INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Mobile Technology
Retail stores use IoT
technology to transform the
customer experience
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New research finds retailers
adopting IoT are reporting
a return of investment
and 88% notice increased
business efficiency.
I
oT adoption by retailers is leading to
improved customer experience and
increased profitability, according to
research, including the UAE, conducted
by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Company. Thanks to IoT technology, bricks
and mortar stores can compete with online
shopping, offer unique, personalised and
engaging in-store experiences for consumers.
By 2019, 79% of retail organisations will
have adopted IoT technology and 77%
believe it will transform the industry.
The reality of IoT differs depending on
industry. Aruba’s report, IoT Today and
Tomorrow, finds some of the most popular
connected devices in retail and distribution
include: barcode readers, personal mobile
devices and smart speakers/TV/sound
systems. The report also discovers:
• IoT is already being used in retail, from
monitoring and maintenance (68% of
people surveyed said they were using it
for this) to location-based services (57%)
• The benefits of IoT include: improved
customer experience (reported by 81%
of those surveyed); improved visibility
across organisations (78% agreed); and
increased profitability (said 74%)
• Threats from IoT span malware (41%),
spyware (31%) and phishing (25%)
The benefits speak for themselves, but
adopting IoT technology is not without
security risks. Of the organisations (surveyed
84
INTELLIGENTCIO
Jon Moger, Senior
Director at Aruba
by Aruba), who are incorporating IoT into
their business, 84% have experienced an
IoT-related breach. Over half, report external
attacks as a key barrier to the adoption of
this technology.
However, IoT technology can be protected
and user data can become useful. Aruba
ClearPass technology enables wired and
wireless access control and its features
include attack detection. Retailers can reduce
the risk and vulnerabilities associated with
IoT technology by using the ClearPass
solution to secure their network. User data,
captured from consumer interactions in
store and online, can help retailers better
understand their customers and inform
business decisions.
Jon Moger, Senior Director at Aruba,
said: “The impact of IoT within the retail
sector has huge potential. We are already
seeing transformations in retail stores as
the realisation of what IoT technology
can achieve prompting the standard of
the in-store experience – and consumer
expectations – to increase.
The benefits of IoT are widely reported,
as are the potential security risks. But with
the right security solutions, like ClearPass,
network access can be controlled and the
threat of infiltration, eliminated.” n
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