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CONNECTING IN RETAIL: CONSISTENCY ACROSS DEVICESAn omni-channel, immersive experience can benefit customers and improve employee productivity
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Digital Retail Today
As retail outlets create or expand
their online presence, there is an-
other revolution afoot: the transfor-
mation to digital environments. By
embracing an increasingly digital
world, retailers are:
• offering mobile apps that create
personalized engagement
• outfitting storefronts with Wifi-
enabled devices like kiosks and
digital signage to create a richer
in-store customer experience
• providing employees with mobile
point-of-sale devices that access
an ever-growing range of front-of-
house and back-office applications.
This digital adoption has changed
the way information and new
devices are secured and managed
throughout their lifecycles. Where
traditional IT was focused in the
data center, retail work happens
everywhere, including company
headquarters, warehouses and dis-
tribution centers, online, and at the
point of sale—even in the custom-
er’s own hands.
The Second-Edge
Transformation
The past decade saw the first-edge
transformation, driven by the appli-
cation explosion. Loyalty, transac-
tion processing, and integration with
third-party support systems led to
the evolution from single-function to
multi-function smart devices, solved
by server virtualization as a means
of abstracting applications from un-
derling platforms to aggregate and
manage an ever-growing portfolio.
Today there is another edge trans-
formation under way, driven by
device proliferation and the Inter-
net of Things (IoT). Desktops and
laptops have been augmented by
tablets, smartphones, facial recog-
nition, digital price tags, cameras
and more—all requiring IT at the
edge to eliminate latency and de-
liver the best possible user experi-
ence. At the same time, the ubiqui-
ty of mobile devices has led to the
edgeless perimeter. Walls and wires
no longer define the network pe-
rimeter, which also creates security
challenges for retailers.
Device proliferation is the under-
lying driver for another trend in
retail: delivering an omni-channel
experience that enables customers
to combine their ecommerce and
storefront interactions into a seam-
less, immersive experience. This is
critical because engaged consumers
buy 90% more frequently and spend
60% more per transaction, accord-
ing to consultancy firm Rosetta.
Together, these trends are accel-
erating the digital transformation,
by which retailers can gain many
benefits including:
• Speeding and streamlining
transactions to service more
customers and improve percep-
tion of the in-store experience;
• Omni-channel commerce that
provides a transparent buying
experience for consumers to
purchase when, how, and where
they want;
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CONNECTING IN RETAIL: CONSISTENCY ACROSS DEVICES 2
• Access to customer purchase
history, including where con-
sumers were when they browsed,
shopped, and made their pur-
chases, along with records of
positive and negative interactions
with retail employees and sup-
port staff.
Retail Users: Who they are,
what they want
Enterprises are deploying modern
technologies to gain a competitive
edge. By taking advantage of trends
like big data analytics, mobility, the
cloud, and IoT, and then integrating
with suppliers’ systems, retailers can
provide new services such as the
“endless aisle” shopping experience.
But who are the ultimate users of
new retail technology, and what are
their wants and needs?
Retail CustomersCustomers want a connected expe-
rience, not just a shopping trip. It’s a
sentiment echoed by Neil Blumen-
thal, co-CEO of eyeglass retailer
Warby Parker, who said in Forbes: “I don’t think retail is dead. Mediocre
retail experiences are dead.”
Customers want a personalized re-
lationship with retailers, with more
than half of shoppers willing to pay
more for an experience they value,
according to Rosetta.
It’s increasingly critical to provide an
omni-channel experience that spans
computer, tablet, smartphone, and
in-store kiosk, delivering mobility
with context. It must enable cus-
tomers to start shopping online at
home and complete the purchase
at a self-service kiosk or with the
assistance of a retail employee.
Digital-native buyers favor an immer-
sive, even game-like experience that
delivers pricing transparency whether
online or in-store, and that simplifies
access to gift registries and loyalty
programs. In fact, loyalty from mil-
lennials can make or break a retailer:
Accenture predicts that spending
power for this digital-first generation
will reach $1.4 trillion by 2020.
Employee ExpectationsLikewise, retail staffers and man-
agement want to take advantage
of the latest in hardware and
software to simplify their jobs—and
drive top-line revenue by leverag-
ing an improved customer experi-
ence to increase sales.
As retailers evolve to a more hybrid
IT approach, applications and data
often reside in multiple locations.
Even so, employees expect a simple,
single sign-on that populates every
business application with all the
data they need to perform trans-
actions, locate inventory, or direct
customers to promotional items,
whether that application resides in
the cloud or on a centralized server.
Employees also want the same
transparent, omni-channel experi-
ence as customers, translating to
seamless access from shared, per-
sonal, or corporate devices, wheth-
er front or back of house.
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Additionally, employees want their
devices to gather data that helps
provide recognition for their ef-
forts in closing big sales, improving
processes, or engendering loyalty
through their efforts.
Finally, employees and retailers expect
devices and data to be secure from
cyber attacks, offering a level of se-
curity that gives confidence to both
themselves and their customers.
Immersive Shopping Emerges
Both customers and employees see
the benefits of an immersive shop-
ping experience. Just as gamers are
drawn into their virtual environments,
a fully shaped buyer’s journey cre-
ates stronger bonds among retailers
and the people who interact with
them. Research backs it up: A study
by Synchrony showed that 77% of
shoppers are more loyal to stores
that provide the best experiences.
Expectations run high. Both cus-
tomers and employees demand
mobility and connectivity that
delivers a frictionless shopping
experience, whether in home or at
the store. Improved buying oppor-
tunities drive better engagement,
and better engagement drives
higher loyalty to the brand.
The question for many retailers is
how to achieve an immersive shop-
ping environment, and how to do so
quickly and cost effectively without
introducing new security or IT man-
agement complications.
Retail’s Tech Challenges
For many retailers, existing IT can
inhibit the move to an omni-chan-
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nel, immersive experience. For
example, most legacy applications
were developed in silos, often with
different teams working on differ-
ent servers, databases, and cloud
types. As a result, retailers must
integrate data sequestered in oper-
ational silos, on infrastructure that
can’t scale to deliver the complex
analytics required.
Organizations without a hybrid
IT strategy—which includes a mix
of cloud, on premises, and client
devices—will suffer from the inabil-
ity to support workloads as they
evolve and move from platform to
platform. In fact, they are already
behind the technology curve.
This underlines the need for IT mod-
ernization to support new platforms,
applications, and devices, providing
the tools to empower the digital
workplace for frictionless shopping.
Retail Cybersecurity
As retailers rely on an increasing
number of applications and devices,
the cyber-attack surface also in-
creases. With the Ponemon Institute
reporting in 2017 that retail breaches
cost $154 per record, a major breach
can have serious bottom-line impli-
cations, including soft costs such as
loss of brand loyalty and goodwill.
Securing retail transactions is a
growing challenge, thanks to the
increasing complexity of omni-chan-
nel environments. To that end, new
approaches must secure everything
from application infrastructure to
user, ID management and endpoints,
while streamlining compliance and
elevating customer trust levels.
A Novel Approach
To meet these growing challenges,
VMware and Google have joined
forces to deliver a connected, im-
mersive experience. The partners
address three critical factors in the
retail stack:
1. A secure, dynamic retail infra-
structure that can support on
premises, public cloud, and
SaaS components;
2. Intelligent retail data that pro-
vides the foundation of ad-
vanced big data analytics;
3. Connected retail experiences
that leave the customer with a
positive impression and a desire
to return for more.
Devices are the key component
tying these factors together. They
must be ruggedized or purpose-
built for both front- and back-of-
house use. And they should be
based on open standards for sim-
plicity and flexibility, as is the case
with Android enterprise.
Because devices are often shared
between multiple users, say for
different shifts, the ability to swap
devices and get the necessary
applications or configuration is also
critical. For browser-based appli-
cations, Chrome devices provide
the stability and compatibility with
the broadest range of applications
and devices, further easing retailer
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Organizations without a hybrid IT strategy— which includes a mix of cloud, on premises, and client devices—will suffer from the inability to support workloads as they evolve and move from platform to platform.
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development efforts for immersive
experiences, whether from the cus-
tomer’s or employee’s perspective.
For store managers, Chrome devic-
es offer all the functionality needed
to drive efficiency, along with the
simplicity that speeds onboarding
of new hires or temps.
Increasingly, in-store kiosks are tak-
ing their place alongside digital sig-
nage, enabling retailers to promote
exclusive offers while minimizing
the effort of in-store staff. In addi-
tion, IoT devices are making their
way into retail include Bluetooth
beacons, as well as thermal and
footfall sensors that can pinpoint
which “low foot traffic” merchandise
should go on sale.
Most importantly for all devices is
that every form factor provides a
consistent, simple experience, and
that the retail infrastructure can
simply push personalization for
customers and employees, as well
as push policies and applications to
retail devices with little or no user
interaction to enhance both security
and compliance mandates.
Google powers devices with their
open-source operating systems,
Android and Chrome OS, that are
available in all form factors and
price points. For example:
• HDMI-connected Chromebits—
about the size of a USB storage
device—can power digital displays
• All-in-one Chromebase touch-
screen devices become power-
ful kiosks
• Chromebook laptops, whether
clamshell or convertible, can be
ruggedized and spill-proofed to
military specifications for virtu-
ally any application in a broad
range of sizes for managers in
stores, for use in warehouses,
and for employee training
• Chromebox devices can be
the power for digital signs and
kiosks or fixed workstations
• Android comes in multiple form
factors such as tablets can be
used as kiosks or mPOS, and
ruggedized devices that work in
nearly any environment
These devices combine to deliver
the most powerful in-store experi-
ence possible today.
Becoming Cloud-First
Devices alone can’t power immer-
sive user experiences. The applica-
tions that drive retail engagement
are equally important, which is
why the VMware-Google
partnership takes a
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cloud-first approach to delivering
this unique environment. Retailers
gain powerful benefits from an
enhanced enterprise computing
platform that combines the speed,
simplicity, and security of Chrome
OS with unified endpoint and
application management inherent
in Workspace ONE, powered by
VMware AirWatch unified endpoint
management technology.
First, efficiency and control are
greatly increased by integrating the
management of Chrome devices
with all other endpoints, because
VMware AirWatch is currently the
only third-party solution with access
to Chrome’s management APIs.
Next, the combination of Chrome
and Workspace ONE enables secure
and consistent end-user access to
all cloud, Web, native, and virtual ap-
plications, which means teams can
work productively from anywhere
while businesses are protected
end-to-end with multi-layer security
that protects employees, endpoint
devices, and application data.
By combining Chrome devices with
VMware’s Workspace ONE digital
workspace, employees gain sim-
ple, secure, and managed access
to virtually any app on any device,
thanks to integrated access control
and management.
Why the time is now
Every retailer is looking for a com-
petitive edge. VMware and Google
can accelerate a retailer’s transfor-
mation, enabling the type of im-
mersive customer experience that
deepens customer loyalty, eases
employee paperwork, and unifies
applications and workflows by
breaking down silos—all at a lower
cost than legacy solutions. Here are
a few use cases to consider:
Beacon notifications: As customers
increasingly use their mobile devices
in-store, these push notifications can
personalize their shopping experi-
ences, offering them customized dis-
counts, offers, or welcome greetings.
Endless aisle shopping: Devices
not only promote key products,
they also enable online purchases
of out-of-stock items, a feature that
appeals to 89% of shoppers.
Seamless checkout with up-selling
opportunities: Employees can en-
hance the checkout processes by
using devices that support sugges-
tive selling and mobile payments,
reducing wait times and promoting
customized products.
Staff training: Onboarding and
training of new employees can be
accelerated by using Google tools
including G suite, YouTube for vid-
eos, and shared devices that lower
overall costs.
Consistent in-store shopping
experiences: An example of this
is Brooks Brothers, which rolls out
seasonal displays to multiple loca-
tions across a region. This ensures
the same look and feel thanks to
planograms that determine every
product’s placement in a store.
Getting StartedDeliver an immersive
experience that will
delight customers and
improve employee
productivity.
Click here to discover
how VMware and
Google can drive
business success.
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