MONETIZING WI-FI By Bruce Christian CHANNELV ISION | JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 What if a channel partner could provide to a retailer a solution that would allow the store owner an opportunity to create and send different individual messages targeted to each customer in the store? From a marketing perspective, it sounds like the ultimate advantage, and this capability is available now by using data gathered through the store’s Wi-Fi and then using the data to sell products. It’s called monetizing your Wi-Fi. “This is really changing the game,” said Shawn Nace, sales engineer for Telesystem. “You’re changing the conversation from having that Wi-Fi being a CAPEX and OPEX for a business to something that is going to provide real insight and breakthrough revenue streams for the business.” Providing customers with such a solution would mark a transition in the traditional partner play, however. “The audience for this is a little different,” Nace explained. “It is not for the chief technology officer. For this solution, partners are going to be engaging the chief marketing officer or social media manager, so it’s a little bit of a game changer in that respect.” Almost every place of business nowadays has Wi-Fi, whether it’s a restaurant, a retailer, a large entertainment venue such as a baseball stadium or a basketball arena, said Nace. “And they all have Wi-Fi not only for their employees but for their customers.” In turn, Wi-Fi has become a large expense for businesses, but they need it to ensure their employees and customers can operate hand-held devices, laptops and even point-of-sale devices. “Customers need the Wi-Fi so they can browse the internet, use social media and other things, perhaps take phone calls while they are in your MOBILE & WIRELESS Shawn Nace, Telesystem sales engineer 14
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