Making your in-store technology deployment a success, part II

In my previous post, I discussed defining the business objectives for your in-store technology project, gaining approval from senior management, and developing a test and rollout plan. We're now ready to dive into the technology issues that will help bring your project to life.

 

Now, in part II of this series, I provide simple advice for selecting hardware and software, and I outline key technology elements you need to address to ensure a successful in-store deployment.

Hardware is the largest upfront investment with most in-store technology projects and can play a large role in initially attracting customers to your solution. With that in mind, it's critical to think carefully about the type of hardware you need and how you are going to pay for it.

 

First, make sure the hardware thoroughly fits your project objectives, as well as the needs and desires of your shoppers. For example, if you're developing a system aimed at seniors, you probably want to avoid a keyboard or other complex input device. Carefully consider the physical store environment and which hardware makes the most sense, given your layout. For instance, do you reconfigure your stores frequently? If so, an all-in-one CPU/screen makes moving the hardware much easier. What is the height of your shelving? Will the technology fit well? Does it look good? All are questions to answer.

 

When matching hardware to your objectives, I suggest you plan ahead and buy hardware that not only works today, but also addresses the different ways you may use or extend the technology in the future. Have a defined lifespan for the hardware, and plan for the things that could happen in that time. Hardware is difficult and costly to upgrade down the line, so a little planning now can give you much more flexibility in the future.

 

Finally, as you plan your hardware budget, consider if it makes sense to put the technology in all of your store locations or only those with solid foot traffic. It often makes sense to only deploy in heavily-trafficked stores. This can save money or allow you to buy better hardware for those stores that drive most of your business.

 

When choosing your software vendor, understand that you'll be entering a long-term partnership. As in any relationship, personality compatibility is key. Your software vendor will be involved with your business issues, and you'll likely meet with them frequently, so be sure you can work with them on an ongoing basis.

 

It is also imperative that you identify vendors whose technology and expertise precisely meet your business needs. Today there are expert vendors with a variety of retail technology solutions, so take the time to find a vendor with specific experience in your area of interest.

 

For example, if you're deploying a digital signage network, you can not only find a good digital signage vendor, but also one that has worked in your type of retail and probably delivered the kinds of messages you plan to put on your signs. The benefit of working with a vendor like this is that you get to take advantage of the learning of others (often your competitors).

 

Finally, as with all software vendor selections, don't skip your due diligence. Be sure to ask for references and view their portfolio of clients and projects.

 

In my experience, retailers often underestimate the challenge of acquiring content for their new in-store systems and haven't internalized the degree to which this is an ongoing effort. Content acquisition is one of the hardest and most important parts of the project and can often be more difficult to implement than the technology itself.

 

The best approach is to address the issue head-on and early. Identify your existing content sources and determine who will produce new content that is needed. If you think specifically about digital signage technology, for example, it is an ongoing effort to create video or graphical content around specific products. Will you rely on product suppliers for this content, or do you want to maintain your own brand voice by producing it yourself?

 

It is also important to create a quality-check process for the content being produced and develop a correction process that fixes bad content at the source. For example, let's say you are using product descriptions on an in-store system, and you find them to be inconsistent. If these come from your website, a process needs to be in place to correct the data going into your website so everyone can benefit from improved product descriptions. This often requires cooperation between departments and therefore can take time to set up; so the earlier you address it, the better.

 

Too often, determining the physical location of new in-store technology is an afterthought rather than a decision from the get-go. Carefully consider not only the location of your technology in the store, but also the appearance of the signage, enclosure and hardware you'll use to attract customers.

 

The location and aesthetics of the technology are incredibly important to initially attracting shoppers (more important than what is on the screen, even!), while the software and features will determine if the customer uses it repeatedly. Think strategically about where key activities occur in the store and where you can position your technology for maximum effect — and do so well before installation.

 

 

Several ongoing efforts contribute to a successful in-store technology project, so develop a support and maintenance plan. Ask yourself, "After the new technology launches, what happens next?"

 

Think through all of the elements that need to be constantly updated and maintained, such as the content and hardware, and identify who will manage those updates. Does your team have the resources to allocate an IT professional to the system's maintenance, or will your hardware and software vendors incorporate a maintenance plan? Hardware maintenance will likely be the biggest issue you face, so determine at the onset who will own the overall uptime of the system and understand how they will be held accountable.

 

Finally, plan for how you will regularly check your technology's performance and match it against your business objectives. For instance, if you're promoting a specific brand of laundry detergent on a digital sign, how will you measure sales of that brand and evaluate success? If the results are not satisfactory, how will you optimize your technology to better meet your business goals and strengthen the overall position of the project? Having answers to these questions can make your project more stable in the long-term.