduces theft and ensures products get their on-time.
Brick and Mortar locations need a cellular gateway to provide a backup for all Internet-based activities, processing payments, making online orders from suppliers, communicating with customers, video surveillance and more. Many retailers are now using cellular gateways to do more. By providing a secure and reliable internet connection, cellular gateways are powering pop-up stores and mobile retail; businesses can easily be set up at 3rd party locations or temporary markets. The best part is that the move towards cellular connectivity is seamless and flexible. Your existing devices work with little effort, and there are many cellular-enabled Point of Sale and tablet-based solutions to allow for quick setup at remote sites.
Products
To develop these applications for you business, you need hardware, software and in most cases, custom solutions. Reach out to one of sales staff to start developing your solution with us.
We carry all the top brands in IoT Gateways Routers Modems-Brands like Sierra, Inhand, Machine Q carry what you need to start.
To browse our lincard click the logos below for our most popular brands.
Indoor / Outdoor digital signage
With consumers no longer watching commercial-based television or listening to traditional radio as they once did; marketers are forced to find new ways to get their message out. This has led to an increase in demand for digital signage, both inside of stores and malls and outdoors. Although signage has been around for many, many years, businesses can harness the power of IoT to enhance outdoor and digital signage opportunities. Below are some benefits IoT solutions can bring to signage:
Traffic Optimization and Data Reporting
Allowing for an increase in flexibility of placement and to move it around based on traffic.
-
- As mentioned, cellular devices allow for flexible placement of your signs. This means that you can place them in high-traffic areas as needed without the need to look for a landline connection to plug into.
- This also allows for them to be used in 3rd party locations, such as marketers who may wish to put up a temporary sign/display in a retail store.
Personalization
Offering the ability to customize messages based on location (ideal for mobile deployments)
-
- Most cellular gateways offer the ability to gather GPS location data, so you know where they are at all times.
- This same data can be fed into your application to allow you to change the messaging based on the location of the sign. This is ideal for mobile deployments, such as on the side of a bus.
Ease Of Use
Allowing for a much quicker set up time than traditional landline connections
- In most areas, landlines can take days or weeks to be installed. Cellular devices can be up in minutes.
- Most landline connections will be “demarcated” (brought into the building) in basements or utility closets. This means that you need to set up costly connections to get access where you need it to be. Cellular products can be placed in more flexible locations
Quality Assurance
Providing a single “pane of glass” to see the connectivity of all of your devices
- Many businesses will deploy signs across different jurisdictions, meaning that you often need to deal with many different landline providers. This also means that you may need to use many different tools to manage your devices.
- Cellular-based products work in all areas and allow you to use the same tool to view the status of your devices, wherever they may be located.
A gateway used to manage the device and allow changes from remote office. It is configured remotely through cellular technology
With a router Head office could remotely change content across all devices instantly
Products
To develop these applications for you business, you need hardware, software and in most cases, custom solutions. Reach out to one of sales staff to start developing your solution with us.
We carry all the top brands in IoT Gateways Routers Modems-Brands like Sierra, Inhand, Cradlepoint, and DIGI carry what you need to start.
To browse click the link below
To talk to a sales represntative call your regional sales assoicate from this number or write to us here.
Network failover
In today's world it is no longer a luxury for organizations to have a safe, reliable and constant connection, it is a necessity. Cellular gateways ensure that you have a connection, regardless of your situation, including:
- As a backup connection to your existing landline connection
- As a primary connection when a landline connection is not available or for temporary deployments, such as working at a remote site
- As a connection for a Mobile or Vehicle-based deployment
As a backup connection to your existing landline connection
- From widespread network outages to lines being cut accidentally, these connections can and do go down. While you may be fine for a couple of minutes, can you handle a day or more without Internet?
- A high-speed cellular gateway as backup, ensures a reliable Internet connection at all times. The switch between technologies happens automatically and there are solutions available for all levels of business and all types of deployments
As a primary connection when a landline connection is not available or for a temporary deployment, such as working at a remote site
- High-speed cellular gateways provide a safe, reliable and fast way for the team to gain access to what they need. These solutions can be set up / taken down in minutes and work anywhere where there is cellular coverage.
- In some cases, even when a landline connection is available in the area, it may make sense to use a cellular-based connection. Perhaps the desired location for the connection is too far from a landline connection or maybe it is simply lower cost to use cellular- many cellular connections are being used in replace of a landline for many reasons!
Products
A secure and reliable Internet connection is not a luxury to any business, it is a requirement to keep things running smoothly. From processing financial transactions, to receiving orders online from customers to being able to communicate with customers and suppliers, your business needs Internet access at all times.
See the logos below to browse our popular brands of cellular gateways, routers and modems.
In-Building Coverage
What is in-building coverage?
Your customers rely on their smartphones for everything. This means that if they do not have cellular coverage, they are out of the loop, even if you offer complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity. This means that if you have bad coverage, many customers will not stay for long. Along the same lines, your employees also need strong cellular coverage to communicate with their customers more than ever before.
Always Available
- Many customer-focused areas (malls, airports, etc.) offer customers free Wi-Fi access to receive messages. However, many customers prefer to use their own cellular connection for privacy and other reasons. As well, many emergencies are still received via a cellular-based telephone call.
- If customers are unable to receive a strong cellular signal, many will avoid spending long periods in your location or in some cases, avoid your location altogether.
- Offering enhanced cellular signal is a low-cost way to keep your customers happy.
Accessible for Kiosks and Pop-ups
- Many vendors are looking to drive both traction to their products at retail stores and other high traffic areas as well as to engage customers using tools like social media. To do this, many are using interactive displays and kiosks.
- Many of them will look to connect these displays to the Internet using cellular connectivity. However, many stores may not have ideal coverage in the most desired areas.
- Enhanced cellular coverage allows your vendors to set up the displays where they need to.
Longer Lasting
- With the move towards doing work anywhere and at any time, your team relies more on their mobile devices than ever before. This means that they may need to reach for the charger more often than they used to.
- When you have bad coverage in your office, you make this problem worse. Simply, phones and tablets work harder when the coverage is bad. This reduces the battery life and the overall life of the device
- Having superior cellular coverage means that your team’s device needs to be charged less and will have a longer life in the field.
Clear Information
- Can you hear me now? Nothing is more aggravating to your customers than to hear that from your team while on the phone.
- Devices both download data faster (allowing them to be more productive) and have better voice quality if you enhance the coverage in your locations.
Products
Click the logo below to browse our Signal Boosters
Mobile Computing
Enterprises and their mobile workers need always-on connectivity to their mission-critical applications. Computing manufacturers are delivering. With built-in cellular connectivity in business laptops and tablets, mobile workers can stay securely and reliably connected to business applications and improve collaboration no matter where they are—even when Wi-Fi is unavailable.
With the increased speed and coverage of cellular data networks, employees are able to do more outside of the office than ever before. 4G networks (and soon 5G) provide speeds that allow your team to do everything they could in the office, including real-time applications like video conferencing.
Reduce Unwanted Downtime
Employees can quickly and securely access key systems to improve customer service and reduce unwanted downtime. This also reduces the amount they have to travel, lowering fuel costs.
Safer Browsing
2. Today, many workers use home or public Wi-Fi networks to access data. While there are security precautions that can be done, this opens up an element of risk for your organization. Using cellular networks ensures that your traffic is not accessible via an insecure network.
Mobile Computing has gained more effectiveness with faster speeds from recent cellular networks and the increased level of coverage.
4G allowed for workers to be able to achieve some real-time applications like streaming videos, VoIP and video messaging applications. 5G is expected to provide enough speed for a complete office experience wherever you go.
Cellular offers corporations and governments the ability to control more aspects of their worker’s experience. Many workers use public and home Wi-Fi solutions, which have the potential to introduce viruses and attacks. By keeping workers off of those networks, the corporation is more in control.
As well, cellular networks allow for the filtering of traffic, which prevents unwanted viruses from even entering your network, as well as allowing you to implement policies easier.
Products
Novotech represents many cellular module manufacturers who’s products power that cellular connectivity. Some of these manufactures include Gemalto, Digi, Sequans and Trimble.
Want more? Below are some other applications of IoT that Novotech supports.
IoT in Energy and Utilities (smart metering, pipeline and well, construction)
IoT in Public Safety (fire, ambulance, police)
IoT in Transportation and Automobile (mass transit, mobile asset tracking, fleet management)