To move your business ahead of the competition, you need to use technology. No ifs or buts, that’s the way things are in the modern business world. And, in this piece, we’ll look at some top tech innovations that will help retail businesses:
Point Of Sale Tech
The point of sale is a very important part of every retail business. After all, it’s where your customers will pay for everything. Having a good point of sale can benefit your business greatly. The key is having something that makes life easier for everyone involved. As a customer, the worst thing is when you get to a point of sale, and it’s outdated. The cashier only accepts cash, not cards or anything else. It can be very frustrating because you don’t carry cash around with you that often nowadays. So, a business needs to accept multiple payment options, so customers are satisfied. When customers are satisfied, your business benefits and profits can move in the right direction.
There have been loads of developments in point of sale tech over the years. Personally, the best innovation is contactless payments. Accepting contactless payments is a must for every business in this day and age. The fact is, people are busier now than ever before. Sometimes, they can’t wait around for a card reader to load up and then enter their pin. They want payments to happen in an instant. And, a contactless point of sale is the best way to do this. They allow your customers to use contactless cards and things like Apple and Android Pay. Seriously, this can make a huge difference to your retail business. There are many consumers that choose one business over another purely because they offer Apply/Android Pay. It’s just so much easier and adds to the reputation of a business too. These days, if you don’t have a contactless point of sale, then people will look down on you.
Parking Garage Tech
For some retail businesses, you may have a parking garage. Firstly, let’s begin by saying how good this is for your business. Supplying customers with a safe place to park has various benefits. It entices them to your company because they have an easy place to park their car. So, there’s the chance you can gain more customers. Secondly, you can charge small fees and generate extra income. So, if you’re a large retail company with space to build a parking garage, I recommend it.
Now, let’s talk about some of the innovative tech that’s making a difference. One thing that’s come about recently is parking garage guidance systems. These are systems that help people park their cars. The simplicity of it is great, and it makes a difference to your parking garage. Your customers can see where the free spaces are, and easily navigate around the garage. Similarly, there’s technology that lets them find their car when they return from shopping. We’ve all been in the situation where we shop for hours and then forget where we parked the car. With advanced parking garage tech, customers can use a touchscreen to find their vehicle. It adds to the convenience and does wonders for your business. It encourages more people to park their cars in your garage, which increases the benefits mentioned earlier!
Retail Security Tech
Running a retail business means you have to be wary of security. There are plenty of cases of customers that have tried stealing from a retail store. Likewise, you’ll see loads of stories of people breaking into a store. As if this isn’t bad enough, sometimes, you get employees that steal from retail businesses too. A lack of security can severely damage your company. If everyone keeps stealing from you, then you’ll end up losing money. So, you have to find ways to beef up the security of your premises.
The most advanced security tech out this is biometrics. This refers to scanning body parts, like fingerprints and palms. You’ve probably become accustomed to this technology on modern smartphones. Almost every flagship phone will have a fingerprint reader to beef up security. Your business can make good use of this technology too. Some companies are experimenting with fingerprint security on cash registers. To open the register, you need the proper fingerprint. Similarly, this can be used in display cases and restricted rooms. For example, to stop people breaking into the storeroom and stealing things, the door can be locked biometrically. This technology is very innovative, and will improve your retail security.
In-Store Tech
One of the struggles of running a retail business is competing with online counterparts. Many consumers are turning their attention to online retail companies. As such, retail stores are finding it harder and harder to be successful. However, they still offer consumers things that online stores can’t, like the ability to see and try on clothes. So, the main concern is keeping people in the stores, rather than letting them shop online.
In-store technology has come along very well in the past few years. There have been lots of innovations that allow retail businesses to make their stores more digital. Some of the top companies in the world are using iPads and other tech in-store. They have tablets on the walls that allow customers to contact sales reps. Some places even let customers order drinks while they shop! Then, you have digital mirrors that let consumers try on various outfits at the same time. This helps prevent them from spending ages in the changing room getting dressed and undressed. If your store uses this technology, you can see an influx of customers. People love things that are cutting edge and innovative. Using tablets and digital mirrors is a great way to increase your brand reputation.
When you look at all this innovative technology, you notice a pattern. The majority of things make life easier for your customers. Creating a convenient shopping venue for people is the key to retail success. And, of course, security tech can help ensure you protect your business. Consider utilizing some of the things mentioned if you own a retail store.
