WiFi for shopping malls: Why should shopping malls utilize WiFi analytics?
Technology and innovation is impacting businesses in all sectors, but none more so than those operating in the retail industry. From data analytics and digital advertisements, to virtual reality and interactive apps, the possibilities are endless for stores and shopping malls looking to embrace new technologies. But what are the opinions of those individuals who actually specialise in the management of shopping malls? What technologies do they believe will benefit their business and customers the most?
A recent report by Retail Week spoke to 11 of the most influential shopping mall specialists in the UK. It explored their viewpoints and priorities around utilising innovative technology platforms and the power of big data to improve customer engagement. The results from this study provide an interesting insight into today’s bricks and mortar retail environments, with the common theme being the need to improve the overall visitor experience through the introduction of new technologies.
The report, called ‘Unleashing Shopping Centre Profitability’, revealed that the most influential piece of technology to best serve visitors is free WiFi, with 90% rating this as their top requirement. This was followed by personalised communications and digital in-mall messaging. When taking these findings into consideration, it seems WiFi analytics ticks all of the boxes and could be the missing piece to the puzzle. WiFi is now an expectation for the modern-day shopper, so why shouldn’t shopping malls gain something back from delivering such an in-demand service and acquire customer insights from their WiFi network.
88% of respondents claim that free WiFi is their top tech priority to better serve visitors, with many believing this is the key method of improving customer engagement and communications. Through the effective utilisation of WiFi analytics, shopping malls can deliver high speed connectivity whilst simultaneously gathering valuable insights in real-time. When a shopper accesses the WiFi a wealth of demographic data is captured, including their email address, name, age, gender, interests, location and even frequency of visits.
This information is highly valuable to shopping malls as it helps them to build an accurate picture of who their customers are and how they behave within their establishment. Demographic data can be utilised to develop segmented and thought-provoking email and SMS campaigns that inform customers about new in-store sales, promote discounts at food outlets and reward loyal visitors for their custom. From distributing a meal voucher when a customer is located near the food court, to asking customers about their shopping experience 24 hours after their visit, having access to such rich data will dramatically transform communications and customer engagement.
Shopping mall specialists can also use WiFi analytics and location data to uncover the busiest areas in their malls and place resources in these zones to ensure a premium service is delivered. An added benefit for shopping malls is the fact that they house a number of brands under one roof, meaning they have the opportunity to earn additional revenue by selling advertising space on their WiFi landing page to brands that are based in the mall.
WiFi can also be used to inform and promote other forms of digital technologies available to visitors. Data collected via WiFi about core age groups, interests and even location can be used to determine what content to feature on digital advertisements as well as the WiFi splash page. During the network access journey customers could also be prompted to download apps, which provide direct access to store opening times, maps and contact details. Having additional methods of promoting apps will help relieve concerns highlighted in the report around the lack of people willing to download mobile applications.
There’s no denying that technology is going to play a pivotal role in the way shopping malls and those operating in the retail sector interact with consumers. However, a number of respondents from the report still believe in the power of personal interactions. ‘British Land research shows that events can increase dwell time by 41%’, justifying that face-to-face engagement encourages prolonged visits, with the most popular use of events space being used for pop up units. But to achieve optimum success, this event will receive more visitors if it is effectively promoted through various technology platforms and digital communications.
Ultimately, Shopping malls need as much data as possible to help drive insight, improve communications, grow visitor levels, increase dwell time and refine the retail mix in their malls. A WiFi and analytics platform is just one of many ways to capture consistent, qualified data, but an important factor is that all businesses, regardless of sector, need to be open to exploring new technologies to keep customers coming through their doors.
WiFi for Shopping Malls
Social WiFi is an efficient tool for gathering customer data. During the login process you obtain data on their email address, age and gender. This knowledge allows precise planning of marketing communication for your business.
Building Brand Awareness
After logging in to the network, the client will see the content that you’ve decided to show him. Smart Wi-Fi enables building brand awareness, product education and presenting specific information to your clients.
Facebook Integration
Smart Wi-Fi integrates the network with the Facebook profile in terms of graphics and features. That way your Clients are more eager to interact — check in and like buttons are placed on the welcome page; when your client uses them, he recommends your business to his friends.
Integrations with Other Tools
Meeting the needs of omnichannel strategy, Social WiFi is easily integrated with other tools. Thanks to our open API, the data gathered with the login process may be exported to different platforms, for example Freshmail or SALESmanago.
Modern Feedback Gathering
Using the star rating system, you may measure customer satisfaction. 3 hours after leaving the shop, your client will be automatically asked for their rating and opinion on your business.
Redirecting from Offline to Online
Social WiFi supports remarketing, either via Google AdWords or Facebook — your clients will see your advertisment after leaving your business, encouraging them to use your online shop or revisiting your business offline.
WiFi for shopping malls
Customer WiFi in shopping malls has become a must-have for shoppers. But it is just as indispensable for plaza owners and tenants. Learn how using our WiFi marketing platform Linkyfi in your shopping mall can help you grow your business.
WiFi based indoor location case study
Deployment in Posnania Shopping Mall in Poznan, Poland
Interested? Try it for free!
In just a few simple steps, you can take our product for a free test drive.
Explore the features now!
What you gain through leveraging guest WiFi management in your shopping malls
Business intelligence
Linkyfi collects data about visitors’ dwell time, movement, visit frequency, and more in compliance with GDPR and other provisions. All this information can help you make better business decisions for your shopping mall.
Adaptable management of tenants
In just one dashboard, you can map your shopping malls and tenants and manage them by the attribute of your choice. This way you will easily apply settings to selected clusters and view both group and individual performance.
Location analytics
Mark areas on your map and monitor the highest- and lowest-performing places to decide what new tenants you want to attract and how you can upsell premium locations.
Movement patterns
Linkyfi’s location-based services give you information about visitors’ movement patterns that you can use to redirect traffic, effectively allocate space, and optimize the customer journey.
Optimized advertising
Linkyfi gives you extra advertising channels – you can use customizable captive portals for brand promotion or the marketing engine to create targeted email campaigns.
What benefits WiFi in the shopping mall has for tenants
Extra advertising space
With our extremely customizable white-label Captive Portal and Landing Page Builder, your tenants get an extra opportunity to display their ads when customers log in to WiFi at your shopping mall.
Targeted advertising opportunities
Using Linkyfi’s location-based services for geo-fencing you can also run targeted campaigns right when the customer is in the mall, in the vicinity of the shop that wants to advertise to them.
What customers get with free WiFi in the shopping mall
Free Internet access
Thanks to virtually infinite login path possibilities, your customers can get limited Internet access for free or provide more information about themselves for extra access. You can also reward premium customers with better bandwidth or longer access.
Better customer experience
With Linkyfi’s location-based indoor navigation your shopping mall can become that much more accessible and your customers will find the store they were looking for – or their car on the parking lot! – in no time.
Let’s talk!
If you’d like to talk to our sales team about our products, go to the contact form or write to us directly at [email protected] .
ul. Radzikowskiego 47d
31-315 Kraków, Poland
+48 12 619 47 00
Products
Learn from us
Get to known us
Follow us online!
Copyright © 2023 AVSystem All rights reserved
This website is using cookies
We use cookies for statistical and marketing purposes and to improve the quality of our services. The information stored in cookies usually allow the identification of a specific device or user’s browser, so they may contain personal data. By continuing to use this website with setting the web browser in a way which alows the use of cookies by the website means your’s consent to the use of cookies. You can change your web browser settings at any time.
More information on the processing of personal data and cookies you can find in our Privacy and cookies policy.