Enhancing the retail experience with touchless interaction

Cashless commerce and touchless interaction in retail are growing rapidly, with global cashless payments expected to triple by 2030. While it may seem counterintuitive, touchless interaction can draw businesses closer to the customer, enhance the shopping experience and improve the bottom line. Think about it from the customer’s perspective: It could be extremely convenient to shop for the perfect product and pay for it securely without having to wander through a crowded store or spend time waiting to check out.

With touchless interaction, customers can gain more control of the shopping experience, while retailers can deploy staff and manage inventory more efficiently. As with any business strategy, touchless interaction can be most successful with the right implementation. The good news is that there are just three core elements for retailers to focus on: customer interaction goals, the tools to support transactions and the robust technology to power it all.

Here’s a look at some of the ways retailers are putting the power of touchless interaction to work.

Shopping and ordering

According to Intel, these frictionless experiences can offer a range of business benefits such as higher per-transaction sales, increased customer loyalty and improved operational efficiency.

Mobile, mobile and more mobile

Customers have quickly adapted to mobile touchless technology. For example, U.S. smartphone scans of QR codes are expected to increase from 83.2 million in 2022 to nearly 100 million in 2025. Retailers are finding unlimited ways to utilize smartphone technology. Customers can receive push notifications and discounts as soon as they enter the store and even when they pass specific products or aisles. Loyalty cards are being replaced with digital versions stored on phones. 

Virtual dressing rooms

Numerous retailers have experimented with augmented reality (AR) technology that allows shoppers to “try on” clothing, experiment with shades of makeup, find the perfect sunglasses, jewelry, and more. Customers can use apps with their smartphone camera or, in some cases, specialized virtual mirrors. These technologies can enhance the customer experience, reduce the need to reshelve merchandise and lower the volume of returns. Most importantly, AR can significantly impact sales. According to  Deloitte Digital, AR experiences can lead to a 94% higher conversion.

Enhanced product information

In-store, specialized shelf talkers and point-of-sale display units allow shoppers to interact with products without even touching them. Cloud-connected QR codes and motion sensors can activate enhanced product information including ingredient lists, demo videos, related products for purchase and more. If a retailer subscribes to the idea that more information is better, these technologies can therefore support purchase decisions — and increase sales.

Payments

Similar to touchless shopping and ordering technologies, and often integrated with them, smartphones have become an increasingly popular way to pay. Tap-and-go mobile payments — using no cash or physical credit card — are expanding every day. Many retailers are offering the option to pay right from your phone without visiting the checkout at all. Restaurants are printing unique QR codes on customer bills, allowing guests to scan, pay and be on their way without interacting with the server. In both cases, the touchless technology speeds up the process for customers and lightens the demands on employees. 

While the technologies mentioned above can significantly impact the customer experience — and the bottom line — none of it is possible without a robust and high-performing modern network. The key to leveraging these tools is fiber internet connectivity and WiFi. High-speed connectivity is essential to power bandwidth-demanding technologies such as facial recognition, voice commands, AR, cloud connectivity, touchless payment systems and more.

Retailers need network security plus consistently fast data transfer speeds with low latency. Network prioritization is also essential. For example, retailers may need to prioritize certain traffic, such as payment transactions, while keeping functions such as guest WiFi and logistics running efficiently in the background. What’s more, they need dedicated IT support to keep operations running 24/7, often across multiple distributed locations.

So, what’s the long-term outlook for touchless technology in retail? All signs point to continued growth and adoption. The most successful companies will be the ones that combine a sound business strategy with top-notch technology and support.

Spectrum Enterprise offers the technology and a suite of managed network services that enable retailers to deliver a smoother, more consistent customer experience. And in a touchless world, better customer experiences can help lower costs and deliver greater revenue streams.

See how Spectrum Enterprise can support your move into touchless retail technology.