Latest Technology News Today – Get Latest Information Technology Updates and Services Latest Technology News Today – Get Latest Information Technology Updates and Services 
As retailers compete for wallet share, they must deliver flexible, tailored shopping experiences to attract new footfall and keep online and in-store customers loyal, according to a study from Aruba, a Hewlett-Packard Enterprise company.
New predictions from Aruba and global trends agency Foresight Factory outline five ways retailers will turn to technology to meet and exceed evolving customer expectations. According to the study, this will put a heavy burden on IT teams to support the pace of technological change and deliver the seamless running of operations.
The findings provide a compelling argument for a more flexible and agile network consumption model, like Network-as-as-Service (NaaS), to help take some of the strain off the network and IT team, allow for greater scalability, and help deliver a more business-outcome-focused networking solution.
Retailers give in-store shoppers immersive digital experiences
Retailers will strive to invest more in technologies to deepen and distinguish the immersive experience of in-store shopping journeys as they fight to re-engage customers with physical venues. Expect AR and VR to be fully integrated into a retailer’s user experience so that customers can visualize how things will fit into their life before they arrive at the point of sale (UX).
Options for delivery become more sporadic and diversified
On-demand, time-shifted, and location-flexible delivery alternatives are becoming increasingly more popular with consumers. Retailers and supermarkets will use a more hybrid approach to completing orders, providing conventional delivery options with grab-and-go “pop-ups,” dark storefronts, and micro-fulfillment centers. Retailers will have the ability to bring the point of sale right to the customer’s home or place of employment through the use of enhanced geolocation services and even mobile storefronts.
In-store smartens up to drive delight and efficiency
Due to the more sophisticated competition offered by e-commerce, in-store environments will be redesigned with an emphasis on both improved consumer pleasure and personalization as well as more effective business operations. The Internet of Things (IoT) sensor capabilities will deliver real-time information to assist operational savings and sustainability goals as physical stores become more connected, with innovations like smart fitting rooms and cashier-less exits helping to please customers.
Consumer loyalty will be maintained by intelligent inventory insights
Consumers expect shops to give what they want when they want it in today’s age of rapid gratification. Any deviance from what has been promised will not be tolerated. Anticipate a rise in automation and predictive technologies to aid in more precise inventory tracking and real-time consumer demand fulfillment. The employment of intelligent robots in distribution centers and warehouses will also increase efficiency, bringing made-to-order commerce into the mainstream while lowering waste and overstock.
Showrooming turns to streaming
As firms work to develop the next stage of showrooming, which gives customers a peek behind the scenes, live streaming from real stores will become increasingly widespread. Delivering such experiences would help shops make the most of their remaining physical areas and satisfy consumer needs for a local touch.
To accomplish this, retailers must rethink their network strategy and consider alternative consumption models like NaaS to make sure they not only have the flexibility to adapt as demands change, but are also set up with a high-performing, secure, dependable, and automated network that can support all this technology and use real-time insights to facilitate new customer-facing and smart store initiatives.
