Is Your Store Network Ready for Modern Retail? What 600 Global Stores Learned

While I was at NRF's Big Show, I was able to chat about one the one least sexy technologies with James Hughes, who runs retail strategy globally for Verizon Business. No matter what your store size, you should pay attention. 

"Our QR Codes Never Work Here": The True Story Behind Store Connectivity

Think of your store's network like water infrastructure - you only notice when it stops flowing. When a customer can't scan a QR code to check if a product is gluten-free, they blame the QR code. When your mobile checkout app fails, they blame the app.

However, as one retail employee noted, "The iPads never work here" has become a store's reputation. The truth? Modern stores are essentially Faraday cages - large metal structures where cellular signals struggle to penetrate. Without proper infrastructure, even the most innovative customer experience tools become frustration points.

The $100K Question: What Does a Single Hour of Downtime Really Cost?

"Things could run offline just about okay in the past," said James,"But now you've got customers walking in wanting to maximize every dollar and every experience."

I had tried to use the Bonvoy app when I checked in at the Sheraton but it didn't seem to work. The front desk agent said, "It never works in this hotel." Oh for gosh sakes - it's New York City!

Now multiply that across hundreds of store locations where customers can't complete purchases, check inventory, or use loyalty programs. One global retailer discovered that just five stores running on backup systems during outages generated enough saved sales to justify their entire network upgrade investment.

From "Always Down" to "Never Down": One Global Retailer's Transformation

A real-world success story: A retailer with 600 global stores achieved their first-ever quarter with zero site downtime. The secret? A modern network architecture with triple redundancy - primary broadband, cellular backup, and wireless failover.

"We could tell because of the reporting," Hughes explains. "We knew there were five sites in that control period running on cellular. Six months ago, those sites would have been hard down."

Your Store Is Not Just a Store - It's a Data Center

James shared with me that a retail store processes more data than many corporate offices did a decade ago. Here are just some of the technologies gobbling up your data stream:

• Point of sale transactions
• Customer counting systems
• New loyalty schemes
• Immersive experiences
• Computer vision for shrinkage
• IoT sensors for everything from fridges to footfall
• Smart lighting systems
• Security cameras And with 70% of the world's Internet running over Verizon's network, the quality of that connectivity matters more than ever.

Beyond Basic WiFi: What Powers a Modern Retail Experience?

Enter Sensor Insight, Verizon's platform for managing the growing ecosystem of store technology. "Retailers want to be smarter, they want to know more about what customers are doing, they want to help their staff be more efficient," Hughes explains. This means managing multiple systems:

• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Foot traffic counters
• Smart lighting
• Security systems
• Inventory tracking All these systems need not just connectivity, but orchestration and security.

"Mom, Can We Go There?": How Network Speed Drives Foot Traffic

One UK retailer partnered with a major movie release to create an in-store interactive experience. The goal? Give families a reason to visit beyond their usual shopping trip. "Hey, mom, I want to go and try that experience" becomes the driver for entire family visits and increased basket sizes.

But these experiences require robust, reliable networks - no one returns for a digital experience that buffers or crashes.

Five Network Truths Every Retail Executive Should Know

1. Offline isn't an option - customers expect digital experiences to work every time
2. Basic broadband isn't enough - modern retail needs redundancy
3. Network issues cost more than just lost sales - they damage brand reputation
4. Employee frustration with technology often traces back to network infrastructure
5. Future retail innovations (AI, computer vision, IoT) require robust networks today

Stop Treating Your Network Like 1990s Plumbing

Think of your network like modern water infrastructure - it needs to be clean, reliable, and abundant. But unlike water, network demands grow exponentially. Yesterday's pipes can't handle tomorrow's flow.

As Hughes notes, "You have to make sure there aren't people trying to hack it, that it's reliable and clean and safe." The difference between basic connectivity and enterprise-grade infrastructure isn't just technical - it's the difference between surviving and thriving in modern retail.