How Does Modern Endpoint Management Simplify Retail Technology? 

The retail industry has changed dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic. What began as a pivot to curbside pickup and contactless transactions has evolved into significantly higher use of mobile devices across operations to improve productivity and improve the buyer journey. Customers buy more when the shopping experience is efficient, personalized, and convenient. The challenge is managing all the new devices. It’s not just tablets, smartphones, scanners, and mobile printers. Stores are using Internet of things (IoT) technology to enhance customer experiences, improve inventory management, and even enable the gathering of valuable data about how consumers move around stores. 

It’s so much to supervise and maintain that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The Stratix 2022 Enterprise Mobility Outlook found that retailers struggle to find qualified IT staff to manage mobile solutions, and 68% of IT teams spend more than a quarter of their day on mobile-related tasks. However, failure is not an option. Getting it right is critical to the customer journey, increasing basket size, employee confidence, and your brand image. 

Cut Through the Complexity  

Having multiple endpoint management tools for different systems is a frequent cause of complications. You need to be able to see everything from a single pane of glass. The SOTI One Platform, for example, gives you a holistic view of your entire mobile technology environment so you can be proactive, not reactive, in your endpoint management operations. You can deploy new devices and apps, remotely resolve device issues, get insights into device performance, manage Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and secure sensitive data from one place. 

Some Ways Modern Endpoint Management Solves Retail Challenges 

Shared Devices 

It’s common in retail for multiple end users to share the same devices, and those users may have different job functions. An endpoint management solution can remove or deploy applications based on who’s logging into the device—say a sales associate vs. someone in logistics doing inventory management scanning. It means that the person using the device quickly gets what they need, and the endpoint management platform ensures it’s all running smoothly. SOTI can even use geofencing to make certain applications available depending on where an associate is in the store. If they’re outside, for example, they could get the correct app for curbside service. 

Automating Security 

Tools like SOTI MobiControl controls device security and regulates who gets access to what apps and content. You can enforce multifactor authentication, block malware and phishing attacks, and stop malicious applications from being downloaded. 

BYOD 

Some retailers allow employees to use their personal devices for work. But how do you know if they have the latest security measures installed, and what if the employee leaves? An endpoint management platform helps keep personal and corporate information separate and can ensure work-related applications and access are quickly removed without any need to touch the device physically. 

Immediate Support 

Keeping downtime to an absolute minimum is critical in retail. Customers have very little tolerance for problems and delays. One bad experience can reflect negatively on the entire brand. Modern endpoint management helps you quickly triage issues and resolve them. Stratix help desk technicians use SOTI to help associates and managers working for our customers. With it, we can see exactly what’s going on with a specific device remotely. Troubleshooting happens fast, which gets associates back up and running quickly. 

Need Some Expert Advice? 

Mobile technology is still a relatively new area for many IT teams, so it pays to team up with knowledgeable consultants who can help steer you to solutions that will solve your retail technology challenges. Whether you’re procuring new devices or need a better way to manage your current mobile technology environment, the Stratix solution architect team has decades of experience. Please reach out to us, and we’ll help you get it right the first time.