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Revamping Consumer Engagement through Ambient Experiences.

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2016 Retail Technology Trends

Retail space is changing at a fast pace. With customers becoming tech savvy, retailers are finding new ways to serve customers. According to MasterCard, eight out of ten consumers use Smartphone, computer, tablet or in-store technology while shopping. Forrester also predicts that cross-channel retail sales with reach $1.8 trillion in the US by 2017. It  is just not tech, but also, in terms of customer loyalty and store technology is changing at a fast pace and changes are taking place keeping  baby boomer and millennial generation in mind.

Let us take a look at some of the retail trends which we will see in 2016.

1) Wise loyalty point allocation

Customized shopping is provided by retailers to the customers but now loyalty points  will also be customized. Based on the purchases , store visits or any other relevant activity, the customers will be allocated loyalty points.  Customized perks will be a big part of loyalty program success. Research by eMarketer revealed that consumers have begun to expect more personalized offers and not just discounts in return for their participation in reward programs.  

2) POS technology

Cash registers are going to go extinct. Cloud based point of sale systems have proved that they are able to do much more than the old-fashioned registers in terms of functionality and looks.  With beacons being a rage in the retail sector, POS can be used  with this technology. 

A POS technology provider has a loyalty app called Perka that also integrates with beacon technology with its POS system. Merchants collected customer data and reward customers with loyalty points each time they check-in.  

3) Beacons

Beacons are paving their way in an increasing number of stores. It was found that in 2016, 85% retailers will be using beacon technology to engage with consumers. Also, beacon triggered messages will $44 million.  Sephora launched a beacon trial in their San Francisco store. It was found that 82% of customers opted in to receive messages.

4) Augmented reality

From shoppable windows to products that come alive in your hand, the worlds of retail and augmented reality have collided perfectly in the recent years.

The retail landscape is overcrowded and the traditional marketing methods have no effect on customers. That's where augmented reality enters the picture. As shoppers are turning to a blend of online, mobile and brick-and-mortar shopping for their convenience, brands and retailers are having to think of new and innovative ways in which they can capture customer attention.

An example of stores using augmented reality would be De Beers "Forevermark Fitting. 

Source: kings1912

Choosing the right diamonds can be a difficult task. Here's where 'Forevermark Fitting' from De Beers comes in. The AR download allows shoppers to try on the Forevermark collection through their webcam and see how pieces would look in certain lights and against certain skin tones.

5) 3-D printing

3-D printing is slowly making its way into the retail world. Some retailers have already found a use of this technology.  In a jewelry store, the retailers help customers try on different rings so they can determine the right size shape, size, carat and diamond arrangement for their hands.

6) IoT to enhance shopping experience

In addition to mobile devices, POS systems, and in-store tablets, some retailers will be looking for ways they can leverage the Internet of Things in their locations. A study by McKinsey found that the uses of IoT in retail could have an impact of $410 billion to $1.2 trillion per year in 2025.  It may be a long way to go, but that does not mean retailers won't up their game.

Examples of retail stores using technology

1) Nordstrom

Nordstrom uses mobile POS devices in its stores to enable staff to check out customers anywhere in its stores and cut the queues down. 

2) Nike Fuel station

This interactive store in London's pop up Boxpark mall uses motion-sensitive mirrors which display footage of local runners wearing products from the store as customers walk past them. It also uses interactive touchscreens to allow customers to access further information about products and order online. 

3) Burberry

Source: Lifestyle Asia

The brand brings its digital world to life in a physical space, where customers can experience every facet of the brand through immersive multimedia content exactly as they do online. Burberry's flagship London store aims to bring some of the web experience to the high street, featuring mirrors that double as video screens and staff armed with iPads.

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Maker Fest 2016  gets a Touch of Proximity

Maker Fest is the Indian continuation of Maker Faire, launched in the USA in 2006 and has been hosted across America, Europe, Africa and Japan, among others. It provides the makers a platform to showcase their products, created by them using technology. 

encircle.io partnered with Maker Fest 2016 as the Innovative Technological Partner to help event attendees explore their surroundings with proximity. The basic idea was to deliver the most relevant information of the event to be delivered to the event attendee's phone.

We deployed beacons in various parts of the Maker Fest Event. The beacons were placed at the entry gate of the event and several others were placed near the maker's booth. The Maker Fest app developed by our company had to be downloaded by the event attendees and turn on Bluetooth.

When an event attendee entered the location with the given specifications in their phone, they would receive a welcome notification on their phone. By tapping on the notification, it directed them to the Maker Fest's teaser video giving them a glimpse of the fest and increase the excitement among the attendees.

The beacon placed near the booths would help attendees to learn more about the booth and it’s offering when in its proximity. Here are some of the proximity experiences which were created for the maker’s booth.

1) The beacon placed at the Mozilla booth created two types of proximity experiences. 

By clicking on the notification received on the phone, the attendee would be directed to their website.

The second notification was informing them about the contest. The         attendees had to tweet using a Hashtag recommended by Mozilla and win goodies.

2) At the PH designs booth, the beacon placed triggered the Maker Fest app in the proximity to display a notification which gave the attendees more information about the workshop they were conducting to give information about Keychain designs.  

3) The beacon placed at the MOON Maker Space triggered the app to display a notification asking attendees if they wanted the creators to create something. By clicking on the notification, the attendees would be directed to JMOON's website, where they could place their requests for the creators.

4) For the attendees who were keen on learning how to design Google Cardboards, Virtua 360 gave them a chance to learn. When an attendee entered the area with the app and the Bluetooth turned on, they would receive a notification by tapping on it, they would get access to more details on how to design Google Cardboards. 

5)  At Shrakut a company which designs  lamps, the event attendee’s phones buzzed when they were in the booth's proximity. They could check the designed lamp’s details that were being sold at the booth. This allowed the attendees to get the relevant information on their phone.

6) While exiting Maker Fest, attendees could submit their feedback and share their Maker fest experience. The beacon would trigger the app to display the feedback notification on the attendee' phone.

The Maker Fest was a great success with proximity at play. The proximity fever spread rapidly among crowds capturing their hearts with amazing experiences delivered to their phone based on their location during the event.

If you are planning to create proximity experiences for your business, take a look at our beta program.  Our beta program is open for select customers.

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Proximity Adds Fun to Malls

"Around 15% of malls will fail or be converted into non-retail space within the next ten years" according to Green Street Advisors, a real estate and REIT analytics firm.   That's an increase from less than two years ago when the firm predicted 10% of malls would fail or be converted as published by Business Insider.

Malls are faced with some serious challenges. They are finding new ways for turning online customers into offline, how to increase sales for retailers and to attract customers.

 With the latest development in technology, malls are now looking forward to adopting  beacon technology for proximity marketing. This technology helps create and deliver personalized experiences for the customers. 

Here’s a list of experiences that malls can create using the beacons and the proximity marketing platform.

Targeted offers by retailers

The retailers can use tags to send offers to the customers who walk inside the malls. The beacon devices can be fitted in the lobby of the mall.  The customers will receive retailer updates based on their preferences.

Gamification experiences in the mall

The mall staff can organize treasure hunts, quiz, contests and other games to attract customers to the mall. The winners can be rewards with gift hampers. The beacon placed around the mall will make it very easy to deliver game hints to the customer’s phone, making the whole experience fascinating.

Updates by the retailers

When the customers enter the malls, based on their preferences, they can be sent updates on the latest product offers and the upcoming sale. The customers will visit malls often for the latest updates, which are relevant to them.

Social media

The customers can like, comment and share the updates delivered to them by the retailers. This will help to create a buzz on social media about the mall. This offers a perfect way to create free publicity about the mall.

Here's an example of how Rouse properties used proximity marketing in malls.

Image Source: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/

Rouse properties installed beacons in all of its malls to provide shoppers with relevant content, advertising and promotions to its shoppers via mobile.  When the customer walks in, he will receive the latest offers and other promotional content which are most relevant to him. They have adopted this technology to give the customer the best of both worlds i.e. give the customer the digital experiences in a physical environment.

 If you are planning to create proximity experiences, take a look at our beta program.  Our beta program is open for select customers.

Blog Image- bestmedia.com

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Why adopting Beacon Technology will prove to be Beneficial in 2016

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8 Customer Engagement Tips for a Merrier Chistrmas

With Christmas around the corner, businesses are finding new ways to provide the best customer engagement. eMarketer forecasts that US retail sales in the months of November and December 2015 will increase 5.7% year over year, reaching $885.70 billion.

Businesses need to ensure that they make their customers feel special this Christmas. The easiest way is by using beacon technology. Here's a list of some of the holiday campaigns for you to get started with.

Greet the customer

A simple gesture will go a long way. Place the beacon at the entry gate of your business. When the customer enters the restaurant, wish him a Merry Christmas by sending a card to the mobile device. 

Discount

It was found in a recent survey that 56% shoppers look for deals. Hence, when the customer enters the store, send a discount on a particular product which the customer prefers using tags.  When he enters the store, the beacon placed at the entrance will trigger the app to display the notification of the discount on his mobile screen. 

Christmas recipe

Image source: 9to5mac.files

When a customer enters the shop, he will receive a free Christmas recipe from the supermarket.  When he clicks on the recipe, he will get the list of ingredients and the floor map to direct them towards these ingredients.

Assisting while shopping

While shopping at a supermarket, the customer can be sent a list of suggested kitchen appliances which will make cooking easier and quicker during Christmas.

Contest

In hotels, hold a contest among the guests where they can share their childhood Christmas memories. The lucky winner can be rewarded with a gift hamper from the hotel.

Gift suggestions

In a recent study, it was found that 96% customers feel a little anxiety about buying Christmas gift.  Hence, gift stores need to help a customer in selecting the right gift. When a customer enters the gift store, send him gift suggestions which are popular during the holiday season. You can find out the popular gifts in the store by using the analytics feature.

What's new

When a customer is passing from a bakery, send a notification asking them to come in and try out the Christmas special hot cocoa.  When the customer enters the store, send another notification, giving him a discount for entering the store.

Quiz

In a restaurant, organize quiz. Send the quiz during the wait-time to the customers. The beacon placed around will trigger the app to display this quiz. The winner can be rewarded with real-time discounts etc. 

These are some  amongst many of the experiences which can be carried out using beacon technology.  We recently launched our beta program for select customers. For more information on beacon technology, visit www.encircle.io. 

Blog Image: cbsdallas.files

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Transforming Events with Proximity Experiences

A good event leads to a good event attendee experience. Hence, event companies are continuously working towards conducting a good event and providing the event attendees with a great event experience using technology and apps. In a recent survey, it was found that 44% of attendees use mobile event apps. That number is expected to grow to 56% next year. (Source: CrowdCompass by Cvent)

The latest technology that has been adopted by various event companies along with mobile apps  is the beacons and proximity experience platform. This technology is used to create interactive experiences based on end consumer's proximity.

Event management companies are using proximity experience platform along with beacon technology to enhance the event attendee's experience. Let us take a look at some of the experiences that can be created using this technology.

Event check-in

Remember the times when you had to wait in long queues just so that you could register for the event? Well, it has happened to all of us. But with the adoption of beacon technology, you can easily check-in with your mobile phone. The minute you enter the event premises, the beacon placed nearby will trigger the app on the phone to display a notification asking you to check-in. Within few seconds, you have checked-in the event.

Navigation

Suppose you are attending a huge event and your first step in the event premises has left you clueless of the  direction you should be heading in first. At that moment, wouldn't it be nice to have clear directions and the list of event sessions that are going on in the event premises? With the beacons placed around the event premises, you can get access to the event sessions, venue directions and the topic of the sessions. A single click on your phone will give you access to all the relevant information you need.

Networking

Networking at events is really important to get the right connections. But the question remains, how do you know the location of these connections. With beacons and a mobile app, networking gets simpler. If you enter a particular area where the event is happening, based on your interests, you will get a list of people who are present in the same space and have similar interests. You can access their profiles as well to get an idea of about the person.

You can also chat with a group of people on a similar topic. This will enable you to get more information on a particular event session, that it is about to happen or has happened in the past.  

Event-related content

Sometimes at conferences, we need to wait to collect the documents related to the session.  With beacon devices placed inside the conference room, the minute you step in, you will receive the documents on your mobile phone. The best part about it is that you have all the documents where you need  and there is no risk of losing those documents.

Gamification at events

Events can be made interesting by conducting games. One of the reason is to increase the event attendee involvement. The attendees could be rewarded for entering a certain space in the event premises.  The reward can be coupons which the attendee can use further.

Let us take a look at how some events used the proximity  experience technology.

Examples of events using beacons and proximity platform

Beacon technology at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

Image Source: appleinsider.com

Beacon devices were placed across the festival grounds to deliver a variety of interactive experiences on the Cannes Lions apps. One of the experiences was 'Around Me Enhanced' which provided a list of the attendees who are using the app, in the venue and at the event. LinkedIn integration showed the first degree connections in the area while attendees could add new relationships through Cannes Connect.

How South by Southwest (SXSW) event took advantage of the beacon technology  

Image Source: media.idownloadblog.com

SXSW app along with beacons was used to create interactive experiences for the attendees. One of the experiences was 'Around Me'. When an attendee who has the SXSW app installed, enters event premises, he immediately gets to know what is happening around him and who else has arrived recently. The idea was to make networking a little easier at the massive event. The features let you meet like-minded visitors and connect on Facebook, with friends who are also attending the event. Another feature, Session Live, using beacon technology  showed who else was at the event and using beacon technology, allowed to have a discussion with them.

Proximity experiences are here to stay. In the days to come, we will see a proliferation of relevant proximity  experiences in relevant industries. 

We have  just announced a private beta program for select customers. Join us to begin creating proximity experiences for your business.  If you would like to know more about our platform, visit encircle.io today.

Blog Image: www.kitchenbug.com

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Revamping the Travel Industry with Proximity Experiences

Recently, the term Proximity Experience is prevalent in all types of  industries. The proliferation of beacons, which are responsible for creating proximity experiences is seen to rise in the travel industry. This technology is being used at airports for an improved passenger experience, in hotels for an enhanced guest experience and at cities for better local trends discovery.  

Let us take a deeper look at how this technology is being used at airports, hotels and cities.

Airports

Image Source: i.huffpost.com

Way-finding

Beacons can help passengers find their way around the airport. If the passenger is new to the airport, then the beacons placed will guide him to make his way to the check-in counter of a particular flight. Once done with the check-in, the passenger will get a notification of the directions leading to the security check and  then the assigned gate.  

The passengers who have landed at the airport, beacons can help them track the luggage belt from where they need to collect their belongings.

Personalised content

While the passenger waits for the flight or might have just landed, the stores could use the tag feature to send personalised content based upon the interests  of the passenger.  Duty-free advertisements can also be sent to the passengers. The restaurants can notify the passengers about the food and beverage offers. 

The airline could send information about the city depending on the passenger’s travel destination. If a passenger is travelling to a new city, the relevant information provided to him will prove to be useful.

Staff productivity

The airlines can use smartwatches and beacons to assign gate agents with location-specific tasks and track them using electronic devices to offer better customer service.

Airport Lounge

To improve the passenger experience, if a passenger is an avid reader then he can be sent a beacon message informing him that he gets a complimentary free access to the digital  books. For loyal customers, who have just landed at the airport, the airline can send a beacon message about free shower and breakfast at the lounge.  

Examples of airports using beacon technology

Mumbai Airport recently used beacons to easily provide passengers with indoor directions, lounge access and alerts about boarding.  

Image Source: indianweb2.com

easyJet helps passengers navigate their way around the airport with the help of beacons and the easyJet app.

Image Source: ukr-today.com

Hospitality

Beacons in hotels  can help improve the guest experience by providing personalised content. When the guest enters the hotel, he will be sent a greeting message and a digital key to his phone. With beacons placed in the corridor, the guest can easily find his room. He can control room temperature and order room service from his phone with the help of beacons.

Cities

With the beacons placed at the local places in the city, the tourists will be able to discover more things about the city such as food, attractions, culture etc. 

CultureMap an online news and review publication with multiple localizations will be deploying beacons in restaurants and businesses around the country. CultureMap plans to deploy 200,000 beacons in restaurants and retail locations throughout U.S., with around 9000 being deployed in Dallas, Houston and Austin.

Image Source: funderbeam.com

Bristol city in U.K. conducted a trial with beacon technology to promote and enhance the visitor experiences around the city. Over 200 iBeacons will be located in and around the key tourism sites including the Brunel’s Great Britain, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery and St Mary Redcliffe church.

With the rise of travellers, beacon technology is bound to become a natural fit in the travel industry.

encircle.io is revamping customer engagement through ambient experiences. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Blog Image: mrfieldwork.com

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7 iBeacons Apps You Cannot Miss

We are always reading about the experience created by ibeacons, but  forget the apps which are responsible for creating the desired experience. Hence, in this blog we will be discussing some prominent  ibeacon apps and how they create such desired experience.

Mingleton App 

Image Source:  www.hexjam.co

This app encourages people to be more social in the physical space by having them discover what they share in common with the people around them. In order to eliminate the fear of rejection and encourage socializing, the app sends an anonymous request to meet up.  People are notified once they mutually want to meet each other.

SITA OnAir

Image Source: australia.etbtravelnews.com

SITA OnAir recently launched an app to increase the usage of wi-fi and stay connected in-flight. Beacons are placed at the airport and in-flight to remind passengers to take advantage of the in-flight wifi services. The beacons placed inside the flight can also be used to send a reminder to the passengers of the wi-fi services and stay connected.

Safe Site

Image Source: estorm.com.au

Safe Site is collaboratively built by Apple and IBM. It is an enterprise app and can be accessed through many devices, enter data and study analytics. In an industrial setting, it prevents accidents and  allows to share alerts with employees. It evaluates the risk and helps prevent the same.

Starbucks

Source: Digital Buzz

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle have launched a beacon-enabled feature on their app displaying the coffee bean journey to the freshly brewed coffee and telling a compelling story. They are planning to initiate mobile payments on the app soon.

Launch Here

Image Source:  launchhere.awwapps.co

This app is used to trigger other apps with the help of beacons placed in various parts of the house.  If you are standing near the fridge, the beacon placed on the fridge will trigger the relevant app to display the items needed to buy from the supermarket. As you sit down to watch TV, the relevant tv app will be launched letting you control the tv.

ProximiTask App

Image Source: itunes.apple.com

This app with the help of beacons reminds employees of their tasks based on their location. Just as we receive reminders on our phones, this app reminds us of the tasks based our location in an office.

Knomi App

Image Source:  www.adweek.com 

Knomi is a UK based fashion discovery startup. The beacon placed in the boutique triggers the app and notifies the customer to check out certain items in the store. Knomi’s systems are currently live in London.

The above-mentioned apps are some of the apps which are making their mark. With the rise in the adoption of beacon technology, we will be surely coming across various ibeacon apps that will help us lead our lives easier.

encircle.io is revamping customer engagement through ambient experiences. You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Blog Image: www.heelsongasoline.com

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iBeacon buzz is everywhere, but what exactly can beacons do? Should they be on your media strategy?

Beacon are devices equipped with Bluetooth Low Energy or BLE that send signals to the app to display location-aware messages.  In order to receive a beacon notification, an app needs to be downloaded by the consumer. When phone comes into proximity of installed beacon, it immediately becomes aware about its presence and working with cloud services to display the pre-designed content. To know more : Welcome to Contextual Computing with iBeacon. Your next question was whether it should be a part of your media strategy. Well, the answer is yes. Why? Because, according to iBeacon Insider, the ibeacon market is going to be 60 million approximately by 2019.  iBeacon market  to break 60 Million by 2019 Business Insider states that beacons will directly influence over $4 billion worth of US retail sales this year at top retailer (.1% of the total) and that number will climb tenfold in 2016. Know more - businessinsider.in This year, beacons will help big retailers collect data, push coupons, and generate billions in in-store sale

iBeacon buzz is everywhere, but what exactly can beacons do? Should they be on your media strategy?

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Beacon Technology Fuels Excitement in Zoos

Beacon technology provides you with a wide range of opportunity to connect with visitors in a hassle free and personalised manner to seamlessly connect their  physical and digital experiences.  Let's take a look at how this technology can be used to add to the excitement in zoos.

Gearing up for the trip

When the visitors enter through the main gate, the beacon placed at the entrance  will trigger the app to display the notification. Clicking on the notification, the visitor’s phone will turn into a personal zoo tour guide. They can use this guide to plan their tour, decide on the animals they would like to see first.

Interactive experience

As they explore the wild, the visitor’s phones will display facts about animals. They can watch videos of the animals and how they live in the wild. The visitors don't need to push themselves through the crowd to take a closer look at the animals. As they walk up near an animal, the beacon will trigger the app to display relevant pictures and information.

Sharing on social media

In the age of social media, everyone shares pictures and videos with friends. With the help of beacon technology, it is now possible for visitors to share data in real time on social media. Once the visitors receive pictures and other information, they can share it on social media giving the zoo publicity. For sharing such updates on social media, the visitors can be rewarded for their actions by giving them discounts on souvenirs.  

Digital Scavenger hunts

To add excitement to the trip, the zoo authorities can conduct a digital scavenger hunt.  Upon completion of every stage, the visitors will receive a badge. The visitors can also be rewarded with coupons and merchandise upon submitting feedback. The digital scavenger hunts will add to the excitement especially for kids who can learn while they play the game.

Below mentioned is a perfect example of how Chester Zoo, UK  and Los Angeles Zoo is using beacon technology to enhance their visitor experience.

1) Chester zoo’s Islands attraction increased with the addition of ibeacon technology. The islands use their app to enhance the visitor experience before, during and after the visit. 

Image Source: www.figarodigital.co.uk

The app allows visitors to prepare for their journey by applying for the travel visa, packing their virtual rucksack and giving their expedition a name. They can also use it to book tickets and view the latest news and photographs of the zoo.

2) Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical gardens, recently deployed iBeacons to develop the way visitors learn about animals. The app Rain Forest of the Americas provides many features such as GPS-enabled Map product to help you navigate through the zoo and unlock information as they approach the exhibit.

Image Source: Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association

Blog Image: Wildlife Press

encircle.io is revamping customer engagement through ambient experiences. You can follow us on  Facebook and Twitter.

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2015  Top Consumer Trends for Retailers

With the advent of the holiday season, retailers are taking a deeper look into the consumer’s shopping habits. It has been predicted that there will be a 5.7% increase to $885.70 billion, the largest jump since 2013’s 6.3% rise in holiday shopping.

With the boom in online shopping, brick and mortar stores are searching for avenues to enhance their in-store experience.  The increasing number of people turning to online shopping, retailers are worried that online shopping is encroaching upon their offline sales.  In 2014, it was found that E-commerce sales were just 20% of the total holiday sales which means, in-store shopping is still huge. In 2015, Signal conducted a holiday shopper survey among 500 respondents. It was found that 82% percent shoppers wanted to shop in-store.  

Keeping these numbers in mind, retailers need to improve their in-store customer engagement. There are various technologies that retailers can adopt, but the one that had been widely accepted is the beacon technology.

With beacons deployed in your store, retailers can revolutionize their in-store shopping experience and increase sales this holiday season.

When respondents were asked about what retailers need to do to get their attention, Signal got the following responses. We have used these responses and shown how retailers can accordingly use beacon technology.

84% Shoppers would love to receive offers relevant to them. So, based on the consumer’s preferences, the retailers should send relevant information using tags.  As the holiday season is also a season of gifting, suggestions for gifts can be sent to the customers. The retailers can trigger the notification in certain areas inside the store. While buying the products, the customers could also be notified of the coupons and any other relevant offers on the gift they intent to buy.

57%  shoppers said that retailers should start holiday promotions a little earlier. Deloitte research states that, consumer spending is primarily driven by attractiveness of the deals offered to the consumer. For the loyal customers, retailers can start their holiday promotions a little earlier, so that they can get an early access to the products up for grabs. Along with loyal customers, other shoppers will also be attracted to the promotions. Retailers could place the beacons at the entrance of the store and when the customers pass by the store, they will receive the early holiday promotions prompting them to splurge.

54% shoppers want personalised experience everywhere; Be it in-store, mobile or online.  Retailers need to provide shoppers with personalized experiences on any channel.  Being relevant is the key to increasing sales and building customer loyalty. The retailers can use analytics to study their customer’s habits using the analytics feature. If a store has  an online presence and a customer was looking for a specific product online, adds it to the cart but without purchasing he logs out of the site. Next time when he passes by the same brand’s brick and mortar store, the beacon placed at the entrance of the store will send a notification to this phone saying that the particular product added into his cart is available right now. There are chances that the customer is likely to purchase the product. In this way, beacon technology can help retailers be relevant at the same time bridge the online and offline gap.

As the holiday season kicks-in, customers engage in window shopping. Retailers can take advantage  by sending time triggered the notification to the customer’s mobile phone. Apart from making the regular window display to a festive window display, beacon technology can help convert window shoppers into actual customers. If a customer has spent at least a minute in front of the store’s window display, then the customer can be sent some relevant personalised offer tempting him to enter the store and at least have a look at the merchandise.

Another aspect of holiday season shopping is that the stores are crowded and finding a cashier is often difficult.  With the help of beacon technology, the customers can be sent a floor map of the store which will enable them to trace the path which leads to cashier’s desk. It will also allow the retailers to process the orders of the customers faster.

Blog Image Source: pontetravels.com

encircle.io is revamping customer engagement through ambient experiences. You can follow us on  Facebook and Twitter.

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Which pop-up stores have offered the best customer experience?

Pop-up stores have a huge role in improving the brand's customer engagement. Here are some examples of the pop-up stores that have offered best customer experience using beacon technology. This technology has been accepted world wide by retailers to revamp their customer engagement. Read Welcome to Contextual Computing with iBeacon to know more about beacon technology. Kenzo Kenzo is a fashion label that created an interactive experience in it's pop-store  set up in a French department store, Printemps Haussman Flagship. A mobile app, Kenzo Loves Printemps lets users browse through the merchandise available at the store also allowing them to be a part of an interactive game. Frank & Oak Frank & Oak may be an online retailer but to improve their customer engagement and take advantage of the holiday season.  The customers who walk inside the store will receive marketing offers. This will help the brand to build an offline relationship with their customers. To know more on how Pop-up stores can use beacon technology to revamp their customer engagement, read- 4 ways Pop-up stores can use Beacon Technology

Which pop-up stores have offered the best customer experience?

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4 Ways Pop-up Stores Can Use Beacon Technology

The beauty of pop-up stores is that it pops up one day and then it disappears. But surely impacts the customer’s interest by creating a distinctive environment. The main idea of pop-up stores is to connect with customers and test new markets.  

In order to connect with customers, you need a great customer engagement. As shoppers become more tech savvy, retailers are turning to technology for improving their in-store customer engagement. One such technology being beacon technology. This technology has been adopted by retailers around the world,  to improve their customer engagement and elevate the in-store experience. Now pop-up stores are using this technology to improve their customer engagement and make a lasting impression on the customer’s mind.

Beacon technology can be used by brands in many ways. Here is a list of ways how pop-up stores can use this technology.

1. Build-awareness 

The beacons can be placed at the entrance of the store. When a customer passes by, the store can notify the customer of some incentive for entering in certain space of the store. This will build an awareness among the customers of your store and products. This can be most helpful when testing a particular market.

2. Sell more 

In order to increase the sale of the store, send the customer relevant personalized  offers  to keep the customer engaged. If the customer is standing near a shirt aisle, then he will receive relevant shirt offers on his phone.

3. Customer loyalty 

 The customer can be allotted loyalty points even for entering the store. This will encourage the customer to at least take a look at the products. Points can be allotted for even trying a merchandise or entering the changing room or trying a food item.

4. Test new markets 

If some F&B company is trying to test a new market, then the company could send attractive offers  to try out the new product. The customer will be prompted to try out the company’s new product.  The analytics can help companies to take an informed decision of whether to launch the product or not.

Let us take a look at some of the companies who are using beacon technology or their pop-up stores.

Kenzo

This fashion label created an interactive experience for its pop-up store at French department store, Printemps Haussmann flagship.  Kenzo Loves Printemps, the brand’s first mobile app, lets consumers browse through the collection of exclusives created for the pop-up, as well as enter a contest through an interactive game. This will actively engage the customers with the brand. 

Image Source: Luxury Marketer 

Frank and Oak

The online retailer opened a pop-up store for the holidays leveraging the beacon technology to improve the in-store customer engagement as well as marketing for the customers.  The customers who walk inside the store will be sent marketing offers. This will help the brand to build a strong connection with its customers.

encircle.io is revamping customer engagement through ambient experiences. You can follow us on  Facebook and Twitter. 

Blog Image Source: gizmodo.com

[encircleio-blog]

What is a beacon?

Beacon is a new way to experience the world. It is a low power , low cost device that sends out signal to your phone when it is nearby. Equipped with Bluetooth Low Energy and Apple's iBeacon Specification, it is powered by a small battery which can last up to two years even with continuous usage. The signals emitted by the beacon device, triggers the app in it's proximity to display relevant personalised messages. Read, Welcome to Contextual Computing with iBeacon to get a complete idea of what a beacon is and also how it is used by businesses.

What is a beacon?

[encircleio-blog]

Do you think the future of digital signage is in customer interaction?

Yes! The future of digital signage is in cutomer interaction.  Apart from the regular means to interact with the customers, businesses are trying new ways to interact with the customers. Retailers have  used digital signage for intereactive with customers. They have also tried to make the digital signage interactive using beacon technology. Beacon technology,  presents the most compelling opportunities for digital signage. If a customer has bought a new dress, the the nearest digital signgae will display offers on the jewelry that will match with the dress. Digital signage is used to prompt customers to check their phones for the latest offers. Beacons can create dynamic, personalised and relevant displays that are designed specifically to increase the curiosity of a particular customer. A shopper could be informed of  the new arrivals while the other customer could be notified of any sale which is going on depedning on their preference. To know more on how companies are using this technology in combination with  digital signage, read - Why Beacon Technology & Digital Signage Are A Perfect Fit

Do you think the future of digital signage is in customer interaction?

[encircleio-blog]

What are some ways that traditional retailers have fought back competition from eRetailers?

Traditional retailers are turning to technology to fight off the competition they face from eRetailers. One of the latest technology adopted by retailers is beacon technology. Beacon technology helps retailers to send personalised targeted messages to their customers.  This technology also helps retailers to engage customers in suggestion based buying just like eRetailers.  Customer loyalty programs have been boosted and have become even more rewarding.  Social media sharing of the merchandise is also possible as they walk around the store. To know how retailers are using this technology in retail, I suggest- Revolutionizing The In-Store Experience To know more about how retailers have boosted their customer loyalty, read -  5 Ways To Boost Customer Loyalty Using Beacon Technology

What are some ways that traditional retailers have fought back competition from eRetailers?

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What is the future of offline retailers?

Due to the competition from the online retailers, offline retailers are now searching ways by which customer service and customer loyalty could be improved. Technologies such as beacon technology is being adopted by retailers to revamp their in-store customer experience. By adopting beacon technology,  it makes it possible for the retailers to reward customers in a given location inside the store. The customers can be suggested via app inside the store merchandise according to the customer's preferences. This technology is also being used to bridge the online and offline shopping gap. If a store has an online presence and  a customers passes by the same Brand's store, he can be suggested to buy merchandise that matches the product he was looking for online and notify him on the app, of the product he was looking for.  Macy's has the largest beacon deployment till date. To understand beacon technology's role in sending location-aware messages, I suggest you read - Revolutionizing The In-Store Experience

What is the future of offline retailers?