Daryl Woodard
CEO
SageNet

With so many operational tasks to prioritize these days, why should retailers place added emphasis on managed network services?

The events of the last six months have forced retailers to adopt and adapt. The physical challenges are tremendous: from social distancing to masks to plexiglass to floor stickers, from keeping goods on the shelf to getting employees back in the store.

The other side of the equation is technological. Many changes forecast for the coming five years have been compressed into as many months. Managing this rapid change while wrestling with the challenges on the ground can be daunting for even the most sophisticated organization. This is where a trusted managed network services partner (MNSP) can be a force multiplier.

In an age of physical distancing, remote connectivity is the path to building closer human connections.

Particularly in an age where nearly every technological advance is dependent on a reliable, secure network, processing credit cards, managing inventory, monitoring fuel levels or kitchen sensors all require connectivity you can count on, without question.

You work with many different verticals—c-stores, dollar stores, QSRs and others—what paradigm shifts have you seen among them as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Great question. As you mentioned, SageNet customers tend to be large, multisite retail operations with locations numbering in the hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands. As soon as the pandemic began to impact the U.S., we put together our SageFORWARD™ initiative to evaluate COVID-19’s impact on our customers’ business operations. What we discovered across all our verticals were six common paradigm shifts:

1. Health and safety concerns are raised to the top of the corporate priority list.
2. Financial uncertainty is now a certainty.
3. The pace of technological change has accelerated exponentially.
4. There is no status quo. Agility and adaptability are paramount.
5. Technology is the cornerstone of transformation.
6. The challenge is too big to go it alone. One needs calm leadership from a trusted advisor.

How can retailers begin to address these paradigm shifts in their business?

With all these shifts, the fundamental business objective remains the same. The retailer still wants to attract and retain a loyal customer base by profitably providing quality food, fuel or merchandise in a welcoming, safe, familiar environment. That hasn’t changed.

However, the path to that objective has changed. And the foundation of the new path is all about leveraging the latest technology to provide a very human outcome. In this new environment, technology is one of the few factors within the retailer’s control.

We’ve identified six essential tools, across all verticals, that help large multisite retailers forge this new path:

1. Pop-up Connectivity: The ability to quickly, practically instantly, deploy secure broadband anywhere.
2. Wi-Fi Everywhere: From curbside to expanded outdoor dining, strong, secure Wi-Fi for guests and staff is essential.
3. Integrated Digital Signage: Both inside and outside the store, both consumer and staff facing, front and back of the house. Digital provides up-to-the-minute information in an engaging format.
4. Expanded Cybersecurity: The increase in connected devices, expanded network footprint and speed of deployment comes with a dramatic increase in network vulnerabilities.
5. IoT/Analytics: Contactless, frictionless interaction relies on countless sensors and devices. IoT technologies and analytics transform raw data into actionable intelligence.
6. And wrapping it all together, a managed network services provider who understands and supports all these tools as a whole, across hundreds, if not thousands of locations.

Candidly—it all starts with first really listening to the retailer, which typically results in helping the retailer ascertain “what to do next”—in order for them to meet their business objectives. During this pandemic, we’ve seen many different business challenges, but, in all cases, the solution starts with first truly understanding our customers’ needs.

What is the common denominator that retailers can focus on to satisfy these needs?

It all begins with secure connectivity. Ironically, in an age of physical distancing, remote connectivity is the path to building closer human connections.

The consumer must trust the connection he or she has with the retailer. So, too, must the retailer and MNSP share trusted connections, network- and partnership-wise. Things like 24/7 redundant network operations and security operations centers and a strong field support organization help ensure assistance is available whenever and wherever needed. But of equal importance is knowing that your MNSP truly understands your business and your industry and has the technological and financial resources to help build the new path to achieving your objectives.

Now, more than ever, it is all about trusted connections.