Andrew Levi, Founder & CEO The retail merchandising industry is experiencing dramatic evolution driven by on-line ecommerce, omni-channel and in-store marketing solutions. Consumers are becoming more savvy every day and are demanding a seamless flow in their shopping experience across all channels – especially mobile. The majority of retailers today are exploring next-generation in-store marketing solutions such as beacons and progressive profiling, to enrich the customer shopping experience. In order to engage shoppers, retailers are on the lookout for a unified platform that will allow them to connect with their consumers in-store. Delivering on these challenges through a patented mobile shopper engagement platform called KIOSentrix is Dallas, Texas-based Blue Calypso.
“Our platform is the single body of knowledge that brings value to consumers, retailers and brands. KIOSentrix supports all current and emerging methods of in-store intercept such as beacons, short code messaging, NFC, QR and geo-fencing,” explains Andrew Levi, Founder and CEO, Blue Calypso. For instance, as a consumer walks through a retailer’s front door the logical experience would be to present a welcome message and encouragement to enhance their shopping journey utilizing their mobile device. “Our KIOSentrix platform is designed to meet store shoppers on their own terms, cognizant of varying levels of technical aptitude as well as with full respect for their privacy concerns,” Levi says.
Blue Calypso has developed their own beacon devices that are natively AC powered but can also be paired with a rechargeable battery or even plugged into point-of-sale devices. AC powered beacons significantly reduce the need for replacement of battery powered beacons every few years, as many other beacon manufacturer’s technology currently requires. The beacons can be easily integrated with a retailer’s existing technology infrastructure, and are secured through the KIOSentrix Beacon Management app, allowing for advanced credentialing and password protection.
Blue Calypso’s KIOSentrix platform
is the single body of knowledge that
brings value to consumers, retailers
and brands alike
“We wanted to create the most flexible beacon on the market so that they were easy to deploy – a ‘set it and forget it’ enhancement to an overall in-store mobile engagement strategy,” Levi says. Mr. Levi also communicated, “In our view, a beacon-only solution which requires a mobile app will be challenged to gain significant adoption. We believe that brands and retailers should employ all possible methods of activation which will minimize the possibility of alienating customers who refuse to download a retailer’s mobile app.” KIOSentrix allows marketers to manage consumer mobile engagement in one place, eliminating the need for disparate systems and ultimately reducing license, operational, and human capital costs.
The company’s KIOSentrix platform is at the forefront of emerging technology trends like big data, IoT, cloud,location/ proximity marketing and progressive profiling. Levi adds that “the most effective solution requires location-centric and circumstantial awareness that will drive relevant content at the ideal moment on a consumer’s path-to-purchase.
One of their clients, a big-box home improvement store,is in the process of replacing all of their quick response (QR) codes with SMS/short codes, driven by the KIOSentrix platform. Through early testing the retailer could not only understand how far the customers lived, in relation to the store they purchased products from, but could also better understand their buying patterns. “This data gave the retailer invaluable insight into some of the traffic patterns and behaviors of their shoppers,” Levi says.
Going forward, the company will strive to become the platform of choice for all brands and retailers.“It is a symbiotic win between brands, retailers, and consumers with a huge value proposition from every angle. We are approaching the market where our single platform benefits everyone involved from end to end,” Levi added.
