How endpoint management can transform retail

A 2022 report suggests that the Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) market is poised to reach $38 billion by 2028.

The retail sector, in particular, has more cross-sector connections (logistics, warehousing, supply chain) than others. The number of retail endpoints or devices is vast and the need to manage those endpoints in a unified manner is critical to success.

The evolution of retail can be charted from your first physical visit to a New York City bookstore to buying your favorite book online on eBay. Retail has gone through a paradigm shift – from business operations to customer purchases. Those who rode the digital tide have benefited and the rest have closed shop.

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Yet the digital transformation never stops in retail; he sprints constantly. And to keep sprinting, endpoint management is invaluable.

In-store store numbers (pre-COVID)

As the pandemic changed the way people shop, the need for retail endpoint management has always been there. Let’s take a look at some numbers from five years ago, when the only Corona most people knew was a Mexican-made bottle of beer.

• 50% of retail organizations allow BYOD.
• Mobile interactions with in-store customers were among the top five initiatives.
• 58% of retail organizations considered in-store employee access to mobile business apps to be critical.
• 61% of retail organizations had in-store IoT initiatives or were IoT ready.
• 24% of retail organizations had installed digital signage or kiosks in most stores; 34% had digital signage or kiosks in selected stores.
• Devices (endpoints) used by store associates for customer interaction and support include: dedicated desktops (61%), smartphones (42%), tablets (31%), rugged (single app) devices (24%), shared laptops (18%).

Endpoint management for in-store retail

Endpoint management helps retail organizations ensure seamless customer transactions and business workflows. With cyber risks lurking everywhere, the retail industry needs to implement endpoint management – as a security solution, if not another parameter.

The scope of retail endpoint management is vast and extends beyond securing devices. It ensures smooth synchronization between remote and in-store employees. Think of endpoint management as an umbrella under which you can manage and monitor all your organizational devices or endpoints – all from a single platform or dashboard.

Here are some innate advantages:

24-7 device tracking: There is no chance of a device leaving your network as endpoint management enables full tracking and management of endpoints. Older device management solutions don’t allow you to do that. With endpoint management for devices, you’re always in control.

No misuse of devices: Mobile device management provides comprehensive network security and eliminates accidental use of or unauthorized access to retail endpoints.

Asset Usage: All endpoints are assets. An MDM software system allows retailers to create reports on how devices are being used. You can also automate patch management across devices to optimize usage.

Mitigate Threat: Without endpoint management, all retail devices flirt with malicious apps and sites. An MDM tool gives you control over the apps you want to run on your devices.

Simplify IT operations: MDM makes life easier for retail IT teams by automating manual tasks such as device monitoring, retirement, and device and OS maintenance. Your IT team can then focus more on improving your customer touchpoints, such as in-app support.

Increase productivity: Endpoint management leads to higher employee productivity as employees are not distracted by device usage. It offers flexibility and access to authorized information at the right time, so that all your interactions between employees and customers are smooth and productive.

BYOD Implementation: As more retailers enter the world of BYOD, endpoint management offers the opportunity to develop policies around it. Personal devices can serve as monitored and managed network endpoints. And it delivers these benefits without invading employee privacy, as BYOD separates work and personal data.

Endpoint management for online retail

If you think only physical store setups need endpoint management, then you should reconsider. Endpoint management also has a place in online retail. The growth of q-commerce retail apps and platforms has been booming lately. Effective and fast last-mile deliveries are the backbone of q-commerce and regular e-commerce as well. The devices used by delivery drivers and warehouse teams are also endpoints. Such online retail endpoints require the same attention and management as in-store endpoints.

Choosing the right MDM solution

Merely realizing the benefits of an MDM does not connect the points of transformation. It’s only half the battle. Here are some points to consider before committing to an MDM solution.

Keep analytics at the forefront

Always use common sense over vanity for your retail endpoint management dashboard. Beautiful designs and colors are great, but functionalities should not be overlooked. Remember that the more connected endpoints, the more extensive the data stream. So check if the MDM solution brings enough advanced reporting and analytics to your table. It goes without saying that these analyzes must be insightful and usable.

No alternative to security

Having an MDM with weak security is the same as not having an MDM. Some features that your MDM security suite should include are:

• Device containerization (separation of work and personal data/apps) for BYOD environments
• 100% regulatory compliance
• Security upgrades and updates
• Agile threat detection and response
• Immediate removal of malware
• Advanced troubleshooting capabilities (without long downtimes)
• Two or more factor authentication
• SSO (single sign-on)
• Provisional access

Integration with third party apps

In retail, good customer service is essential. Make sure your MDM platform allows for third-party integration with CRM or CDP apps or business-critical apps already in use in your organization.

Scale smoothly

Rhymes with smooth sailing? The analogy is also the same. Device scalability is a must-have. As business needs evolve, the number of endpoints must scale smoothly and without much fuss. Make sure your MDM is a SaaS solution that enables easy scalability of endpoints.

Support and training

Before choosing an MDM vendor, check two essential boxes: product support and training, both with remote availability. Remote support and training are essential so that a retail organization is never at sea while dealing with the MDM dashboard.

Maturity end point

All endpoints are devices and all devices have a lifecycle. With a large number of connected endpoints, an intuitive MDM solution keeps retailers on track with endpoint maturity through sound roadmaps.

End point range

As IoT and IIoT (Industrial IoT) evolve rapidly, endpoints are no longer the usual devices. In retail, purpose-built devices such as kiosks (POS and mPOS) are an important cog in the business wheel. Retail endpoints can also be rugged phones or handheld devices such as scanners. A good retail endpoint management solution should accommodate purpose-built devices, now and in the future. Choosing a provider that offers personalization, customization, and fast turnaround time for developing new features can pay off hugely in the long run.

Geofencing

Location-based marketing (LBM) has revolutionized retail and geofencing is the technology behind it. It is possible that an MDM solution also geofences your endpoints. For example, if a customer searches for a particular product online but it’s not available, a geofenced endpoint at one of your points of sale near your customer’s location can be notified. If the product is available there, the customer will also be notified of the in-store pick-up option.

The takeaway meals

Unified endpoint management is on par with all other digital transformation strategies retailers are trying to implement. It’s a good idea to explore endpoint management as a possible solution in this digital retail era.

Sriram Kakarala is VP of products at ProMobi Technologies.