| The wireless hotspot resides in restaurants and | | | | using free wireless turned to them as a powerful |
| the trend is rapidly spreading throughout the | | | | marketing strategy and competitive advantage. |
| country. Coffee shops, delis, cafes, and | | | | #3 - Improved Customer Loyalty With Free |
| restaurants have begun to invest in the | | | | Wireless Access |
| infrastructure required to offer their customers | | | | Banking institutions offer multiple products to |
| free wireless access. Many restaurant owners | | | | encourage deeper customer loyalty. In effect, the |
| have made the decision to transform to an | | | | more reasons a customer has to stay, the less |
| Internet cafe, because their customers have | | | | likely a customer will migrate to a competitor. In |
| requested the service. Others look at their | | | | the same manner, restaurant owners who |
| competition and realize that not providing free | | | | integrate wireless hotspots into their |
| Wi-Fi might make them vulnerable within their | | | | establishments provide their customers with an |
| market. | | | | additional reason to visit. Keep in mind, most |
| Most consumers, including those who visit your | | | | people stick to their favorite places to eat and |
| restaurant or cafe, are relying upon the internet | | | | relax. By offering them multiple reasons to come, |
| for larger segments of their lives. Some are | | | | you'll strengthen their loyalty to your business. |
| starting businesses. Others depend on online | | | | #4 -Internet Cafes Boost Competitiveness |
| access to communicate with their friends and | | | | Cafe Wi-Fi and offering consumers a wireless |
| family. Still others consume most of their | | | | hotspot are gradually becoming a necessity for |
| entertainment online. Wireless hotspots draw | | | | many coffee shops and restaurants. Without it, |
| these people in and encourage them to become | | | | they are finding it more difficult to compete |
| loyal customers: life-long patrons of the ecafe. | | | | against the behemoths within their market. For |
| Here are five reasons restaurants, cafes, and | | | | example, in early 2008, Starbucks began offering |
| other eateries should integrate wireless hotspots | | | | free Wi-Fi to their customers, essentially becoming |
| into their facilities. | | | | an internet cafe. McDonalds did the same. Other |
| #1 - Entrepreneurs Follow Wireless Access | | | | restaurants and coffee shops are following suit in |
| Millions of people have created online businesses | | | | order to remain competitive. |
| over the past decade. At the same time, a | | | | #5 - Wireless Hotspots Cater To the "New" |
| growing number of consumers are retiring their | | | | Employee |
| desktop computers and replacing them with | | | | Long ago, employees would arrive at the office in |
| laptops. This gives them instant portability. You'll | | | | the early morning and remain there until evening. |
| notice these entrepreneurs hunched in front of | | | | Many of them even took lunches at their desks. |
| their laptops, operating their businesses. They | | | | Times have changed. An increasing number of |
| follow wireless hotspots. It's not uncommon to | | | | people are enjoying the convenience of |
| see them in places that offer coffee, Wi-Fi, and | | | | telecommuting. Armed only with a laptop, they |
| good breakfast, lunch or even dinner with free | | | | can perform their jobs from any facility that |
| wireless access . Or, you might see them | | | | provides free Wi-Fi access. Their first choice is |
| enjoying coffee while using the computers in an | | | | often coffee shops and restaurants that offer |
| internet cafe. Restaurants that offer wireless | | | | wireless hotspots. They can fulfill their job-related |
| hotspots quickly become favorite places for these | | | | responsibilities while enjoying time outside the |
| entrepreneurs. The wireless hotspot has become | | | | office and home. |
| the new business meeting place. | | | | As the economic climate grows darker, more |
| #2 - Wireless Hotspot Increase Sales | | | | people will likely lose their jobs. Many of them will |
| When cafe Wi-Fi and wireless hotspots first | | | | start their own businesses which they'll manage |
| became popular draws, restaurants owners were | | | | online. Others will simply look for places to sit and |
| concerned their sales would slump if they offered | | | | enjoy a bite or a cup of coffee. These people are |
| the service. They were understandably worried | | | | likely to gravitate toward restaurants that offer |
| that people would visit their establishments, buy a | | | | free wireless access. Restaurant owners who |
| low-priced item, and stay for the entire day. Many | | | | provide this benefit within their facilities may |
| business owners discovered something entirely | | | | discover their traffic and sales increase as a |
| different occurred. | | | | result. |
| Sales increased as customers camped out and | | | | There are many reasons which should motivate |
| returned to the register to buy over and over. | | | | restaurants to consider integrating wireless |
| Traffic swelled as people noticed large crowds | | | | hotspots. People are spending a greater number |
| within certain facilities; restaurants owners have | | | | of hours online than ever. Coax them to spend |
| known for decades that popularity builds upon | | | | those hours within your restaurant by enjoying |
| itself. Many who were once concerned about | | | | good food, coffee, and free Wi-Fi. |