Background
A leading IoT connectivity provider in Europe provides point-of-sale (POS) devices to large customer bases across the globe across many industries. With the digital transformation occurring in retail, also known as retail IoT, POS devices comprise a large segment of solution delivery for this organization.
IoT in retail can mean many different applications for this growing sector of IoT. The market size for IoT in retail was $14.5 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $35.5 billion by 2025 . Retail IoT is a widescale umbrella for many different implementations of technology. For stores and shopping centers, this might mean GPS tracking to help with inventory management and control or broader self-checkout applications. For the restaurant industry, this could mean connected devices for ordering that bypass the need for cashiers to even robotics for food delivery.
One of the fastest-growing applications within retail IoT is point-of-sale devices, with a forecasted growth rate from $29 billion in 2023 to $81 billion by 2030 . POS devices support retail locations outside of traditional shopping centers that require wired connections, such as pop-up stores and restaurants, as well as mobile retailers or eateries. POS devices can help eliminate errors, streamline processes, mitigate workforce challenges, and create overall efficiencies.
These connected devices require reliable, out-of-the-box connectivity, however.
Challenge
This IoT connectivity provider serves customers globally and needs to navigate a connectivity ecosystem that is broad and complex. The provider would have to source connectivity and SIM cards from each individual mobile network operator (MNO) per country, per region, which is a cumbersome task and takes away from the provider’s ability to quickly activate connected devices for their customers.
One significant benefit that this IoT connectivity provider delivers is Day Zero connectivity for its customers, meaning that devices arrive ready to work out of the box. Complicated network configuration and activations is handled on the front end by the IoT connectivity provider so that the customers can simply turn the device on, and it works right away. This tremendously reduces the complexity of adopting digital solutions for their customers.
Solution
The provider came to KORE as a single source for global connectivity to help streamline the deployment of devices on an international scale. KORE has coverage in over 190 countries, serving more than 6,000 connections overall.
The complexity of managing multiple providers can detract from an organization’s core competencies, which for this IoT connectivity provider, is fast, global delivery of IoT connectivity. KORE helps organizations, whether they are deploying or selling IoT solutions, capture connectivity anywhere in the world from as many MNOs as required from a single source.
Results
Had this IoT connectivity provider sourced their own connectivity from a complex ecosystem of MNOs, it would have meant a multitude of contracts, billing systems and cycles, usage systems, and support services. Instead, this organization can deploy the connectivity their customers require through KORE for a unified, simplified approach. Leveraging a connectivity management platform as well brings all usage onto a single platform. If a device arrives and shows that it is not connected, the IoT connectivity provider can immediately troubleshoot to fix the problem. This helps the IoT connectivity provider deliver better results and more comprehensive customer support to its customers.
About KORE
KORE is a pioneer, leader, and trusted advisor delivering transformative business performance. KORE empowers organizations of all sizes to improve operational and business results by simplifying the complexity of IoT. KORE has a deep IoT knowledge and experience, global reach, purpose-built solutions, and deployment agility to accelerate and materially impact customers’ business outcomes.
