DESCRIPTION

After indoor positioning with Wi-Fi, beacon technology is a massive step forward in ambient context identification, which is why this technology is the entire buzz of late. Beacons allow for background positioning and detection, giving new power to a phone that can make it truly “smart.” Beacons are a unique and sophisticated tool in the world of merchandising and marketing.

However, if we take a step back and think about exactly how beacons are reaching retail locations, there is a reason for concern rather than excitement. More importantly, beacons allow mobile apps to interpret the user’s positions on a micro-regional scale and deliver content to the users based on locale. Overall, beacons are used for a variety of reasons.

Advantages of Beacon Technology For Retailers

Here are some important benefits that retailers will be able to measure big data with the help of beacons, allowing them to make informed decisions and offer better customer experience:

– Send proximity-based notifications to customers at a certain time point and at a certain location

– Collect customer information on time and location for further analysis.

– Improve customer loyalty with special offers created with the use of background information.

– Accept payments in order to make billing easy and on the go.

More importantly, beacons allow mobile apps to interpret the user’s positions on a micro-regional scale and deliver content to the users based on locale. Overall, beacons are used for a variety of reasons.

Benefits of Beacon Technology to boost businesses:

Retail :

1) Effective Advertising Tool

2) Cheap and Easy to Adopt

3) Boosts the Power of Personalization

4) Provides Insightful Data

5) Increases App Engagement and Retention

Restaurant :

1) Allow your customers to make mobile payments

2) Reduce wait time by offering an ‘order-ahead’ feature

3) Reward your customers for spending time with you

Shopping Malls :

You walk into your local grocery store and your phone buzzes, but this time it’s not a text message, it’s a welcome message from the store, delivered through an app you downloaded months ago and likely haven’t used since. Whether it’s a simple welcome message, a coupon, or a promotion, retailers are increasingly trying to engage customers by communicating with them via their downloaded apps, their location, and even their digital shopping lists.

These messages are delivered via a hardware device called a beacon, which uses Bluetooth low energy to seek out specific, integrated apps and send relevant messages to shoppers’ smartphones as they pass by, all with the goal of driving traffic and sales. Targeted marketing using geolocation isn’t brand new, but what makes beacon technology special is the ability to “wake up” an app a consumer has downloaded, but that isn’t open on the device.

Takeaway,

The potential benefits of beacon technology are endless, but the data provided is useless unless capitalized on in the right way. When sorting through this data think back to your childhood, think back to the golden rule. How do you want others to treat you?

When you use this approach as a guide for both your life and your brand strategy, you and your customers win. if you want more information, get in touch today!