In this day and age, Wi-Fi is often considered as a necessity rather than an option. From homes and schools to public parks, one can expect some form of internet access no matter where they go. The same is true for businesses around the globe, as this technology has paved the way for higher productivity and reduced operating costs. However, these benefits do not only apply to large-scale companies. By investing in Wi-Fi for small businesses, even smaller-scale enterprises can gain much in terms of efficiency and profitability. Read on to find out three types of small businesses that can—and have—used this technology to their advantage.
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Farms
When one thinks of farms, the first image that comes to mind is a business that is far removed from the latest technologies. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. With the help of WLAN managed service providers, farm owners can take advantage of Wi-Fi in a number of ways. For instance, farmers can now monitor their crops 24/7 with the use of drones and mobile devices. Even if they’re away from the premises, they can check in on their fields using their smartphone and receive real-time updates on water usage and other important data.
Improved connectivity can also allow farmers to reach out to more markets via e-mail, video conferencing, and social media networking. Self-driving tractors and the like are also in the works, which could greatly save farmers much time and effort without sacrificing any productivity.
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Hotels
These days, it’s rare to hear of a hotel that doesn’t provide an internet connection. Many business travelers rely heavily on wireless internet in order to stay on top of their work while they’re on the go. Even those who are only staying for leisure want easy access to the internet in order to quickly share their vacation photos and stay in touch with friends.
However, providing free Wi-Fi not only acts as an enticing incentive to choose one hotel over others, but it can also help optimize their daily workflows, too. For instance, they can install remote kiosks to allow guests to check in more quickly and easily. They can also use Wi-Fi devices to immediately inform housekeeping staff when guests have checked out. Housekeeping can, in turn, quickly notify the front desk if the rooms are ready for check-in.
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Restaurants
Similar to hotels, many restaurants offer free Wi-Fi to attract more people. It’s common to see customers taking photos of their food and sharing their location on social media, which can serve as a form of word-of-mouth advertising. However, this also provides restaurants with an opportunity to gather information about their customers. They can, for example, set up a system that asks guests to log in by providing their e-mail address. Then, once the customer leaves, this system can send an automatic email asking the customer to rate their experience in exchange for a freebie on their next visit.
Restaurants can also use Wi-Fi to speed up several tasks. Guests can make their reservations online and order food in advance so that the food is ready once they arrive. For walk-in customers, waiters can record their orders on a mobile device and instantly send it to the chefs working in the kitchen, minimizing the margin of error. Chefs can then ping the waiters to pick up the dishes once they are ready to be served, meaning that no meals are left cold and undelivered.
These are just a few of the types of small businesses that can benefit from a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Regardless of the industry, it’s clear that these wireless solutions can greatly expedite various types of tasks without sacrificing quality. In order to survive in today’s competitive marketplace, it’s important to invest in wireless broadband as soon as possible. As technology continues to evolve, so, too, will the various ways in which connectivity can help innovate on existing systems and procedures.