A recent survey by BT has found that an astonishing 61% of people search for a Wi-Fi hotspot when eating and drinking.
While many would argue we should talk and socialise more without the use of our mobile phones and that there is a danger that the art of conversation may be lost; the availability of Wi-Fi almost everywhere means it is an opportunity for pubs that should not be missed.
- Wi-Fi can attract more customers to your venue. If you go in any coffee shop around the country, you are almost guaranteed to see people typing away on laptops or tablets while drinking their coffee. Many people work from home or are frequently travelling, and are increasingly looking to pubs as an alternative to coffee shops to hold meetings or to work while on the move.
- A home page or log-in page for your Wi-Fi service can offer good marketing opportunities. You can direct your customers to your website when they log into your Wi-Fi service and perhaps use this to highlight any promotions you are running.
- Gone are the days of children’s play areas being enough to keep younger customers content. These days, children are often as up to date with technology as their parents and access to Wi-Fi can offer parents the opportunity to allow their children to play games via their mobile phone or tablet while they relax with a few drinks following their meal.
- Allowing customers to access their social media accounts while at your premises can offer free promotion. Many customers will ‘check in’ at your premises or post photographs and if their friends or connections like what they see, it can encourage new customers to visit.
- While offering free Wi-Fi access to your customers does involve a small cost to your business, the benefits far outweigh the costs, especially considering it is estimated two out of three mobile phone users will own smartphones by the end of the 2014 and by 2017, two thirds of the UK will own a smart phone.