Scale Your Retail Network

As your retail business expands, so does the complexity of your network needs. Without a scalable solution, you risk bottlenecks, slowdowns, and operational inefficiencies.

In this blog, we'll show how a network that's built for scaling is key to growing your business by ensuring smooth deployment and operations across multiple sites and even international borders.

The Challenges of Scaling Your Retail Network Operations

As your business grows, the complexity of your retail network expands. New locations, more devices and additional technology solutions demand more from your connectivity infrastructure.

Each new store brings new systems to manage; POS systems, inventory management, self-checkout kiosks, customer Wi-Fi and more. If your retail network isn't up to the task, performance will degrade, and operational disruptions become inevitable.

Take, for example, the case of Target's failed expansion into Canada in 2015. As the retail giant expanded into new markets, its existing IT infrastructure struggled to handle the increased volume of transactions and operational complexities.

What works well for 10 locations may be untenable for 50. Bandwidth can become saturated, and systems designed for smaller operations may not handle the added complexity. This may lead to slowdowns, inefficiencies and a poor customer experience that could reflect negatively on your brand.

Network failures and poor integration of systems can lead to major disruptions in inventory management, resulting in empty shelves and dissatisfied customers. Due to ongoing operational challenges, Target closed all of its Canadian stores just two years after opening.

A retail network that can grow with your business is important for smooth expansion and continued success. Without it, you could find yourself hindered by an inefficient system that restricts your progress rather than enabling it.

Here are some common hurdles companies face when expanding:

• More locations mean more potential entry points for cyberattacks. And if your new devices and systems weren't designed to work together, that's yet another entry point for incompatibility issues and security vulnerabilities.

• Entering into a new region may bring new data sovereignty and privacy requirements. Ensuring compliance in these areas can be an overwhelming task for IT teams usually focused on keeping the Wi-Fi operational.

• Acquiring a business segment requires aligning different and independent IT ecosystems to create a combined 'best of both' IT environment. This is made significantly easier by a flexible network and connectivity solution.

• Linear growth (such as a new store, five new self-service kiosks or a thousand new customers) can mean an exponential increase in connections and bandwidth requirements. This creates a strain on your IT staff as well as underlying infrastructure.

• Managing a larger network across multiple locations requires tools and systems to monitor performance, troubleshoot issues and deploy updates efficiently.

An inconsistent network can result in kiosks that don't function, negative customer experiences and reputation damage. It's a risk you can't take.

Why Your Legacy Retail Network Might Not be Enough

Legacy networks weren't built to handle the demands of modern retail technology - like IoT devices, mobile payments or cloud-based solutions. In fact, retailers spend an average of 58% of their IT budget on legacy system maintenance.

To deliver on the experiences that today's customers demand, retailers are increasingly incorporating these new technologies into their retail ecosystem. But these also require a flexible and robust network infrastructure. If an existing system can't integrate smoothly with these technologies, then the IT team will experience technical headaches trying to create patchwork solutions.

If your network is built on a single point of failure, one malfunction can bring down operations across multiple locations. A single outage can quickly become a widespread issue, disrupting business activities and damaging customer trust.

How a Scalable Network Supports Retail Growth

A retail network solution that can scale with your business growth is critical for maintaining operations across all locations, devices and systems.

As your business grows and new locations are added, your network should adapt to meet the demands of increased traffic and new technologies. A scalable solution helps you continue to grow without sacrificing performance or customer experience.

A managed, scalable retail network provider offers:

• Zero-touch installation for seamless setup, so new locations can be up and running faster

• A single, unified system so all your devices work together, providing real-time visibility into your operations, no matter how many stores you open

• Holistic security covers your entire network, protecting all systems, devices and sensitive data

• Knowledge of regulatory changes, to keep you compliant across all regions and operations

• Flexibility to adjust bandwidth, add new devices and expand to new regions without significant delays or interruptions

• Proactive network monitoring to help you stay ahead of potential issues before they cause major disruptions.

A managed network provider can ensure that your operations run smoothly - no matter how much your business grows.

TNSLink for Retail for a Scalable, Reliable Retail Network

TNSLink for Retail is a complete infrastructure for scaling your retail operations while maintaining secure and reliable connectivity.

• Where network connectivity, security and resiliency come together: TNSLink for Retail integrates advanced components tailored to retail needs. With options like SD-WAN, secure internet breakout, Wi-Fi, LAN switching and cloud connectivity, it's designed to support your business as it grows and provides the flexibility you need.

• Advanced network components for every store: TNSLink for Retail offers flexible solutions that meet site-specific needs, whether you're running single or dual-router setups, high-availability deployments, or managing multiple locations.

• Global carrier redundancy : TNSLink for Retail uses multi-carrier SIM cards for failover, ensuring your network remains operational even if one carrier experiences issues.

• Integrated security: Protect your business with PCI DSS Level 1-certified services, next-gen firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems that help secure your payment systems and business applications from potential threats.

• Highly available global core network: TNSLink for Retail's global core network provides direct access to payment ecosystem partners, merchant acquirers, processors and third parties, ensuring your connectivity is reliable and secure.

As your retail business grows, your network needs to keep pace. A scalable solution like TNSLink for Retail means your network can support expanding operations without compromising performance or security. Don't let outdated systems and slow networks hold you back.