Clarks selects Cloud4Wi for new enhanced customer WiFi

SAN FRANCISCO – July 27, 2015 – Cloud4Wi, the creator of the world’s first open WiFi engagement platform, today announced completion of enhanced guest Wi-Fi at more than 500 Clarks shoe stores in the UK as part of an integrated roll out of the CROWD WiFi solution.
Founded in 1825, Clarks is a global shoe retailer, based in the UK, with both storefront and online shops.

Cloud4wi technology is an integral part of the CROWD solution – a WiFi based customer intelligence, marketing and analytics package chosen by Clarks Shoes for their UK shoe stores. Installation and management of the in-store WiFi network is provided by Jade Solutions, one of the UK’s leading enterprise mobility providers who own and operate the CROWD solution.

The installation uses Cloud4Wi’s Smart OnBoarding technology that integrates an interactive survey into the free WiFi login process, providing merchants with information about customer demographics and preferences, shopping patterns, and purchase intent.

Customers log onto the free WiFi using their Facebook account, providing Clarks with highly valuable demographic and other customer data. Alternately, customers may logon by providing their first name and email address.

Most Guest WiFi networks today rely on “simple onboarding”. Customers may be asked to agree to a user agreement and then may or may not be directed to the merchant’s website or other online destination. Simple onboarding does not gather customer information.
Smart OnBoarding collects customer information in a non-intrusive, even fun, way, based on the merchant’s creativity and desire to gather accurate customer information. Survey questions and other elements can be changed at will, allowing the merchant to get actionable customer feedback in real time.

Once onboard Cloud4Wi Guest Wi-Fi, the customer’s smartphone or other WiFi device becomes part of the retailers’ omnichannel that ties online and storefront shopping experiences together. Features include customer-facing portals, real-time customer engagement, personalized in-store promotion, social media tie-ins, and powerful analytics of customer behavior.

Combined with other customer information, Cloud4Wi’s big data provides retailers with a complete view of their customers previously unavailable, especially when linked to other customer-specific information, including loyalty programs.

“Cloud4Wi is the missing link that connects the online shopping experience with retailers’ storefronts,” said Andrea Calcagno, President and Co-Founder of Cloud4Wi. “Digital consumers demand in-store Internet access and we use that both to improve the shopping experience and gather valuable data for retailers.”

Besides Clarks, Cloud4Wi customers include McDonalds, Burger King, IKEA, Aliansce, and Aeon.

“Digital consumers are using smartphones to enhance their shopping experience, accessing product information, promotions and sharing over social media,” Mark Brackley, Managing Director of Jade Solutions said. “Cloud4wi are a key technology partner for our business. The Cloud4wi platform enables us to deliver unprecedented benefits to retail clients, allowing a greater engagement and understanding of customer behavior.”

About Cloud4Wi
Cloud4Wi is an open Wi-Fi engagement platform that enhances Guest Wi-Fi access at venues (retail stores, restaurants and coffee shops among other places). Utilizing a cloud platform and matching web applications, businesses can provide an enriched Guest Wi-Fi experience, to engage with customers in real time and increase customer loyalty and retention. Leveraging powerful analytics, businesses can also design an entirely customizable user journey to push marketing and advertising messages. Powered by the comprehensive SDK, Cloud4Wi enables companies to build web applications that optimize their operations and provide customers with a seamless digital experience while they are on site. For more information, please visit www.cloud4wi.ai/

About CROWD and Jade Solutions
CROWD is a revolutionary smart Wi-Fi and analytics package that enables retailers to connect and engage with customers like never before. CROWD’s powerful analytics platform informs retailers with key metrics enabling improvements in marketing, store promotions, operations and overall business strategy. Integrating marketing leading technologies, CROWD provides extraordinary customer and marketing intelligence and is owned and developed by one of the UK’s leading enterprise mobility providers, Jade Solutions. CROWD delivers unprecedented behavioural insights, measuring not only footfall, but how that customer footfall behaves outside, inside and after a store visit. These insights enable CROWD to deliver personalise shopping experiences accessing the customer and their extended contacts through social log in. The CROWD team have over 20 years’ experience in retail designing, implementing and managing business to business connectivity solutions for many of the UK’s leading brands. www.crowdwifi.co.uk

For media inquiries, please contact:

Cloud4Wi
Elena Briola, CMO
ebriola@cloud4wi.ai
Tel: +1 415-852-3900

David Coursey, Platform Evangelist
dcoursey@cloud4wi.ai
Tel: +1 209-740-7515