Selling Points for Mobile Solutions

http://vsr.edgl.com/reseller-reports

Stephen Bergeron, Vice President of Global Marketing, responds to Vertical Reseller Magazine on what VARs need to know to bring mobile solutions to their customers.

1. What vertical market, do you feel is most ideal for mobile technology solutions?

   Mobility as a word and solution set is misunderstood, as it has so many meanings to each department in a retail enterprise. Within the POS arena, I am not sure mobile is as much a vertical opportunity as a solutions opportunity. I think we need to look at what problem(s) does mPOS solve? Then we need to ask where do those problems exist? When we spin it around to this vantage point, the opportunities to solve problems by implementing mPOS solutions are abundant. Environments such as Hospitality, Specialty Retail, Grocery Stores in the Deli and Bakery (Anywhere Special Orders are taken.) can all stand to benefit from mPOS solutions. Think about a liquor store that specializes in wine and the associate that takes the tablet to the customer to help with the selection and to initiate check out in the isle.

2. Does it make sense for VARs that are already selling mobile solutions to offer complementary technologies, such as networking and Wi-Fi tools? Why or why not?

   

   In my early days of POS, the expression was, “he who controls the network controls the POS”. I think that still holds true today. I recently walked around a couple of shopping malls in Chicago and Minneapolis and when I opened my wireless connection, there were 25 to 30 hotspots. Being able to talk a retailer through the challenges of connectivity, data management, cloud management and PCI compliance would be a real plus and puts that reseller at the top of the trusted advisor or experience consultant list. It also expands the reseller’s revenue base with the same number of customers.

3. Can a tablet be a permanent replacement for a traditional POS? Why or why not?

   I think I have to clarify the question. What is traditional POS and what is the environment? Can a tablet replace an ECR? Most assuredly yes. Can it replace the “traditional enterprise stack” we see in high volume, heavy traffic retailers? Probably not. Can it help augment some of the heavy iron and be a platform? Sure. I think of some of the “Big Box” stores. If I buy white goods or a 60″ TV with a Theater package, a tablet is a perfect solution for the associate to have in their hands.

4. How important are software apps to today’s mobile solutions and should VARs consider getting into the software game?

   VARs shouldn’t have to develop an application or suite of applications. They do however, need to support a suite of products. There are “AP Stores” for all the major operating systems–search and look for what fits your territory and opportunity set. Most robust and stable software applications have man years of time, effort and testing behind them. Become the integration expert, hardware/software/network and your retail customer will stay loyal.

5. Most mobile POS solutions are still locked down behind a mount. How long do you think it will be before the POS truly becomes mobile?

   This is really an operational question and decision and not a technology decision. I like to think of it as ThinBility: the ability of the POS to act as a Thin Stack or to be converted to a mPOS tablet. Truly mobile solutions exist today:
   – Hospitality – Table side service with mPOS and cafés with a Thin Stack.
   – Specialty Retail – Fixed Tablet and clerk walking with the tablet helping you out.
   – Department store – Fixed POS and a clerk walking around with a hand held to check you out or Tablet to create a special order and to check inventory levels.

With the amount of traditional enterprise stack and ECRs that are installed today, we are going to see a gradual replacement and migration towards mPOS. One day we are going to wake up and there will be a significant installed base, it’s not going to happen overnight.