This post is sponsored by Samsung Business. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When a salesperson walks up to me with a mobile device at a retail store, it not only allows me to check out quickly but also provides me with personalized purchasing information, which always improves my customer experience. In fact, when it comes to choosing retails stores, one of the key features I look for are salespeople with access to mobile devices. Mobile point of sales devices ties in with a key retail trend: personalization. Dave Richards, global managing director of Accenture’s Retail practice, shared the follow information on their recent survey “Personalization can be a powerful method for retailers to differentiate from competitors, increase basket size and build customer loyalty,”
The 2014 report from Edgell Knowledge Network (EKN) study showed how point of sale tablets are transforming retail. Some of the findings included mobile point of sale that offer personalization use cases such as managing shopper’s orders, inventory tracking and making personalized recommendations. With mobile point of sales being a key trend in 2016, more and more retailers will be increasing those use cases and developing new ones: “Mobile has become such a significant driver for the on-demand retailing model that industry pundits estimate m-commerce sales will total $149.79 billion in 2019,” according to a 2015 report from eMarketer.
When considering what type of device to use for retail point of sale, one of the most versatile is the 2-in-1 form factor. A mobile device in this form factor that offers a strong value proposition for retail point of sale (and mobile use overall) is the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S, which will be available for purchase this week.
I had a chance to demo the Samsung TabProS at CES 2016 and was impressed with how thin (6.3 millimeters thin) and light (1 ½ pounds) it was. The beautiful AMOLED display (2160×1440) has a hinge that worked in multiple viewing angles. The screen is multi-touch along having the flexibility of being used with a Bluetooth Pen (purchased separately). Another key factor is the battery which after only 2 ½ hours of charging can go for up to 10 ½ hours to make it through the workday and beyond. The full size magnetic detachable keyboard was comfortable to type and would allow sales associates to switch easily between either tablet or PC mode. The Pogo pin on the keyboard offers the ease of not needing to pair or charge separately. The touchpad felt smooth to the touch and easy to control in multiple modes.
Another key feature for retail use is the ability to show presentations and access or edit documents. The TabProS is available with Windows 10 Pro for Business, which will make it easy to standardize across IT infrastructure requirements. For attachments, the USB Type-C connector maximizes quick charging and data transfer. A multi-port adapter (HDMI, USB Type A & C), available for purchase separately, offers flexibility for different business accessory needs. The processor is the latest generation Intel Core M which was “designed for fanless 2-in-1 tablets to eliminate noise disruption and maximize power efficiency”. Because who needs the sound of a fan going on while trying to talk with customers! The fast LTE Cat.6 networking and Wi-Fi along with a camera, accelerometer, GPS, 128GB or 256GB SSD offers a premium 2 in 1 experience that with the flexibility of the tablet, laptop to workstation form factors important for retail and business use.
Is technology a key feature you look for in retail experiences? What types of customer services enable you to have a positive retail experience?
I had someone at the bank approach me in line with a tablet so this seems to be moving to more than retail!