How Mobile Computers Can Transform Your Business

Providing in-store customers with the seamless experience they want

When your customers log onto your website, they’re looking for a certain type of experience. They might have a product in mind but welcome recommendations for similar ones that might also meet their needs. They appreciate friendly reminders about other items they have considered in the past. And they want the payment process to be quick, easy, and secure.

More and more, customers are looking for a similar experience when they walk through your front door. The good news is that the newest generation of enterprise mobile computers enables you to give them the seamless experience they want.

Customers are returning to brick-and-mortar stores as the pandemic eases and lockdowns are relaxed, a fact that helped power a 10% rise in retail and restaurant sales in March. A recent report revealed that 71% of consumers feel comfortable returning to physical stores, and 67% have already begun shopping at businesses they had avoided during the height of the pandemic.

Customers still want the options they had during the pandemic, such as curbside pickup at retail establishments and takeout windows at restaurants. But once they walk inside, they want a more personal experience. Research shows that when your team spends more time with customers, it pays off by increasing sales and deepening customer loyalty.

The key is giving your team the right equipment to meet a customer’s expectations. They need to be able to check inventory, confirm prices, scan coupons, and process payment without leaving the customer’s side. Anytime your associate has to step away, the conversion rate plummets.

It used to be that multiple devices were required to perform these tasks, but today they can be accomplished by mobile computers in the palm of your associates’ hands. Early on in the pandemic, these handheld devices were highly effective in helping businesses pivot to new sales channels like curbside pickup. Today they are helping them create new in-store experiences.

These devices — about the size of your typical smartphone — let you tailor the in-store experience for each customer. Because the device can provide access to data like past purchases, your team can suggest items that they know a customer will enjoy. If they belong to a loyalty program, your staff can offer them special deals.

The latest handheld computer to reach the marketplace is the Elo M50, an Android-based handheld computer that is incredibly sleek and powerful, yet rugged enough to meet the demands of retail environments. It’s built for business, so it has enterprise-grade features such as integrated NFC and built-in 2D barcode scanners. And Elo’s unified architecture means it works seamlessly with its industry-leading array of mobile and fixed devices.

This one device has applications for a wide range of businesses. For retail, it assists with price checking and inventory management. For restaurants, it can provide car-side ordering, ticketing, and delivery tracking. It also has applications in many other fields, from medical to manufacturing.

Powering all these capabilities is EloView, a cloud-based platform for automated device enrollment, content management, and remote device management and control. It enables system-wide updates, auto provisioning, and device management through an intuitive web interface.

The M50 is just one of a suite of devices, both fixed and mobile, produced by Elo. Together they provide the seamless in-store experience that will help your business thrive.

By Kristin Roubie – Elo Touch Solutions