Beacon technologies are one of the hottest items in the Internet of Things, with retailers, sports stadiums and hotels looking at how they can use these devices to improve their operations and customer experiences.
At Dreamforce 2014, Proximity Insight’s Steve Orell spoke on the event’s wearable panel about how their service plugs into beacon technology and customer service.
Proximity Insight was born out of the 2013 Dreamforce Hackathon where Orell and his team were finalists. From that, the company set up operations in New York with a focus on customer relationship management in the retail industry.
Retail isn’t the only the field that Orell sees for Proximity Insight, with the hotel and casino industries being other targets.
“With the hotel, why check-in? Why not walk in and let your smartphone do it for you?” Orell asks.
“It’s all about making live so much more seamless and slick,” Orell adds. “There’s opportunities in every sector.”
For businesses looking at rolling out beacon technologies, the key is adding value to enhance the customer experience, Orell believes.
“You have to be delivering something to the customer beyond tracking them; it’s about making the whole retail or hospitality experience better. It has to benefit the customer.”
With beacon technologies now becoming common and the supporting hardware being built into all smartphones, we can expect to see more applications coming onto the market. It’s worth considering how your business can use them to enhance the customer experience.
Paul travelled to Dreamforce 2014 in San Francisco as a guest of Salesforce.
Paul Wallbank writes on how IT affects communities, markets and workplaces. He also helps businesses to grow and engage their customers with technology.
