Brainstorm Mobile Solutions has launching a new location based service for retailers and enterprises to allow them to create location based marketing and customer service delivery solutions using Beacon technology. The company has developed an SDK for mobile apps that is triggered by a proximity to beacons, which can be combined with other customer intelligence such as buying behaviour and profile to deliver real-time personalised communications.
Beacon technology is based on a Bluetooth Low Energy chipset that accurately pinpoints location to within 200 feet and allows smartphone users to receive personalised communications in real time via a downloaded mobile app. Brainstorm Mobile has extended the capabilities of its Dragon cloud-based mobile platform to support this new location-based technology, to offer both macro and micro location services across the full range of technologies GSM, GPS, Wi-Fi and Beacons.
According to a recent report from Juniper Research, the location-based service market is set to reach $43.3 billion by 2014, with its growth being driven by context aware mobile services. This latest beacon functionality for the Dragon customer engagement platform allows brand owners and retailers to deliver cost-effective location-triggered messages, which can be combined with CRM data about their individual buying patterns or demographic information to improve customer service and/or deliver personalised marketing offers. For example the technology could be used to deliver a personalised message to a shopper’s phone for a Christmas promotion on seasonal vegetables, together with a selection of traditional recipes using these ingredients, as they approach the vegetable section of a supermarket.
Donald Stuart, CEO of Brainstorm Mobile comments: “There is massive potential for beacon technology to transform customer engagement not only in retail environments, but also in other industries including, healthcare, logistics, transportation and banking and finance. For example customers leaving the Accident & Emergency department of a hospital could be asked to complete a satisfaction survey about their experience or it could be used to improve airport efficiencies and the onboarding process by tracking passengers’ progress through the airport and checking that the majority are through security 20 minutes before boarding. The possibilities are endless, bounded only by our own creativity and innovation”