Expeto, which enables enterprise networking over private and public mobile networks, has announced its work with The Webster across locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The luxury fashion retailer will roll out the Expeto NeXtworking platform to harness the power of public mobile connectivity for a consistent next-gen shopping experience and streamlined operations, including pop-up retail sites at some of the entertainment and sporting events, including sites already delivered at the Sundance Film Festival and the NBA All-Star game in 2023.
“Our boutiques cater to high-end shoppers seeking a unique, engaging experience where they feel comfortable taking time to explore our exclusive collaborations and highly curated luxury fashion selections,” says Dwaine Omyer, VP of IT, The Webster. “As we expand operations and eye next-gen retail tech, it is clear that we can’t be successful without ubiquitous connectivity and streamlined network control. Expeto’s Enterprise FirstO promise means we can deliver this anywhere our business needs to be, including pop-up locations where customers will have access to the same intimate, personalised experiences they would in one of our physical retail locations. Expeto’s platform also helps us deploy mission critical private 5G private networks as we advance our supply chain initiatives with the confidence and control from our own IT systems unlike the complex and expensive bespoke cellular options available from telco-centric providers.”
The Webster is eager to better engage customers at the “thought of purchase” and streamline backend operations with plans to implement digital stylists, augmented reality experiences, real-time foot traffic analysis, enhanced security, and improved logistics. However, it recognises it is challenged by traditional logistics tracking and unreliable connectivity across locations, some of which are housed in historic buildings with limited technology infrastructure. Expeto is helping The Webster overcome these limitations quickly and cost-effectively by using public mobile networks to provide high-performing, reliable connectivity anywhere and streamline IT management of retail, warehouse, and pop-up locations for unprecedented control and visibility.
“Our NeXtworking enterprise mobility platform is proven to deliver exactly the functionality that can overcome The Webster’s challenges, many of which are common hurdles throughout the retail industry,” says Michael Anderson, chief executive officer of Expeto. “The Webster can now tailor new shopping experiences to customers in support of its brand promise and future vision aspirations. It’s all about unlocking options and gaining control quickly using connectivity that is already everywhere the company wants to be.”
Retailers typically grapple with large warehouse presences poorly served by Wi-Fi, resulting in video surveillance “blind spots” and inconsistent equipment performance. Retail locations under lease are often restrictive when it comes to bringing in new connectivity and brands with nationwide or global operations face endless headaches attempting to unify visibility of all locations, devices, and people. This limits management of truck fleets, thwarts remote troubleshooting, complicates device deployment, and creates IT inefficiencies resulting in endless screen views that never provide a complete picture.
Expeto tackles these challenges head on, enabling:
- Global cellular control. Retailers gain enterprise networking control, visibility, and systems over public mobile networks globally, define secure SD-WAN (Software-defined Wide Area Network) paths in support of privacy and data sovereignty, and can take advantage of OT (Operational technology) applications requiring QoS Wi-Fi can’t support.
- Improved supply chain operations. Latency-sensitive warehouse robots, video analytics applications and physical security solutions everywhere they are needed can be supported, with better coverage for barcode scanners, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) readers, surveillance cameras and more.
- Better logistics fleet operations. Expeto supports real-time ability to diagnose and fix cellular connectivity issues impacting vehicle tracking and maintenance, and capability to add subnets for new vehicle fleet systems.
Expeto makes it simple for enterprises to seamlessly extend private networks via any type of cellular connectivity with single-SIM mobility between public and private instances of the network. Rather than struggle to manage mobile connectivity with legacy telco tools that require LTE/5G user expertise, enterprises get an IT-centric portal purpose-built for enterprise agility and speed.
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