Five Ways to Overcome the Woes of 2020 with a Custom Touchscreen Solution for Retail
Retailers are starting 2020 off on quite a high. Inflation is low, the stock market is up, unemployment is low, and things seem to be headed in a positive direction. We did see the downfall of many retail stores in 2019. For example, Gymboree, Payless, Dress Barn, Charming Charlie, and Charlotte Russe closed their doors for good. Most brick and mortar retailers have made countless improvements in providing a better online experience like fast shipping to home and store. As we move into 2020, there are a lot of technology trends that can be dangerous for retailers if they don’t rise to the challenge. A custom touchscreen solution for your retail business may be the answer.
Touchscreen Solutions In Retail
Touchscreen solutions have had their place in retail for more than a decade and their importance goes without saying. However, as you look forward to the rest of 2020, it is important to note that working with a provider to build a custom solution can be key in helping your business stay up with the current trends and overcome the woes this year may bring.
Custom Touchscreens for Retail & What They Mean for Customer Engagement
Touchscreen retail applications have grown with Point-of-Sale (PoS) solutions, customer loyalty kiosks, self-service centers, and more. Each of these solutions help retailers tackle customer engagement in a big way. A custom touchscreen solution can take this initiative even further.
Hardware Customization
Customer engagement extends beyond just a screen, and custom hardware helps to create a device that not only looks the part but is built to function to your organization’s needs. Hardware customization can include the device frame, casing, ports, camera, branding, and accessories. Essentially, helping you build an optimized solution that can even go beyond the screen with additional peripherals for a comprehensive solution.
Enhancing Data Security With A Custom Solution
According to Business Insider, data breaches are escalating. In just the last two years, at least 19 companies have reported a data breach. Shape Security reported that 80-90% of login attempts on retailer sites are hackers. How can a custom touchscreen solution help? Firmware customization.
Firmware Customization
Proper firmware customization will begin with locking down the device to provide better security and limit any malicious manipulation of the device. This type of customization specifically includes removing bloatware and unwanted apps to minimize vulnerabilities, restricting applications for greater security, building a custom OS launcher for “kiosk mode” to prevent unauthorized access, and modifying system settings to provide better security from the application layer down to the kernel level.
Revolutionize Core Legacy Systems
Retailers are looking to update their current technology infrastructure as many are still working with legacy systems. According to the MIT Sloan Management Review, 67% of C-suite executives wish to replace all of their core legacy systems. Unfortunately, retailers struggle with updating these systems due to cost, expertise, downtime issues, and the existence of multiple systems. A complete technology refresh is rarely feasible. Therefore, a custom touchscreen solution for your retail environment can help revolutionize existing core legacy systems for a fraction of the cost.
Custom Solutions for Better Compatibility & Deployment
Through the use of custom firmware, your organization can install the applications of your choice, both new and old, to your device system partition, manipulate default settings to fit your needs, and pre-load your custom firmware on multiple devices for large-scale, configuration-free deployment. With this capability, retailers can leverage modern applications, cloud capabilities, and more without costly upgrades.
IoT & Smart Equipment
The Internet of Things (IoT) and smart equipment is refashioning the retail landscape and transforming shopping experiences everywhere. We’ve recently seen the growth in sensored shelves for stock management, robotic store assistants, and virtual and augmented reality devices. And as I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, a custom touchscreen solution can help in this area as well.
Custom Connectivity
Whether you’re browsing through products, virtually trying on clothes in the store, or chatting with a robot to help look for merchandise, customized hardware and firmware are going to help you build the best solution for your business. A custom touchscreen provider can help you tailor your device’s mode of connectivity, whether cellular, Wi-Fi, or PoE, the specific operating system, the applications the device runs, the boot screen, logos, wallpaper, buttons, and so much more, to build the perfect IoT solution for your business.
You can boost your retail performance by working with a custom solution provider that can bring your vision to fruition. Tackling today’s issues won’t be easy, so never settle. Find a device partner you can rely on and make this year, your best one yet.