IBM has launched Presence Zones, which is designed to help retailers connect with mobile customers in-store. This is a new technology that lets retailers carry out web type analytics for physical venues. It lets retailers know who’s in their physical location, how much time they spend in different parts of the store, the routes they take and how often they visit.
IBM Presence Zones leverages the mobile devices carried by people, and uses them as sensors to detect where people are located. Once the customer has opted into the service, there’s no need for any further action–it’s all done automatically without customers ever having to take the mobile device out of their pocket. When the system wants to interact with the customer, it sends a message invoking the interaction.
The aim is to “provide brands with strong relationship with their customers in-store,” says Craig Hayman, general manager and head of IBM Smarter Commerce. “The more marketing appears as a service to customers the more customers will appreciate it.”
