By Lionel Bryant
No matter where you are, now more than ever people are using smartphones and other devices to connect to the internet on the go. If you want to further provide excellence in customer satisfaction, offering potential customers the opportunity to connect for free to Wi-Fi provided in your store location is a no-brainer. Offering free Wi-Fi not only encourages people to sit and stay awhile at your business, but there are plenty of extra benefits that the company itself receives too.
Low Costs
A high demand convenience such as Wi-Fi seems like it would be pricey to get at a business. However, most businesses, if not all, already have the internet set up at their store location. To extend this to a Wi-Fi hotspot costs little more than what you’re already paying. If you have a connection that’s always on and infrequently goes down, such as satellite internet services, there’s no reason not to share, as it will increase customer awareness at a fraction of traditional advertising costs.
Collecting Customer Data
Perhaps the biggest perk of allowing potential customers to use Wi-Fi is the ability to collect data quickly and easily. When customers connect to your Wi-Fi, they could be prompted to put in basic information about themselves such as gender, age, and e-mail address. This type of information is not easily stumbled across in real-world situations; in the past, you had to get the customer in the store and have them fill out a survey card, which was time-consuming and difficult. Not all places require information in order to log in and use the free Wi-Fi options available though. Chains like Starbucks or McDonald’s offer free Wi-Fi to their customers simply as a reward for making a purchase.
Getting Customers Inside
The most tangible advantage to free Wi-Fi is the ability to see the people who use it come into your store. Make sure that you use a sign or some high visibility medium to show customers and other foot traffic that you have free Wi-Fi that they can connect to. Even if they don’t buy anything from your store that day, they are aware that your store exists and can recommend it to others. Also, even if only one percent of the people who come into your store to us Wi-Fi buy something, you’ve still increased your sales. It may not only offset the cost of offering Wi-Fi, but could also give you a little profit to boost.
Differentiation
If you start offering Wi-Fi before your competitors, you can differentiate yourself from the competition, effectively making you a step ahead of the rest for customer satisfaction. This is important, because you’ll stick out in customer’s minds when they are in need of products you offer. It also allows you to passively promote your business at a minimum cost.
Despite initial startup costs and monthly bills, offering free Wi-Fi to customers at a business’s storefront is high recommended. Since you already use the internet in your business, extending this convenient service to others is simple and inexpensive. By setting up Wi-Fi as soon as possible, you can make sure that you are a step ahead of the game, and, hopefully, a little more successful because of it.
Author Bio:
Lionel Bryant is a resident of Tampa, FL. Recently graduating from the University of South Florida, where he received his degree in Marketing with a minor in English. He enjoys traveling, playing sports, and listening to music. Considered adventurous and spontaneous, Lionel is always interested in trying something new.