#cybera

By Michelle Arney, Cybera

Anyone who has shopped recently recognizes just how much rising consumer expectations have changed the retail industry. In particular, consumers are increasingly insisting upon an integrated shopping approach that blurs the lines between physical in-store experiences and digital online experiences. These market trends put even more pressure on retailers that are trying to figure out how to deliver more engaging customer experiences.

In theory, the emergence and rapid deployment of technologies such as VR/AR and the Internet of Things (IoT) enable retailers to more easily embrace a digital approach, because they create immersive and personalized experiences much faster and easier than ever before.

Unfortunately, smaller retail shops operating at the edge of the network typically lack the budget or IT expertise to embrace the digital technologies that attract and keep customers engaged. In fact, small-footprint retailers often struggle to overcome operational difficulties such as a non-digitized supply chain, making it nearly impossible to compete with larger businesses.

In other words, even if smaller retailers know what they should do…they don’t always know how. So exactly what actions can retailers take to streamline their digital transformation? Change often starts with a secure software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) platform that provides the network foundation for greater business agility, flexibility and security.

Using SD-WAN technology as the backbone of the business can help retailers realize the positive impacts of digital transformation much faster, because they’re empowered to quickly adopt new technologies that don’t require advanced IT expertise. Here are four ways choosing SD-WAN helps to transform the retail experience:

Avoiding the legacy burden;

Letting IT lead the way to agility;

Focusing on innovation that’s secure; and

Using omnichannel rules to get personal.

 Avoiding The Legacy Burden

According to Gartner, legacy WANs accounted for 63% of network spending. But using such a large percentage of the IT budget just to maintain legacy networks doesn’t clear the way for digital transformation. Investing in strategic IT — such as virtualization, cloud-based systems and software-defined networks — is a much more strategic approach.

In fact, IDC’s U.S. Enterprise Communications Survey found that 75% of respondents were already using or would be using SD-WAN within two years. Another IDC SD-WAN survey revealed that nearly a quarter of respondents anticipated SD-WAN cost savings of 20% to 39%. That’s because improving network intelligence via software reduces both complexity and cost while increasing flexibility. With an agile SD-WAN platform, retailers can compete in a much more dynamic world, adapting to new consumer trends by quickly rolling out cloud-based apps and services to attract new customers and grow revenues.

Letting IT Lead The Way To Agility

To compete with online mega-sellers, retailers must behave more like tech companies — increasing IT agility and innovation while expanding the use of mobile technologies. Because consumers are living in a digital-first world, their behaviors and expectations are evolving as quickly as the technology itself. Today, both in-person and online (“omnichannel”) experiences are a vital part of the shopping process. If small-footprint retailers don’t realize that the two are intrinsically interlinked, they’ll be at a distinct disadvantage.

Instead, retailers that have struggled to keep up with technology must take a page from the tech companies that have learned to operate more nimbly and efficiently by leveraging technology as a competitive advantage. Fortunately, SD-WAN can help turn IT into a growth engine with more agile business processes, simplified networks and automation to keep up with larger competitors and leapfrog similar-size retailers.

Focusing On Innovation That’s Secure

Many retailers are reluctant to embrace innovation unless they can mitigate the cybersecurity risks. This is especially true in an era when a single high-profile security breach can be extremely expensive, both financially and from a brand reputation perspective. But that represents backward thinking. The latest technology innovations can actually bring higher levels of security to protect retailers while simultaneously opening new business opportunities.

Leveraging the adaptive security strategies of the right SD-WAN platform — such as active network monitoring, next-generation firewalls, and secure payment systems — provides a robust security posture for the digital age. To ensure their business and data is protected, retailers can add measures such as multi-factor authentication, multi-layer security, advanced encryption and automated payment card industry (PCI) compliance tools. Going the extra mile, they can isolate certain types of application traffic into logical networks, such as keeping payment data separate from guest WiFi traffic. Deploying these cybersecurity methods and technologies can help streamline the digital transformation of even the smallest retailers.

Using Omnichannel Rules To Get Personal

Finally, forward-thinking retailers can emulate the personalized consumer experience of bigger companies to promote a stronger sense of community and loyalty. For instance, they can use self-service technologies to provide a seamless and immersive shopping experience. At the same time, they can integrate their marketing, selling and relationship-building into a true omnichannel customer experience that engages customers on all levels.

As stated earlier, shoppers have an insatiable appetite for personalized experiences. Achieving this level of personalization for smaller retailers means integrating digital engagement platforms with their physical stores. Fortunately, SD-WAN provides a flexible platform to quickly roll out new apps and services that help to deliver an omnichannel shopping experience. In this case, being small and nimble can empower retailers to react faster to dynamic customer environments and disruptive market trends.

SD-WAN Can Be A True Business Equalizer

To be clear, smaller retailers still face significant challenges with rising consumer expectations and increased levels of competition. The good news is that technology — specifically, a secure SD-WAN platform — can be the business equalizer they’ve been waiting for.

Investing in the right technology can help them streamline their digital transformation, increase customer engagement and grow their business. On the flip side, neglecting to embrace a digital strategy will ultimately relegate them to continually playing catch-up with the rest of the marketplace.