Sectors dependent on WLAN

Retail sector

The retail sector has become more and more reliant on WLAN in recent years. This is because the retail market has become extremely competitive especially in relation to customer service. With the onset of internet shopping, consumers expect good quality service and products to surpass the information that can be acquired on the internet.

To ensure that the highest standards of service are given retailers have put a number of processes in place to enable staff to look after customers properly. These include voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) in the form of mobile computing devices so that store associates carry all necessary functions required to perform their tasks, anywhere on site. As mobile workers are on the move throughout the store during their shift, they instantly become easily accessible to managers through walkie-talkie style communications and text messaging. Using VoWLAN allows sales people on the floor can easily call a store manager or product expert as needed to ensure every need of the customer is being met, without ever having to leave the customers side.

These changes to a retail environment mean worker productivity is increased, worker confidence is increased and customers have a much more enjoyable and productive experience. Another major advantage is for increased revenue as the worker no longer needs to leave the customer to get answers, as every customer is a potential sale.

Voice over WLAN in Retail The Power of Converged Solutions

Healthcare

The use of WLAN in the healthcare industry has increased due to the need for increased mobility and WLANs provide greater efficiency and accuracy to users of critical applications such as medication administration, emergency registration, order entry and clinical documentation. As the healthcare industry is a high traffic and high stress sector of employment, methods for reducing paperwork and ensuring that accurate documentation is kept is vital to ensuring healthcare environments can run as smoothly as possible with the limitation of human errors as much as possible. WLAN does by using scanners, personal digital assistants and mobile computers in order to track patients, medicine and documentation.

Universities

Universities have increased the use of WLAN on campus to enable staff and students to have 24 hour access to the internet. As the volume of students in a university can range from a thousand to over 15000 in Ireland alone, the requirement for having access to the internet is extremely high. Students require internet access for the majority of their study especially in researching topics. WLAN in universities enable all day access to students by either using a university computer set up for the WLAN or by registering their computer as a student of that particular college.

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