Pan RF Managing Director Ross Hulley MIET has joined Nextivity Chief Executive Michiel Lotter in a new feature for Retail Technology Magazine exploring the growing relationship between reliable in-store mobile connectivity, customer engagement and retail performance.
Signal to Sales: In-store mobile unlocks loyalty engagement, written by retail technology journalist Miya Knights, looks at what Pan RF’s experience delivering mobile connectivity across a 400-store UK estate for a multinational discount grocer reveals about the commercial impact of poor mobile signal – and the potential return from fixing it.
When mobile signal becomes a retail issue
Retailers have invested heavily in apps, loyalty programmes, mobile payments and other digital services designed to make the in-store experience faster, easier and more personalised. None of this works without connectivity.
Modern retail buildings can be particularly challenging environments for mobile coverage, with construction materials, store layouts and other physical factors weakening the outdoor mobile signal as customers move inside.
For retailers, that can turn what appears to be a technical infrastructure issue into a customer experience and commercial problem.
As Ross explains in the article, more retailers are now considering connectivity as a key part of their wider digital strategy, particularly as customers increasingly expect to use their own mobile connection throughout the shopping journey.
Improving coverage without disrupting trading
One of the biggest concerns for retailers considering an estate-wide connectivity programme is the potential disruption involved. Pan RF’s experience proves that improving coverage does not have to mean closing stores or interfering with normal trading.
Discussing the 400-store deployment featured in the article, Ross explains:
“Our teams install the pre-configured system in a single night in each store. The next morning, staff arrive to full multi-operator coverage with absolutely zero impact on daytime retail operations.”
The ability to deploy rapidly was critical to the project, allowing hundreds of stores to be upgraded while continuing to trade normally.
It also demonstrates the importance of looking beyond the technology itself. For a large retail estate, the design, pre-configuration, installation methodology and ongoing management of a solution can be just as important as the equipment being installed.
From connectivity investment to commercial return
The Retail Technology Magazine feature also explores the business case behind improving mobile coverage.
Reliable multi-operator connectivity enables customers to use the services retailers have already invested in – from accessing loyalty accounts and personalised offers to checking product information and completing mobile payments – without requiring them to connect to guest Wi-Fi.
The 400-store rollout provides a valuable real-world example of what can be achieved at scale, with Retail Technology highlighting the potential for capital payback within months.
For Ross, the wider message is that mobile coverage can no longer be considered separately from the digital retail experience. As more of the customer journey moves onto smartphones, retailers need to know that the connectivity inside their stores can support it.
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