A decade ago, the average consumer only used two touchpoints to complete a purchase. Today, that average has tripled to six touchpoints.
Add to that research from the Aberdeen Group that shows companies with strong omni-channel and omni-device strategies enjoy a 9+ percent year-over-year increase in annual revenue (compared to just 3 percent for companies with weak strategies) and it’s clear that consumers demand—and reward—brands that invest in connected experiences.
In the retail environment especially, the ability to deliver next-gen consumer experiences is catching up to the need. Unfortunately for incumbent retailers whose networks are designed around capacity-limited private WANs that connect back to central data centers, the cost of deploying and managing new infrastructure often makes modern advancements like endless aisles, virtual mirrors, interactive kiosks, and IOT cost prohibitive.
However, the CloudGenix model is changing the long-term competitive posture and putting established retailers at a leadership advantage against their competition.
CLOUDGENIX REDUCES IT COST STRUCTURE AND GROWS CAPABILITY TO DRIVE RETAIL LEADERSHIP
The CloudGenix model allows any retailer to take advantage of omnichannel technologies that improve the shopping experience. With CloudGenix, retail locations can integrate internet connectivity alongside existing private WAN connections without disrupting the process around existing systems. This added capacity enables the store to adopt cutting-edge apps including mobile point of sale (PoS), interactive video kiosks, virtual mirrors, and guest WiFi.
Application-level controls can guide application data to the appropriate network while a secure perimeter is established at the internet edge of the retail location. This allows integration of mobile PoS systems to support checkout at various locations around the store.
Interactive kiosks can also be set up to help customers learn about products of interest. Virtual mirrors allow shoppers to get a sense of how apparel looks on them without actually trying it on.
And with CloudGenix, stores will be able to give customers access to wireless internet so they can continue to use their own devices to research products while you gather invaluable customer information to create personalized marketing that will put you at a leadership advantage.
6 MAJOR ADVANTAGES CLOUDGENIX DELIVERS TO RETAIL LEADERS
Retailers looking to create a cost advantage and the capability to execute on next-gen store initiatives will enjoy massive benefits when working with CloudGenix, such as:
AUTONOMOUS NETWORKS
CloudGenix delivers a system that understands network and application and even automates 90 percent of the functions that networking teams had to handle in the past. We use data science to automate operational burdens otherwise placed on admins.
ZERO TRUST AND SECURITY
As customers look to deploy cloud-security solutions from Palo Alto Networks; we offer a unique model of control and policy in the cloud with enforcement in the branch.
As IoT gains usage in retail, Zero Trust micro-segmentation requirements such as being able to isolate and create micro-VPNs for each connected device or app combination are a pre-requisite—and we can help you make sure you’re up to date and compliant.
CLOUD-DELIVERED RETAIL
CloudGenix provides a platform called Cloud-Blades that integrates best-of-breed network, security, voice, cloud-connect, and operations to deliver the retail store from the cloud. That means you’ll be able to use choice capabilities without the need for any additional hardware or software at the store.
INFRASTRUCTURE AS CODE
A revolutionary concept, with infrastructure as code you don’t have to manage infrastructure separately from the way you manage and deploy complex applications. Your business will be able to deploy and manage your network quickly and effectively thanks to modern agile methodologies.
MULTI-CLOUD READY
To make sure you’re multi-cloud ready, CloudGenix connects each branch directly into high-speed cloud backbones via a cloud-neutral location. This offers the best performance for all cloud applications.
DRAMATICALLY REDUCE NETWORK COSTS FOR RETAIL
by reducing the dependency on private WAN, deferring private WAN upgrades, and improving the manageability of each location; CloudGenix reduces store network costs by up to 70 percent while increasing bandwidth capacity, improving app performance, and enabling immersive customer experiences.
Looking to learn more? Find out how CloudGenix can enable the next wave of innovation at your retail business here.