There is a growing realisation that the branch IT network of retailers and hospitality businesses must be better integrated into its IT estate – not just to maximise and improve brand equity but also to optimise the customer journey.
For many experienced retail & hospitality professionals, the idea of viewing branch IT as a key strategic asset and potential source of competitive advantage may seem a contradiction in terms. But with consumer needs changing rapidly, it is crucial that bricks-and-mortar, multichannel and pure-play online retailers are all equipped with the technology available to service their customers.
While both sectors‘ march towards omnichannel – that is, seamlessly integrating in-store and online purchasing as part of the customer experience – is increasing, the importance of the physical location in defining and differentiating that customer experience is where branch IT comes in.
However, investment is required to achieve this, but given the margin pressures of both sectors, there is a need to achieve it in a cost-effective manner.
This is why the brand new Branch IT as a Customer Experience Asset white paper by Zynstra is a must-read for any IT professionals responsible for managing the IT estate in a retail or hospitality businesses.
In this report, you can read about the new requirements for branch IT, which includes integrated analytics, business flexibility, cloud integration, local data storage needs, and a consolidation of network functions.
The report also explains best-practice management of branch IT complexity, and how and why Cloud-Managed Servers are a game-changer and provide exciting new opportunities for managing remote branch IT.
The white paper is published by Zynstra, specialists in hybrid IT solutions provided as a service, whilst delivering the best of on-premises and the cloud for businesses.
