How Free Customer WiFi Benefits your Business

How Free Customer WiFi Benefits your Business. Starbucks, McDonalds, Buffalo Wild Wings...you name it. Top grossing businesses around the U.S. are starting to realize the importance of offering free customer WiFi. If utilized correctly, you just may have the advantage of not only pleasing your customers, but creating loyalty and increasing revenue.

‍Lack of Customer WiFi Causes Disruption in Service and a Poor Experience. Apple Pay, Paypal, Google Wallet, and other mobile payments are going to become extremely popular in 2015 with EMV requirements. As the mobile phone becomes even more ingrained in our everyday lives, you will likely notice an increased number of customers that are on their phones while checking out.Most fine dining restaurants have free WiFi. Why? It’s a disruption in service if the customer has to ask the waiter/hostess for the password. If a customer has to send out a quick email during a work lunch or happy hour, why make it difficult for them?Data plans can be extremely expensive. If your customers have free customer WiFi, they’re more inclined to sign-in to social media and create better outreach for your brand while at your business.

‍Benefits of Social Media with Free Customer WiFi There is no denying the Millennial generation lives behind the screens of their phones. They want to ‘check-in’ on Facebook while at their friend’s birthday dinner. They also want to post pictures of their delicious dessert on Instagram. Free WiFi will give your customers the opportunity to easily communicate via social media while also promoting your business at the same time.

‍Monetizing Your Business WiFiThere are several companies out there that will help you monetize your free customer WiFi.Local businesses love Zenreach (www.zenreach.com/). Zenreach makes it easy for customers to join your email-marketing list in exchange for a professionally branded WiFi experience. Zenreach also gives you insight into how frequently your customers visit each location. With this data, you can send promotional and informative emails specifically targeted to your customers at the most relevant times. Zenreach is the first email-marketing platform to prove actual physical conversion rates. Their technology is user-friendly and easy for your customers to enjoy.Big retail chains are going to need next generation analytics to keep up with their commercial competitors. IDXP (http://www.idxp.com.br/) helps your company maximize sales and increase profitability by giving you a better understanding of how your customers shop and their interests. They use WiFi hot spots to help Shopper Marketing Managers measure ROI and in-store promotions in real time.  The IDXP team focuses on simplicity for your group while organizing important analytics that will help you succeed.

‍Terms to Get Familiar With ISP - Internet Service Provider.Mbps - Megabits per second. Mbps is used to measure data transfer speeds of high bandwidth connections. Your ISP typically uses ‘Mbps’ to outline internet download/upload speed for each user (customer).Bandwidth - Describes the maximum data transfer rate of a network or internet connection. It measures how much data can be sent over a specific connection in a given amount of time. Typically when your ISP is referring to Bandwidth, they’re referring to the amount of devices/products using the WiFi at any given time.

‍Boomtown Recommendations for Small BusinessesIt’s best for your WiFi Router to be plugged into an access point on the main floor (where the customers are located) elevated above the crowd. Avoid having the WiFi Router in a back office, basement or behind a brick wall.If you’re a small business expecting 5-10 customers on your WiFi at a time, 15/5 Mbps (download/upload speed) is our recommended requirements for a great connection.For more than 10 users, consult with your ISP and make sure to outline expected scenarios such as video conferencing, heavy downloading, heavy internet browsing and other specifics that will affect customer WiFi connectivity.

‍Cisco Outlines Best Practices for Installing Customer WiFi in Larger Businesses

‍http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/solutions/Enterprise/Mobility/WiFiLBS-DG/wifich5.html#wp1052820

‍Want a hand setting up a new wireless connection for your customers? Get in touch with us to learn how we can make it easy for you.