Technology has become an integral part of every aspect of human life. Right from we wake up till we go to bed, we are surrounded by technology and feel its need at every step.
The ever-increasing Smartphone’s uses have led to the constant evolution of advanced technology. The best part of the advanced technology is that they are easily comprehensible and users do not need to take professional classes to learn them.
One such revolutionized technology is “Beacon” which allows enterprises to promote products and provide ease of doing shopping to their customers.
Making shopping even more simple, Apple introduced ‘iBeacon‘ in 2013. The technology has brought the traditional way of introducing things into your mobile.
What Are Beacon and iBeacon?
Before we talk further, let’s understand what Beacon and iBeacon stand for. First off, they are not the same thing, though they are used parallel to each other. In simple term, an iBeacon is a device which is powered by BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology and brings a host of opportunities for a service provider such as data and proximity marketing.
What Information Can BLE Beacon Send
You may often find people dressed in unique uniform to welcome when you enter a hotel or restaurant premises; sellers to show you goods like clothes, shoes, and accessories when you walk into a mall for shopping, people to let you know where the things are and so much more. But now, these are all possible through the latest innovation -thanks to the Beacon technology.
Didn’t Get? Let’s understand this in details with an example…
How Beacon Works
Let’s take an example if someone planning to go to a particular restaurant for having lunch. But, if he finds that a nearby restaurant offers two coke free with the meal, then it will have a huge impact on the customer. The customer will change his mind and arrive at your restaurant once. Let’s understand this in detail.
For example,
- A restaurant has deployed a Beacon at its gate
- When a person with smartphone passes
- His smartphone will catch the signal of Beacon
- (When the Smartphone comes in contact with Beacon, it detects the BLE signal)
- Then the ID number of Smartphone sent to the server (It could be Cloud Server)
- Then, the personalized notification can be displayed
- It could be freebies, discount offers, and coupons
Similarly, it will work in a various shopping mall by allowing the owner to send a personalized message containing offers and information about the products and discounts directly to customers.
Kinds of Beacon Applications
The applications of Beacons technology is infinite, but the retail industry is the largest beneficiary of it. However, there are many others industries which have adopted Beacons to enhance communication with customers.
For example,
Retail Sector:
Retail Sector includes, shopping mall, fashion stores, small kiosk, supermarket chains, and groceries store. Beacons can help Retailers to offer customers stores’ information, product details, offers, flash sale, discount coupons, and fast checkout option.
Medical Sector:
Beacons can provide comfort to the patients for treatment. For example, if a patient reaches to the gate of a hospital, the beacon may open the map and take the patient to appointment chamber or it is possible that the patient may get a discount offer for breakfast in the cafeteria.
Education Sector:
Similarly, the education sector can also provide a great facility for students. For example, if a new student reaches near the gate of the university, it could open the map for students or staff and navigate through the campus with the support of Beacon technology.
Entertainment Sector:
Entertainment industry includes sports as well and the industry finds a huge potential with Beacon technology. It can provide customers with live coupons and offers, navigate them to their seats and much more.
Real Estate Sector:
Do you want your customers to know the facility and the features of the building to be sent directly and automatically to potential customers? The beacon does this by providing a personalized message to the individual customer.
Digital Signature:
When you integrate Beacon digital signature feature, it provides customers ease of doing shopping like grabbing details of products and checkout.
Devices Which Support Beacons
As we have already mentioned that Beacon is a device, based on BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology. It works with all types of Smartphone including iPhone, Android or Windows Phone which have Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. When a Beacon in store detects the device, it will send ID of Smartphone to Cloud server to receive the right information. It will be anything such as products’ info, discount coupons or others. Even if you would like to customize the usage, then you can contact any professional mobile app development company who can create an app according to your requirement.
Kinds of Applications Built with Beacon Technology
When it comes to beacons, it allows sellers to send direct messages, consisting of offers and deals, to clients’ smartphone. All you need is to have your shop equip with Beacon devices.
There are various types of application developed to work with Beacon. For example, you can get an app designed to broadcast proximity marketing and also integrate various other features to influence customers. But, the top marketers and industries go with unified solutions. It brings end-to-end solutions and assists sellers in presenting things in a better way.
What Benefits Do Beacon Provide?
Beacon drives sale! Yes, it provides sellers a tool to fulfill their goals. Apart from these, more benefit options can be explored through the technology. They include;
Accurate Information:
As compared to GPS and Map, Beacon offers more accurate data such as detailed location product related information. The accurate connectivity will encourage brands to understand customer’s interest. Send a separate message to customers, offer them the buy their desired item by offering them lucrative deals, etc.
Smart Personalisation:
Do you want to extend an offer to the customers in a particular location within the store? Beacon helps you do that. Send push notification to a section where it has to be displayed. Your customer will receive the offer quickly.
Conclusion
The Beacon has made things such buying and selling products and services simpler for sellers and buyers. One hand, buyers get the opportunity to find out things with complete details, shoppers, on the other hand, get the opportunity to provide customers with everything they need to be happy and come again.
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