Many organisations are wary of offering free Wi-Fi on their premises. In this post aim to help businesses assess whether it a good idea to offer free Wi-Fi to customers.<\/em><\/p>\n

For those of us who are still subject to relatively expensive mobile data service, free Wi-Fi can be a welcomed option especially when we are on the go.\u00a0 Besides a handful of eateries, hotel lobbies, and some progressive businesses, a large cross-section of businesses and organisations across the region do not offer free Wi-Fi to their customers. Below are five considerations which aim to shed some light on the question, is it a good idea to offer free Wi-Fi to customers?<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 Be clear on what Wi-Fi will do for the business<\/h3>\n

Although more organisations are providing their customer with Wi-Fi, it may not always profit them to offer that service just to follow the trend. Hence, it is prudent to consider and determine, among other things:<\/p>\n

\n
• whether or not, or the extent to which, offering Wi-Fi would promote the business\u2019 goals and objectives, and if it does,<\/li>\n
• how (or in what ways) would it foster those goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Customers will gain from having access to the Wi-Fi, but ultimately, it should be mutually beneficially to both the businesses and customers. The onus is on the organisation to ensure that it understands how offering Wi-Fi will strengthen it.<\/p>\n

  2.\u00a0 The existing network many need to be re-designed to accommodate customer\/public use<\/h3>\n

  Should an organisation decide to offer Wi-Fi to its customers, it is likely that, at the very least, some adjustments will be needed to its existing network. Depending on factors such as, the size of the existing network, the bandwidth available, the physical area to be covered, corporate bandwidth needs, etc., they will influence the final network design and the associated costs. It is therefore recommended that expert assistance be secured to ensure that the organisation\u2019s network properly accommodates its corporate needs (especially in terms or speed and security), but also provides its customers with the performance envisaged.<\/p>\n

  3.\u00a0 Recognise that persons may use the Wi-Fi to comparison shop<\/h3>\n

  In an earlier post, 6 ways your business can benefit from offering free Wi-Fi<\/i><\/b><\/a>, we noted that \u201cmore retail stores were offering free Wi-Fi to help their customers comparison shop<\/i>\u201d. Many businesses might see this as a bad thing, and consider it a deterrent to offering Wi-Fi to their customers. However, the truth is that persons do, and will continue to comparison shop, and increasingly, they go online first, to check out the product details, read customer reviews and get an idea of the price.<\/p>\n

  When a customer is in a physical store, price alone might not be the sole determinant of a sale. Factors such as convenience, the reputation of the business, the service offers, along with other ways the organisation might distinguish itself from its competition, are also likely to be considered. The key objective, however, should be to keep customers in the store, which having Wi-Fi available could support.<\/p>\n

  4.\u00a0 Increasingly consumers expect free Wi-Fi<\/h3>\n

  The ever increasing range of features and capabilities of today\u2019s mobile\/cellular phones is making us, as users, increasingly reliant on the Internet in order to enjoy those services. As a result, especially where mobile data services are still expensive, such as in the Caribbean, access to open Wi-Fi networks is almost always welcomed.<\/p>\n

  The absence of free Wi-Fi can be somewhat off-putting especially when persons need to spend some time on an organisation\u2019s premises, e.g. for meals, waiting for appointments, and at hotels. Furthermore, the presence of free Wi-Fi is increasingly becoming a consideration for certain purchases, such as hotel accommodation, especially when other providers are available.<\/p>\n

  5. There are opportunities to engage and message<\/h3>\n

  Finally, it must be highlighted that offering Wi-Fi to customers does not have to be a passive undertaking. It can provide a range of opportunities to interact with and message them, but it requires careful thought, and the necessary systems through which to implement the desired engagement. Examples include:<\/p>\n

  \n
  • advertising products, services, special promotion, etc.<\/li>\n
  • providing additional details on products and services offered, e.g. through QR codes<\/li>\n
  • integrating social networking elements, e.g.\u00a0 Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, into the on-site experience<\/li>\n
  • conducting surveys and other tools to monitor customer behaviour.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In summary, organisations can realise many benefits by offering free Wi-Fi to their customers. However, it is critical that they conduct their own internal assessments to ensure that the gains are clear, and that suitable strategies are created to achieve the desired goals.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Image credit:\u00a0 Stuart Miles (FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/a>)
    \n<\/em><\/p>\n

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