Real-Time Contextual Engagement
Trigger hyper-relevant messages to consumers based on their physical presence, dwell time, and movement within a venue.
The Challenge
Generic marketing emails have low open rates. Retailers and Venues want to communicate with visitors *while* they are on-site (e.g., '20% off lunch' sent at 12:00 PM to someone standing near the food court), but GPS is often too inaccurate indoors.
Solution Engineering
Leveraging the WiFi infrastructure (Access Points) as sensors. By analyzing RSSI (signal strength) and triangulation, the system detects when a known device enters a specific 'zone'. This event triggers a push notification, SMS, or email via a marketing automation integration.
Technical Requirements
- High-density AP deployment for accurate location triangulation
- Location Engine (e.g., CMX, ALE) or Cloud-based presence analytics
- Marketing Automation Platform integration (e.g., Braze, Airship)
- Mobile App SDK (optional, for Push Notifications)
Best Practices
Set 'Dwell Time' thresholds: Only message users who have stayed >5 minutes to avoid spamming passersby.
Implement Frequency Capping: Ensure a user receives max 1 message per week.
Use Presence (Detect) vs. Connect: Engagement shouldn't always require the user to be actively connected to WiFi.
Combine with weather data for context (e.g., 'It's raining, come inside for coffee').
Target Outcomes
Increased average transaction value
Higher coupon redemption rates
Improved customer experience via timely information
Recommended Vendors
Companies matching this use case based on their feature set.
Cloud4Wi
Unified WiFi platform for Guest, MDU & Location Intelligence.
Purple WiFi
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Retail.
Aislelabs
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Retail.
Skyfii (Beonic)
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Large Venues.
Adentro
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Restaurants & Cafes.
GoZone WiFi
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Restaurants & Cafes.
SocialSign.in
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Large Venues.
MyWiFi Networks
Leading Public Facing Guest solution for Restaurants & Cafes.