If ten years ago shopping malls were still debating whether Guest Wi-Fi is a necessary feature for their shopping malls, in 2019 this question is no longer an issue. It has become mandatory for businesses of this magnitude to offer Guest Wi-Fi to their customers and aim for the best shopping experience available.
After all, years back shopping malls were not threatened by online shopping. Everyone did their shopping at the mall and didn’t really resort to a digital cart but nowadays, due to lack of time and convenience, more and more people are trading the mall scene for online platforms. The solution malls have come up with is to adapt to current times and update their spaces, their services and the overall shopping ritual for their customers. That includes adding Guest Wi-Fi in all corners of the venue. Luckily for mall owners, it has become rather easy to implement Wi-Fi into their establishments and it also comes with useful, progressive features for both the mall owners and the affiliated shops that sustain them. Wi-Fi providers such as Wiacom.ai for instance, don’t just offer internet, they offer advanced analytics that are meant to help managers analyze customer behavior and improve their services based on patterns and preferences.
In a world that is constantly changing and speeding up, so is customer behavior. Sales and customer service specialist Steve Ferrante once said:
“If you want to know how to sell more, then you better know why customers buy.”
Simply put, that is the most important secret to increasing your profits. You permanently have to analyze customer behavior and invest in their choices. Unless you learn how to know your customers well-enough, you will not possess the crucial information needed to improve your services, engage their needs and keep yourself at the top of their preferences. A successful business keeps in high regard their customers and understands that first and foremost, you have to loyalize people and only afterwards attract new ones to your business. In a similar fashion, that is how you build a sturdy house. You begin by laying down a strong foundation and then proceed to add layers and build more on top of the existing structure. The sales environment is no different. The same principles are applied.
So how do you get to know your customers? How do you find out how your business is really performing? How do you efficiently collect data and how do you learn to properly read it?
You implement an analytics and communication platform dedicated to the collection and interpretation of data. You stay ahead of your competitors by deciphering big data and finding solutions to problems you didn’t even know you had until starting to use analytics.
Let’s take a look at what analytics can do for you and your shopping mall.
Benefits of Analytics:
Increased profits
If you own a shopping mall or have a store in a mall, analytics will help you gain an insight into your activity as a whole and see what works and what doesn’t for your customers. As marketing managers identify the problems and solutions based on the acquired data, your profits will start to increase as soon as the necessary changes are implemented. Better services will inevitably bring a better experience for your customer who will learn to appreciate your business and return to your store in the near future.
Footfall generator
One of the best features of an analytics platform is of course the option of seeing how many people frequent your mall/store on a daily basis. Not only that but you’re also able to segment the information based on the floor, sales and even type of store you’re interested in. What this does is to offer you an overview of your establishment as a whole and single out what businesses run better than others.
Making use of this info enables you to make better decisions in the future regarding which shops to add to your mall and what industries to direct your services to.
Demographics and Reports
If you know your customer, you know your business.
Knowing your customer is more important than you think and analytics users worldwide agree wholeheartedly. These platforms are experts at pointing out demographics details such as age, sex, nationality and more for the purpose of monitoring who exactly is visiting your venue and by default, what to improve for increased profits.
Example: Let’s say, for instance, that you have a promotion for this particular item: a red laptop bag. Before you sell it, you have to be aware of who you’re selling it to. A laptop bag is mainly bought by people who are below fifty years old. Moreover, the color “caters” mostly to women so be aware of what day and what time of the day you choose to launch your promotion. In order to have a successful sale rate, the analytics platform will generate reports for you with specific information about what day and time of the day women below 50 years old frequent your venue/store. This way, you won’t risk trying to sell your item at the wrong time of the day when men in their fifties tend to visit the mall and your laptop bag is of no interest to them nor their wallets.
Updated shopping experience
Keeping up with the digital age is imperative for your business, especially if it’s not operating online-only.
In this respect, Wiacom.ai enhances your customer experience with their running Proximity Campaigns and going a step forward with Survey/Feedback campaigns.
Proximity Campaigns will ensure your customers are nearby for your scheduled promotions, discounts and additional services – may they be permanent or seasonal in order to take full advantage of what you have to offer. Proximity campaigns allow marketing managers to engage with the appropriate audience and target the interested customers on point. Wiacom.ai enables you to connect with your customers as soon as they are near your venue and send them incentives to visit your shop.
Here’s an example of how a message sent through a Proximity Campaign might sound from a retail store:
Autumn is here and we want to keep you warm. All sweaters are 20% off today. Come visit our store and find your perfect sweater!
The right kind of message sent at the perfect time will most certainly convince people to visit your store boost up your sales!
Survey and Feedback Campaigns are means to keep marketing managers connected to their customers. What better way to know what to improve on than by asking your customer directly? As a result, Wiacom.ai helps you stay in touch with your customers and teaches every business that people’s opinions matter the most.
By using the Wiacom.ai platform, you can send surveys or ask for feedback from your customers at any given time. You are the one who sets the time, the date and particularly, the question or questions you ask your customers. The more personal you make it, the more customers are inclined to answer sincerely and aid you collect valuable data.
Here’s an example of how a survey or asking for feedback looks like in a fast food place at the mall:
Hello and thank you for choosing us tonight! Please let us know your thoughts about our food and service. Your recommendations encourage us to become the best eating place for you!
The best benefit of all? You will have satisfied AND returning customers.
The result? Increased ROI and revenue.
While Wiacom.ai optimizes your performance, it also prides itself in providing users with a safe, family-friendly environment. Families can feel safe and protected as they browse the internet and are spam-free. Extra precautions will always be the better if not first choice for customers, reason why the more shopping malls invest in their services and stay connected with their customers, the more profit they will register.
We’re looking forward to how shopping malls will evolve and since we’re witnessing the birth of the smart mall, we’re hoping every industry is prepared to adapt to any upcoming change.
