Technology in Retail:

Essential Guidelines for Local Businesses

Technology has penetrated deeply in all aspects of our lives. Knowingly or unknowingly a major part of lives has become so tech dependent that technology is no more an option, it is the only resource.

Local business owners, especially retailers, find it difficult to keep up with the ever-evolving technology trends. And on the other hand, there is this fierce competition from big retail chains that are leaving no stones unturned to woo customers through mobile and digital channels. For most retailers, catching up with technology and the huge costs involved in embracing it, is in itself a major turn-off.

If you are a local business owner and are keen on exploring technology for your business, here’s a quick brief on the kind of technology that is used in retail and how you can adopt it.

Mobile Technology

Your customers are increasingly getting dependent on their mobile devices, especially smart phones. There are a number of ways retail businesses can actually go mobile. First and foremost, a responsive website is a must. Responsive website is the kind of website that can open on different screens including computer, tablet, smart phone etc.

Then there is the mobile app. Mobile app provides better customer engagement. However, some small businesses prefer the brick and mortar way of businesses. However, one cannot overlook the importance of mobile apps. Advertising in a popular app makes a whole lot of business sense. You can advertise on social media apps like Facebook, Pinterest etc. or you can advertise on apps like InstaTeam that promote local businesses on their app http://www.instateam.net/#home. You can also get your business listed on the local yellow-pages apps and business directory apps.

Internet of Things

Though the technology seems new and pretty intimidating for technologically challenged, but this sophisticated technology is making life easier and economical for businesses, especially small businesses. Internet of Things (IoT) is nothing but the integration of Internet in everyday objects (things) to enable ordinary things perform extraordinary tasks.

Case in point, Bigbelly. This company manufactures solar powered garbage cans that can sensor how full the can is and can send notifications to officials. Officials in turn can route the trash collecting trucks accordingly saving them unnecessary trips and helping them save costs.

In another instance, RainMachine, a SME revolutionized the irrigation controlling system. The conventional home irrigation systems have been complex and expensive. RainMachine worked out a sophisticated system using sensors, smart phones and real-time local weather updates and came up with automatic irrigation through sprinklers that are triggered by sensors that are linked to weather update. Not only is the system is inexpensive, but it also helped people save costs by reducing their water bills and by helping prevent over or under watering in the garden.

Video

Video is not fancy anymore. It is a basic requirement. Create videos to talk about your brand story, showcase your collection, broadcast your local reach, reach out, foster customer engagement and do so much more. creating videos, sharing them on social media and getting people to comment on it, is perhaps the best PR in the digital age.

Beacons or Geo-tech

Beacons are small, self-contained sensors that broadcast signal to Bluetooth devices in the vicinity. In itself the technology doesn’t really mean a lot, but when combined with the right mobile app, it can do wonders to your business. Imagine a customer walking outside the bakery gets the message that fresh bread has just arrived. Or a retail customer who just arrived near the store, gets the message that since they are in the vicinity of the store, they get a special offer that can be availed within an hour. This type of real-time marketing can actually work very well for the business.