Whether it's online or in physical stores, the retail industry is always on the move. Retail companies are embracing modern and innovative digital technologies more than ever. Investments in e-commerce are steadily increasing. Even traditional brick-and-mortar retail is incorporating digital solutions to enhance customer experiences, provide employees with the right information on-site, and streamline the onboarding process for new staff. Digital in-store solutions can also boost employee productivity and satisfaction. In this article, we'll guide you on how to lower IT costs and expenses in retail stores while contributing to the company's success.
IT in branches is often locally administered
Our experience with numerous successful solutions
in the retail industry has shown that in-store IT is often managed and maintained locally. This applies to various devices, whether they're used for customer support, back-office tasks, or digital signage. As a result, important IT resources end up being tied to individual stores. This includes travel time for addressing issues, and disruptions, or performing routine maintenance like applying security updates or releasing new products. Another challenge is when IT expertise resides in the stores, leading to increased costs for staffing and training. That's why many of our clients now opt for a centrally administrable solution, which offers minimal effort with maximum control.
Save resources thanks to cloud-based enterprise management solution
Google Chrome Enterprise offers such a centrally administrable solution. Without much effort, it is possible to enforce policies, pre-install apps and configure all necessary settings within the online device management. At the same time, IT has full control over all devices in the branches at all times. By centrally managing and maintaining the devices, IT managers can significantly save resources and use them for other projects. Studies show that Chrome Enterprise reduces management costs by up to 63% - a strong prediction.
Safety comes first
Google places the highest value on security with Chrome Enterprise. The corresponding Chrome hardware is based on the Chrome OS operating system and is designed for working in the cloud. The advantage: System updates are performed regularly and seamlessly in the background, and virus protection is already integrated so that the devices are always up to date. Another practical feature is that the devices can be used with a personal login as well as in kiosk mode. This means they can be used optimally by several people and offer protected access at the same time. And Google wouldn't be Google if they were one step ahead of the hackers at every endpoint. Regular updates, rapid response and remediation, scaled vulnerability detection, and user-friendly security alerts proactively protect employees and corporate data from unknown threats.
An investment that pays off quickly — not only for IT
With Google Chrome Enterprise, IT departments can achieve significant cost savings. This is not only due to the low-cost Chrome devices but especially due to the fast return on investment. Studies show that retail companies can achieve an ROI of 295% within three years and pay back the investment costs in less than six months. Combined with the resource savings, the numbers are impressive: Lower support, deployment, and hardware costs, as well as reduced administrative overhead, can result in cost reductions of 43% in hardware and additional cost savings, such as IT resources, averaging $1.5 million within three years.
However, transitioning to Google Chrome Enterprise brings benefits beyond just IT. With the resources freed up, IT teams can expedite other projects, pleasing all stakeholders. The centralised delivery of content and apps enables departments to swiftly and efficiently provide information and process-related functions to store staff, enhancing employee productivity and satisfaction. This also elevates the quality of customer consultations and the overall customer experience. As a result, IT plays a crucial role in the company's success while conserving vital resources and budget.
Would you also like to reduce IT costs and efforts in retail stores? Then talk to us. Our Chrome Enterprise specialists will be happy to support you with our ChromeOS Flex service, with the evaluation and proof of concept, and with the implementation of your InStore solution.