Holiday Retail Connectivity

It’s that time of year again, retail storefronts have transformed into hustling hubs of activity as shoppers hunt for the perfect holiday gifts to give their loved ones. That means no slow days for brick-and-mortar operations and e-commerce merchants from mid-November through the end of the year. Holiday retail soared to $936.3 billion according to the National Retail Federation. In addition, experts predict this year’s sales will eclipse that number by several percentage points. Stocked shelves and positive customer experiences are essential elements. Elements that can shape how successful this year can be for stores of all sizes. There’s one thing, though, that matters even more but doesn’t get the credit it deserves – reliable, high-speed internet access. The Bustle of e-Commerce Picture this: a cozy couch, a cup of hot cocoa, and your favorite device – the quintessential digital holiday shopping scene. Digital merchants have been prepping for this moment since mid-summer, optimizing their product descriptions, testing new online shopping experiences, and fine-tuning ad campaigns to compete for attention and convert browsers into buyers. Consumers love the experience of shopping from wherever they are for whatever they want. It is the convenience of not having to set foot in a physical location packed full of people. As the Q4 shopping season kicks into high gear, online retail infrastructure will have to hold up to the flood of users scrolling through digital racks, filling their carts and spending tens of thousands of dollars every second, putting immense pressure on the digital infrastructure. Therefore, handling that much activity requires connectivity that can keep up without collapsing. Don’t Forget About In-Person Experiences Physical storefronts are no match for the sheer volume of online shopping. However, that’s no excuse to overlook the economic activity they contribute, or the need for speedy and secure internet service. Dependable connectivity is the unsung hero of their operations. Supply chain coordination, vendor management, POS terminal operations, inventory tracking, marketing and promotional activity, customer service … without a reliable, high-speed internet connection, in-store operations would grind to a halt in mere seconds. It’s Okay to Speed In the whirlwind of holiday shopping, speed is the name of the game. Shoppers want websites to load in the blink of an eye. Brick-and-mortar stores want to keep every check-out interaction moving smoothly and swiftly. Thus, time is of the essence, and any lag — even for a few seconds — can turn merriment into meltdown. Fast internet is not just a luxury; it’s a lifeline for retailers looking to delight customers and outshine the competition during the peak shopping season. Quick internet speeds translate to a seamless shopping experience – speedy page loads, snappy checkouts, and happy customers. Network Downtime — A Ho-Ho-Holiday Nightmare No matter what they’re selling, their size, or their specialty, retailers have one fear in common this time of year — service outages. Whether it’s caused by technical glitches, cyber-attacks, or servers that don’t have the capacity to keep pace with wave after wave of customer traffic, any interruption in internet connectivity can turn holiday joy into a retail nightmare. Every moment spent struggling to get back online comes at the cost of losing out on potential sales and increasing customer frustration. Wrapped Up With Ribbons and Bows Holiday retail is driven by people, but a reliable internet connection is what makes every checkout possible. With the hustle and bustle of the shopping season well underway, few things are more important than reliable, fast connectivity. If your provider isn’t helping you get ahead, it’s time to find service that won’t hold you back. Empire Access can help you get the internet connection you need to keep your business up and running.

Getting to Know the Empire Access Team: Michelle B

Meet Michelle Bourdette Delivering help where help is needed — that’s what customer service is all about. It’s also part of the job Michelle finds most rewarding. What about it is so fulfilling to her? Knowing she’s doing something that’s making a difference in the lives of customers. As of this October, Michelle has been part of the Empire Access team for 13 years. She’s seen us grow and worked with many customers along the way. When she first started, it wasn’t unusual to find something in common with the person on the other end of the line and use that to go deeper than a typical customer conversation. “I spoke to a lady once whose father lived in the 596 area, and she lived in downtown Gettysburg. I spend a lot of time there, and as it turned out, I knew exactly where she was located! She seemed excited to talk to someone else who knew the town as much as she did!” Today, the calls come in from a wider area than they did before, but that hasn’t stood in the way of the care and dedication Michelle delivers to every person she talks to. She even has a few regulars that have become more like acquaintances than customers throughout their interactions — if their calls aren’t sent to her directly, they’ll ask for her by name. Good service leads to good relationships, and Michelle is a great example of what the “Empire Experience” is all about. Whether it’s sorting out a billing issue or walking a customer through the process of resetting the connection on their TV, she goes to great lengths to deliver the sort of care and attention that people expect from their friends and neighbors. That spirit is exactly why we’re proud to have Michelle on our team.