In today’s connected retail world, every transaction, customer experience, and operational system relies on internet connectivity. From digital POS systems to inventory management, “smart” retail has become synonymous with “always-on.” However, even a brief internet outage can stop sales, delay orders, disrupt communications, and frustrate customers. Retailers depend on their cloud-based platforms to run their operation; without a strong, consistent connection, the domino effect comes into play, and everything from payment processing to temperature monitoring can come to a halt.
Have you experienced an Internet outage in the past year that disrupted sales and operations?
Network outages can happen to any retail location, due to:
➜ Outdated or damaged hardware
➜ Network congestion that can lead to a slow connection or crash
➜ Damage to network infrastructure, such as a cut fiber line
According to a study published by the Uptime Institute, approximately 54 percent of the respondents in the 2023 Uptime Institute data center survey say their most significant or severe outage cost their business more than $100,000 in losses.
The stakes are highest for retail stores and restaurants:
➜ POS system outages mean lost transactions and longer lines.
➜ Lost requests from online ordering systems, including DoorDash and GrubHub.
➜ Inventory systems can’t sync in real-time, leading to stock errors.
➜ Security cameras or smart devices go offline, putting data and assets at risk.
➜ Customer experience suffers when in-store tech fails to function.
Smart retail thrives on connected technology, and many retailers rely solely on their traditional broadband network to keep their systems running. Adding an LTE/5G solution into your infrastructure will provide the flexibility, scalability, and reliability these systems demand. Here’s how wireless connectivity supports 5 key retail applications:
There are three ways to leverage LTE and 5G connectivity to ensure you don't experience network downtime within your retail locations.
1. Wireless Failover
When your primary Internet connection fails, a wireless failover solution, also known as Internet backup or network redundancy, automatically steps in to keep your store or restaurant online. This solution is typically easy to set up and is a cost-effective way to have peace of mind that a network outage won’t take out your lunch rush or holiday shopping sales.
Kajeet’s offering, SmartFailover, is designed to support retail with:
➜ Reliable, Multi-Carrier Connectivity: seamless connectivity across all major networks, ensuring no single carrier issue can take your business offline.
➜ Turnkey Deployment: Kajeet provisions, kits and ships equipment, making it easy to deploy and upscale when business expands
➜ Device and Data Monitoring: Kajeet Sentinel is an intuitive, cloud-based platform that makes it easy to monitor device performance and data usage, keeping business running and budgets on track
➜ Web Traffic Filters: Ability to prioritize which systems keep running when the primary network goes down (i.e. POS, Digital Menu Boards, Security Cameras)
➜ Enhanced Security: Provides Enterprise firewall security and next-generation malware detection to protect the network from cyber threats even during a primary outage.
With SmartFailover, retailers can continue to process transactions, access portals, and monitor systems. Common use cases include POS systems, kiosks, inventory management systems, security and monitoring devices, online order and delivery platforms, and customer communication tools.
2. Fixed Wireless Access
For rural retail locations, or locations prone to broadband network outages, you can turn to a fixed wireless solution as your primary Internet connection.
Kajeet Fixed Wireless delivers primary, secondary, and backup connectivity options to keep your retail operations up and running – no matter what happens to your wired network.
Kajeet Fixed Wireless solution includes:
➜ A stand-alone cellular gateway for secure, high-speed connectivity.
➜ National carrier access across major networks for the best possible coverage.
➜ The Kajeet Sentinel management platform for real-time device and data monitoring.
Built-in cloud-based malware and threat detection keeps your systems protected from cyberthreats 24/7, while plug-and-play installation ensures deployment is simple and scalable across multiple locations.
3. SIMs at the Device Level
For systems that are core to your business, having a SIM installed at the device level is another one way to ensure a network outage doesn’t impact your sales or operations. For example, if you use tablets for ordering, talk to your current provider or prospective providers about ensuring devices are LTE/5G enabled.
Kajeet can work with retailers or smart retail providers directly to provision devices (i.e. kiosks, camera, digital signage, POS systems) and install activated SIM cards.