Building a roadmap to a connected store
The power of IoT deployments is in their flexibility. A wide range of networkable device types makes innovative, customized solutions much more achievable—particularly when you engage the help of an experienced integrator with industry expertise.
Retailers have leveraged Meraki AI-powered IoT devices to create targeted solutions to some of their most stubborn business hurdles. With smart cameras, retailers can swiftly gain views of less accessible spaces such as warehouses or back entrances and actively monitor areas needing regular checks. Meraki smart cameras store and process video data locally, reducing the need for supporting hardware or applications. As a self-contained solution, they can deploy and move as your business demands. Real-time video processing supports access to inventory data, security information, quality control, and more at a moment’s notice.
Cisco also leverages partnerships with providers of compatible IoT hardware to incorporate even more functionality. The broader Meraki ecosystem supports devices that detect:
- Building status, including door locks, lighting, and temperatures.
- Product inventory levels.
- Environmental characteristics: humidity, temperature, smoke, or vapor.
- Room occupancy and movement patterns.
- Product, equipment, and individual locations.
- The status of store displays.
- Guest engagement with interactive elements or products.
IoT deployments can also be built to support dynamic signage, flexible pricing, in-store navigation, and more. Retailers have developed creative combinations of IoT functionality to delight customers while growing key data sources for valuable AI insights.
Operation and optimization
Cisco streamlines IoT and network management with a unified, cloud-based Meraki portal. There, retailers can monitor or move current IoT devices, provision new ones, and retire old ones in a single convenient interface. In addition, both the network itself and its management tools are designed for scalability. With Meraki, network infrastructure is no longer a bottleneck and is flexible enough to adapt to your business needs.
Within the Meraki dashboard, retailers can track network behavior in real time. The AI-enhanced management tools flag service issues, outages, and missing or unavailable devices and recommend solutions to optimize network performance.
Meraki’s AI assistance and centralized management capabilities help retailers streamline IT operations and reduce costs associated with onsite support and technological complexity. However, the confidence of an expertly tuned and monitored network requires specialized knowledge. Network as a Service (NaaS) packages from experienced solutions providers such as OnX deliver a customized network architecture paired with enterprise-level technical support by industry specialists, allowing your teams to focus on what they do best.
Learn more: Making the case for retail technology services through ROI
AI in IoT for unmatched retail analytics
The detailed operational data collection that IoT deployments enable forms the foundation of continuous improvement and growth for retail businesses. Retailers can leverage IoT information to streamline day-to-day processes and provide exceptional customer experiences. Over time, collecting IoT data allows for in-depth, AI-supported analysis that can identify process logjams, opportunities for efficiency, and deep customer insights.
For example, detailed data on in-store visits, online engagement, and sales patterns can together suggest trends in consumer behavior on the scale of individual customers and audience segments. Retailers can use these insights to create targeted marketing campaigns centered on seasons, localities, or a single consumer. Buying trends can also suggest product bundles to boost sales, provide details on marketing ROI, or identify promising locations for a new storefront.
Behind the scenes, IoT data offers retail businesses greater visibility into their day-to-day operations and helps identify opportunities to boost efficiency. Data on store occupancy and employee activity allows retailers to fine-tune staffing schedules. It can also pinpoint lengthy waits or crowding in stores, providing support for mobile point-of-sale or self-checkout implementations. Smart tags on perishable, seasonal, or delicate inventory can alert retailers to ideal opportunities for sales or discounts.
In the competitive retail climate, the right technology is invaluable. With the transparency offered by a well-designed IoT deployment and AI analytics, retailers have the tools they need to maximize the impact of their growth and development efforts.
Making the most of AI in IoT
AI has become an essential tool for keeping ahead of the competition in the retail industry. While volumes of customer and business data are more easily obtained than ever, mining insights from these multiplying data streams requires AI support. A cloud-based network infrastructure such as Meraki integrates natively with the cloud platforms that retailers already use and facilitates the storage and bandwidth needs of high-quality AI analysis.
Craft the ideal Meraki IoT implementation for your retail business with OnX
The current generation of Cloud-native networking is a specialized field. Integrating a modern network architecture with a custom, retail-oriented IoT deployment depends on deep industry knowledge and extensive technical expertise. OnX has proudly partnered with leading retail brands for over four decades to offer bespoke networking solutions that facilitate growth and modernization.
Begin mapping the route to AI-enhanced, IoT-driven retail success with OnX.
Contact OnX today to learn more about how Cisco Meraki IoT solutions can expand the possibilities for your retail business.