[{"_id":"project-settings","settings":{"translateMetaTags":true,"translateAriaLabels":true,"translateTitle":true,"showWidget":true,"isFeedbackEnabled":false,"fv":1,"customWidget":{"theme":"dark","font":"rgb(255, 255, 255)","header":"rgb(0, 0, 0)","background":"rgba(0, 0, 0,0.8)","position":"right","positionVertical":"bottom","border":"","borderRequired":false,"widgetCompact":true,"isWidgetPositionRelative":false},"widgetLanguages":[{"code":"es-LA","name":"Español (América Latina)"},{"code":"fr-CA","name":"Français (Canada)"}],"activeLanguages":{"fr-CA":"Français (Canada)","es-LA":"Español (América Latina)","de":"Deutsch","en":"English"},"enabledLanguages":["de","en","es-LA","fr-CA"],"debugInfo":false,"displayBranding":true,"displayBrandingName":true,"localizeImages":false,"localizeUrls":false,"localizeImagesLimit":false,"localizeUrlsLimit":true,"localizeAudio":false,"localizeAudioLimit":false,"localizeDates":false,"disabledPages":[],"regexPhrases":[],"allowComplexCssSelectors":false,"blockedClasses":false,"blockedIds":false,"phraseDetection":true,"customDomainSettings":[],"seoSetting":[],"translateSource":false,"overage":false,"detectPhraseFromAllLanguage":false,"googleAnalytics":false,"mixpanel":false,"heap":false,"sdkAnalytics":true,"disableDateLocalization":false,"ignoreCurrencyInTranslation":false,"blockedComplexSelectors":[]},"version":5434},{"_id":"en","source":"en","pluralFn":"return n != 1 ? 1 : 0;","pluralForm":2,"dictionary":{},"version":5434},{"_id":"outdated","outdated":{"#Inline-02 (9)":1,"#tsyhun, Shutterstock / Pressmaster, Shutterstock / Kite_rin":1,"#Inline-01 (9)":1,"#<a ljsid-0=\"\">Boutique iQ</a>, our telecom-specific point-of-sale lowers transaction times and improves the in-store experience for reps and customers with front-of-house capabilities including mobile POS, payment processing, and contactless payments. Our retail management modules boost operational efficiency with inventory, data, analytics, omnichannel, and much more.":1,"#Omnichannel retail in telecom isn’t a future ambition; it’s happening now. Retailers that start small with high-impact use cases, such as BOPIS or endless-aisle ordering, see immediate results and quick ROI. The technology is intuitive, modular, and built for telecom’s unique workflows such as activations, IMEI tracking, and carrier integrations.":1,"#Physical locations are now showrooms, service centers, and fulfillment nodes all at once. Shoppers browse devices online, pick them up in-store, or buy in person and ship to their homes. Retailers who enable this fluidity see clear payoffs; customers are<strong ljsid-1=\"\"> </strong>more likely to purchase when services like curbside pickup are available.":1,"#5 Predictions for Telecom Retail in 2026 (And How We're Tackling Them at SummitX)":1,"#The customer experiences one brand, one journey, and zero friction.":1,"#The customer information, order status, and inventory are all updated across channels the moment the transaction is completed.":1,"#With iQmetrix, that optimism becomes action. Our interconnected solutions empower your teams, delight your customers, and future-proof your business.":1,"#As our trends survey notes, <span ljsid-1=\"\"></span><span ljsid-3=\"\">“</span>After years of headlines proclaiming the death of retail, the industry is reimagining the role of the store and finding optimism in omnichannel.”":1,"#From Vision to Action":1,"#Many retail platforms still treat omnichannel as an add-on feature. iQmetrix takes a different approach: it’s Interconnected Commerce by design. Built cloud-native and telecom-specific, iQmetrix empowers retailers to evolve quickly, without the costly overhauls, rigid deployments, or endless customization typical of older systems. The result is flexibility that scales with your business and a platform that feels light, connected, and future-ready.":1,"#The associate completes setup, recommends accessories, and processes payment on the spot via tap-to-pay.":1,"#<a ljsid-0=\"\">iQ Storefront Telecom POS</a> and iQ Hub, the core of iQmetrix’s Interconnected Commerce Retail Suite, are designed precisely for this world.":1,"#What Omnichannel Excellence Looks Like":1,"#Learn more about our products":1,"#A truly unified telecom experience feels effortless:":1,"#This blog kicks off our new series, <em ljsid-1=\"\">Retail Evolved: The Mega Trends Bringing People and Technology Together</em>, where we explore the forces reshaping modern telecom retail, and how you can stay ahead. For telecom retailers, that means the walls between digital and physical need to come down. In our <span ljsid-3=\"\">2025</span> Telecom Retail Trends survey, <strong ljsid-5=\"\"><span ljsid-5-0=\"\">52</span>% </strong>of industry professionals said stores are essential to their unified commerce strategy.":1,"#The New Role of the Store":1,"#The store isn’t dying. <strong ljsid-1=\"\">It’s evolving into a connected, customer-first commerce hub at the center of every journey.</strong>":1,"#iQmetrix | Retail Evolved: Telecom Retail Stores Are Becoming…":1,"#<strong ljsid-0=\"\">iQ Hub</strong> is our upcoming cloud-native, event-driven retail management system that will centralize inventory, order, and reporting workflows. It will connect online, in-store, and warehouse channels into one unified system. This will enable real-time data synchronization, automated task management, and streamlined back-office operations, saving time and eliminating guesswork.":1,"#<strong ljsid-0=\"\">iQ Storefront</strong> is a <em ljsid-2=\"\">beyond-POS</em> solution specifically designed for telecom retail that unites in-store sales, online pickups, activations, and returns in a single, intuitive, device-agnostic interface. Associates can serve customers anywhere in the store, with real-time access to inventory and customer data.":1,"#In telecom, this expectation runs even deeper. Customers rely on in-store expertise to activate devices, transfer data, or troubleshoot plans. The in-store visit is often the final, trust-building step of a digital journey. <span ljsid-1=\"\"></span><span ljsid-3=\"\">“</span>Omnichannel or bust” isn’t just a slogan, but the new retail reality.":1,"#How iQmetrix Makes It Possible":1,"#A customer reserves a phone online and books an in-store appointment.":1,"#Your customers are already omnichannel. Your tech should be too. Let’s reimagine what’s possible, together.":1,"#When they arrive, the associate already has the order pulled up on a tablet, thanks to a unified system.":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Courtney Miller, Market Research and Intelligence Analyst</span> on Nov <span ljsid-3=\"\">19</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2025</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> Telecom Industry Trends </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> Interconnected Commerce </a>":1,"#Telecom customers no longer think in terms of channels; they expect a seamless, continuous experience. A shopper might start researching online, book an appointment, then walk into your store expecting a seamless handoff. In fact, <strong ljsid-1=\"\"><span ljsid-1-0=\"\">73</span>% </strong>of retail consumers are omnichannel shoppers, and they’re more loyal and valuable than single-channel buyers.":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Stephanie Boyle</span> on Jun <span ljsid-3=\"\">11</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2020</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> COVID-<span ljsid-7-1=\"\">19</span> </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> Customer Experience </a>":1,"#1D":1,"#2D":1,"#iQmetrix | New eSIM-only iPhone Changes the Game for Telecom Carriers":1,"#. Implementing eSIM technology would make it easier for customers to switch providers, which would only increase customer churn.":1,"#countries who":1,"#, the telecom sector had a Net Promoter Score of":1,"#Device manufacturers, in contrast, have long been on board with eSIM. In <span ljsid-1=\"\">2021</span>, there were:":1,"#Carriers are want to protect their roaming revenue, which has only just recovered from COVID losses:":1,"#With the plethora of eSIM capable phones already being produced by device manufacturers, it will be interesting to see which companies follow suit. Either way, it seems that most US network providers will have to adapt and forge a new path forward if they want to hang on to customers upgrading to the newest devices.":1,"#the lowest of all industries measured":1,"#report on the state of eSIM, consumer awareness of eSIM in":1,"#What are eSIM’s key challenges for carriers?":1,"#more than":1,"#However, this news was less welcome most North American carriers, who face challenges in implementing support for eSIM. Analyst firm Global Data has said that this announcement is <span ljsid-1=\"\"></span><span ljsid-3=\"\">“</span><a ljsid-4=\"\">a disaster for ill-prepared carriers</a>”. Given the hurdles this technology poses to carriers, it’s no wonder that the eSIM standard was first launched in <span ljsid-6=\"\">2016</span>, with the first eSIM-capable iPhone following in <span ljsid-8=\"\">2018</span>, but the telecom sector is yet to fully embrace it.":1,"#the global pandemic drove a massive":1,"#telecom service providers in the United States have":1,"#% in the United States. With such low awareness, it’s not surprising that network providers have felt a lack of urgency.":1,"#Low consumer awareness and demand:":1,"#allows for smaller, more lightweight devices":1,"#from":1,"#an industry churn rate of <span ljsid-1=\"\">22</span>%":1,"#billion subscribers in":1,"#Currently, T-Mobile is the only major network operator supporting eSIM, a capability that they announced less than three weeks prior to the iPhone <span ljsid-1=\"\">14</span> launch. T-Mobile’s marketing of the feature downplays eSIM’s capability to easily switch carriers, instead focusing on benefits to consumers who either want to use both their work and personal numbers on a single device, or set up an international carrier on their existing device for extended stays outside of the United States.":1,"#is easier to activate":1,"#One of the hottest topics in any telecom-related conversation right now — and a key point of discussion in the upcoming <a ljsid-1=\"\"><span ljsid-1-0=\"\">2022</span> Telecom Industry Address</a>—is the carrier support for eSIM phones and devices.":1,"#million customers changing carriers each year. The telecom industry has historically struggled with low customer loyalty levels, and the increased market competition has only fueled that trend. In":1,"#Given that eSIM has broad penetration outside of North American — with many eSIM models already on the market — why are carriers struggling to embrace this technology? The answer is largely because of the game-changing disruption to their existing business models, along with other challenges.":1,"#From a consumer standpoint, the benefits are clear. eSIM technology:":1,"#used an eSIM service":1,"#allows users to switch between different carriers (including international carriers when overseas) at the touch of a button.":1,"#eliminates the need for handling fiddly SIM cards":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Ash Kreider</span> on Sep <span ljsid-3=\"\">28</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2022</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> Mobile Industry </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> Telecom Industry Trends </a>":1,"#. The recovery in roaming revenue had only just started to hit its stride this year. Many analysts have predicted, however, that the Apple eSIM announcement will be the end of roaming revenue altogether.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">57</span> smartphone models with eSIM on the market, more than half of which support <span ljsid-2=\"\">5</span>G":1,"#Although eSIM is seeing increasing adoption globally, according to GSMA Intelligence’s March":1,"#was at":1,"#Disruptive eSIM technology will be a hot topic at the 2022 Telecom Industry Address, hosted by on October 19":1,"#At the recent launch of the iPhone <span ljsid-1=\"\">14</span>, Apple announced that the newest iPhone model (in the United States only, for the time being) would have an embedded SIM, or eSIM, and would not have a physical SIM card tray. Consequently, iPhone users who want to upgrade to the newest model will need to have a rate plan with a carrier that supports eSIM technology.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">73</span>% decrease in global roaming subscribers":1,"#—resulting in":1,"#Ever-higher telecom churn rates:":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Courtney Miller, Market Research and Intelligence Analyst</span> on Feb <span ljsid-3=\"\">27</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2025</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> Telecom Industry Trends </a>":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Devin Shrake, Co-Founder, Shiftlab</span> on Sep <span ljsid-3=\"\">27</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2021</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> RQ Retail Management </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> Workforce Management </a>":1,"#by Statflo on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">22</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Sive O’Neill on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">30</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Beth Wanner on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">5</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Megan Howse on Jun <span ljsid-1=\"\">17</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#There’s a Problem With FierceWireless’s <span ljsid-1=\"\"></span><span ljsid-3=\"\">“</span>Most Powerful People in Wireless Tech” List":1,"#by Statflo on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">28</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Megan Howse on Oct <span ljsid-1=\"\">23</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Renee Mohr, Product Marketing Manager, iQmetrix on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">6</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Kirsten Barkved on Dec <span ljsid-1=\"\">6</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#<span ljsid-1=\"\">3</span> Next-Gen Retail Trends for Next-Level Profits":1,"#by Stephanie Boyle on Dec <span ljsid-1=\"\">19</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Stephanie Boyle on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">15</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#<span ljsid-1=\"\">29</span> Relatable Memes for Wireless Retailers":1,"#by Devin Pacholik on Jun <span ljsid-1=\"\">3</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Megan Slinn on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">13</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Stephanie Boyle on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">13</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Kirsten Barkved on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">24</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Jason Raymer, SVP of Revenue & Client Experience on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">16</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Brayden Gervan on Oct <span ljsid-1=\"\">21</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2020</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">11</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">19</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2021</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">26</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">24</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2022</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Jun <span ljsid-1=\"\">9</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2021</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">25</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Nov <span ljsid-1=\"\">4</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2022</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">12</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">30</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Sep <span ljsid-1=\"\">28</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2022</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">22</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2022</span>":1,"#ICYMI Meetup <span ljsid-1=\"\">2018</span>: An Atmosphere Unlike Anything Else":1,"#by Erin McLellan on Sep <span ljsid-1=\"\">10</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2018</span>":1,"#by Renee Mohr, Product Marketing Manager, iQmetrix on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">21</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Tanya MacPherson, Director of Growth & Demand Gen, iQmetrix on Nov <span ljsid-1=\"\">6</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2018</span>":1,"#What Retail Learned in <span ljsid-1=\"\">2018</span>":1,"#Reaching New Heights: Meetup <span ljsid-1=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#The Impact of <span ljsid-1=\"\">5</span>G on Wireless Retail":1,"#by Stephanie Boyle on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">26</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Megan Howse on Sep <span ljsid-1=\"\">26</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2018</span>":1,"#by Megan Howse on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">9</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Megan Howse on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">4</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#<span ljsid-1=\"\">4</span> Things You Cannot Miss at This Year’s Mobile World Congress Americas":1,"#ICYMI: Looking Back at MWCA <span ljsid-1=\"\">2018</span>":1,"#by Megan Slinn on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">25</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#Growth in Wireless eCourse":1,"#by Tanya MacPherson, Director of Growth & Demand Gen, iQmetrix on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">7</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#From AI to Z: What to Expect from CES <span ljsid-1=\"\">2019</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Aug <span ljsid-1=\"\">10</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">30</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2024</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Jul <span ljsid-1=\"\">27</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">17</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2024</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Nov <span ljsid-1=\"\">15</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Jason Raymer, SVP of Revenue & Client Experience on Jan <span ljsid-1=\"\">17</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2024</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Apr <span ljsid-1=\"\">13</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Mar <span ljsid-1=\"\">19</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2024</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Mar <span ljsid-1=\"\">30</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Courtney Miller, Market Research and Intelligence Analyst on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">27</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2025</span>":1,"#by Joannah Connolly on Dec <span ljsid-1=\"\">2</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2024</span>":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Joannah Connolly</span> on Dec <span ljsid-3=\"\">4</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2024</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> SummitX </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> Telecom Industry Trends </a>":1,"#AI in Telecom Retail Posts":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Feb <span ljsid-1=\"\">2</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#by Ash Kreider on Mar <span ljsid-1=\"\">16</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2023</span>":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">4</span>. Security and compliance don’t get a pass because it’s AI.":1,"#That fatigue is fair. Not every AI headline is a decision you need to make this quarter. Here’s a filter: five things you can safely tune out for now, and five things you actually can’t ignore.":1,"#The goal isn’t to have the most AI. It’s to have the right AI for the job.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">1</span>. Your data has to be ready first.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">“</span>AI-powered” is the software equivalent of a food label that says <span ljsid-2=\"\"></span><span ljsid-4=\"\">“</span>contains real fruit juice.” It’s there to make you feel like you’re making the right choice, but a splash of fruit doesn’t necessarily make something worth the squeeze. The same goes for AI.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">1</span>. <span ljsid-2=\"\"></span><span ljsid-4=\"\">“</span>AI-powered” as a feature label.":1,"#You don’t have to swing for the fences to get value from AI.":1,"#Before asking what AI can do with your data, make sure you can trust the data you’re giving it.":1,"#Most AI initiatives don’t fail because the model isn’t capable. They fail because the data feeding it is fragmented across systems that were never built to talk to each other. In retail, that might mean inventory that doesn’t reconcile across channels, customer data trapped in disconnected POS systems, or commission data three systems removed from the storefront.":1,"#The businesses that come out ahead won’t necessarily be the ones that adopted the most AI or adopted it the fastest. They’ll be the ones that knew where AI could create a real advantage and had the fundamentals in place to make it work: clean data, connected systems, clear use cases, and a healthy dose of skepticism about what’s proven versus what’s promised. That pattern is already showing up in <a ljsid-1=\"\">our mid-year look at the five telecom retail predictions for <span ljsid-1-1=\"\">2026</span></a>.":1,"#Because the smartest AI in the world can’t act on information it can’t see.":1,"#When the technology changes enough to change the decision, you can make a new one.":1,"#The question isn’t whether AI belongs in the future of telecom retail. It’s where it can make a meaningful difference in your business today.":1,"#The same thinking applies to AI. It’s easy to assume that the biggest, most powerful model must be the best choice, but your business probably doesn’t need the most sophisticated AI available for every task. A smaller or more specialized model may be faster, less expensive, and perfectly capable of doing the job you actually need it to do.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">“</span>AI-powered” has become the default addition to almost every software pitch, but the label tells you very little about what you’re actually getting. The more useful question is: what does this AI enable me to do that I couldn’t do before? If you can’t find a clear answer, I’d wager that, much like that <span ljsid-2=\"\"></span><span ljsid-4=\"\">“</span>contains real fruit juice” label, you’re probably getting a lot of filler.":1,"#There’s nothing wrong with experimenting at the edge. Just don’t confuse an experiment with a business case.":1,"#Then there’s the other end of the spectrum: fully autonomous customer service, self-managing storefronts, and the promise of AI running entire parts of your business with little human involvement. Those ideas may become reality, but there’s a big difference between what AI can demonstrate and what you can depend on it to do every day.":1,"#Halfway Through 2026: How Our Five Telecom Retail Predictions Are Holding Up":1,"#AI can give you more information, more options, and more ways to move faster than ever before. But more isn’t always better. Someone still has to decide what matters, what’s worth pursuing, and when the right answer is to do nothing at all.":1,"#Those questions need answers before deployment, not after something goes wrong.":1,"#Any AI system touching customer data or payment information inherits the same compliance obligations as everything else in your stack, and it can introduce new questions along the way. Where is the data processed? Who can access it? Is it retained? What happens after a model uses it?":1,"#The retailers seeing real results from AI aren’t necessarily the ones using the most sophisticated models. They’re the ones whose systems are connected enough to give AI a clear picture of what’s actually happening across the business. For a deeper look at why smarter individual channels still fail when they remain disconnected, read <a ljsid-1=\"\">AI Made Every Telecom Channel Smarter – So Why Does the Customer Experience Still Feel Broken?</a>":1,"#AI doesn’t work in a vacuum. You can have the best forecasting tool on the market, but if it can’t see what was sold online, what’s sitting in stores, what’s coming from suppliers, and what’s already been promised to customers, how good can that forecast really be?":1,"#by Erin Drake, Customer Marketing and Operations Manager, Marketing on Jul <span ljsid-1=\"\">28</span>, <span ljsid-3=\"\">2026</span>":1,"#Instead of asking which AI is the most powerful, ask which one is powerful enough for the problem you’re trying to solve. Then look at what it costs to run, how quickly it responds, how easily it integrates, and whether you actually need everything else you’re paying for.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">5</span>. Bigger isn’t always better.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">3</span>. Some AI use cases are already proven. Others aren’t.":1,"#Five things that are actually urgent":1,"#If the demo is impressive but those answers aren’t clear, you’re looking at potential, not an implementation plan.":1,"#That speed can be incredibly valuable. With the right workflows, a small team can produce far more high-quality work than it could before. But volume alone isn’t the strategy. The advantage comes when AI helps scale original thinking, expertise, and a clear understanding of what your audience actually needs.":1,"#AI can help you make decisions faster, but first it needs an accurate picture of your business. If the underlying data is incomplete, inconsistent, or disconnected, AI doesn’t magically make it reliable. It just starts making decisions based on a version of your business that isn’t quite real.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">5</span>. AGI timeline predictions.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">3</span>. Content volume as an AI strategy.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">“</span>Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards.” — Aldous Huxley":1,"#AI fatigue isn’t a reason to disengage. It’s a reason to get better at filtering the noise.":1,"#AI isn’t going away, and neither is the noise around it. There will always be a newer model, a bigger promise, or another headline telling you that everything is about to change.":1,"#Some of the most useful applications aren’t the ones making headlines. Inventory forecasting, commission and performance tracking, and fraud detection in payments are already putting AI to work on real problems retailers deal with every day. For more practical examples, see <a ljsid-1=\"\">How to Introduce AI Into Your Wireless Retail Tech Stack</a>.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">2</span>. Integration decides the outcome, not the algorithm.":1,"#You don’t need to predict the future to make a good decision today.":1,"#A polished AI demo can make almost anything look transformative, but the real test comes when the rubber meets the road, or in this case, when that technology meets your systems. Ignore the brochure talking points and figure out how it plugs into what you already have. What needs to change? What happens when something goes wrong? And most importantly, what measurable problem does it actually solve?":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">4</span>. Vendor demos without operational context.":1,"#Full autonomy is a direction worth watching and building toward. It’s just not something most businesses should plan around as though it has already arrived.":1,"#That doesn’t mean agents aren’t useful. They are. Today, they’re at their best when the job is specific, the outcome can be checked, and a person remains somewhere in the loop. If businesses could get burned by relatively simple customer-service automation, handing agents substantially more autonomy should come with substantially more scrutiny.":1,"#At iQmetrix, we’re focused on putting AI to work where it can solve real retail problems, backed by the connected data and systems needed to make it useful.":1,"#That’s why integration matters as much as the AI itself. <a ljsid-1=\"\">Interconnected Commerce</a> is one way to think about the underlying challenge: connecting the systems, data, and vendors your business already relies on. Before getting caught up in which model is smarter or which platform has the newest capabilities, ask a much less exciting question: can it actually talk to the systems where my business runs?":1,"#Garbage in, garbage out. It’s an old saying in technology, but AI hasn’t made it any less true.":1,"#Every demo looks great when everything goes according to plan. The data is clean, the systems cooperate, and nobody asks the question that breaks the workflow. Your business probably doesn’t work like that.":1,"#Knowledge is table stakes now. Wisdom is still the differentiator.":1,"#Every keynote, every vendor deck, every analyst report says the same thing: AI is going to change everything about commerce and retail. For the people actually running these businesses, that message has stopped feeling like insight and started feeling like noise. It’s everywhere, it’s urgent, and most of it doesn’t actually tell you what to do on Monday morning.":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Ryan Benoit</span> on Sep <span ljsid-3=\"\">9</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2026</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> Intelligent Commerce </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> Customer Experience </a> <a ljsid-11=\"\"> AI in Telecom Retail </a>":1,"#Knowing where that line sits matters. Before putting budget behind an AI initiative, ask whether you’re investing in a problem the technology can reliably solve today or betting on what someone says it will be able to solve tomorrow.":1,"#Agents are getting more capable, but there’s still a meaningful gap between capability and autonomy. Remember Air Canada’s chatbot? It gave a customer incorrect information about the airline’s bereavement-fare policy, and Air Canada was ultimately held responsible for it. And that was a chatbot answering a question. Now imagine giving an AI the ability to take action across multiple systems, make decisions, and carry out a long workflow with little or no supervision.":1,"#Five things to ignore (for now)":1,"#Want to see what practical AI adoption can look like? <a ljsid-1=\"\">Explore how to introduce AI into your wireless retail tech stack.</a>":1,"#The filter that matters":1,"#It was recently reported that one of Meta’s AI models hacked another company during cybersecurity testing after a configuration error gave it access to the internet. So don’t assume AI will always stay within the boundaries you intended.":1,"#Ready to cut through the AI noise?":1,"#You wouldn’t buy a Ferrari to be your grocery getter. Sure, it can get you to the store, but you’re paying for a whole lot of horsepower you’ll never use.":1,"#It’s an interesting debate, but if you’re deciding what technology to invest in today, it’s probably not a useful planning input. Your business still has to operate today. Make decisions based on what AI can reliably do now, understand what’s coming next, and leave the AGI countdown to everyone else.":1,"#AGI, or artificial general intelligence, is the idea of AI that can think, learn, and perform across a broad range of tasks at or beyond human capability. Will we get there in two years, five years, or twenty? Ask ten people in AI and you’ll probably get ten different answers.":1,"#Producing ten times as much generic content simply because you can is very different from using AI to get ten times more leverage from ideas that are actually worth sharing.":1,"#Maybe it will. But your job isn’t to predict every turn the technology will take. It’s to make good decisions about what deserves your attention today.":1,"#Quality over quantity. Have you ever asked AI about something you know really well, only to find yourself correcting the answer? Now apply that to your business. AI doesn’t magically fix weak thinking, bad information, or a broken process. It just helps you produce the output faster.":1,"#<span ljsid-0=\"\">2</span>. Fully autonomous agents.":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Stephanie Boyle</span> on Jun <span ljsid-3=\"\">11</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2020</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> Customer Experience </a>":1,"#Microsoft Surface Series (with Windows <span ljsid-1=\"\">11</span>)":1,"#Our Windows Tablet <a ljsid-1=\"\">Pick</a>":1,"#Our Receipt Paper <a ljsid-1=\"\">Pick</a>":1,"#iQ Terminal Setup Guide":1,"#APG Series Cash Drawers":1,"#and newer. In most cases, this is automatically installed Windows":1,"#We have provided some hardware picks to help guide your set-up process. With these picks and any hardware, our Support Team will make every effort to ensure a device gets setup successfully in RQ. However, due to the vast amount of Hardware available in the market, we cannot guarantee compatibility with RQ.":1,"#HID <span ljsid-1=\"\">4500</span> U.Are.U Fingerprint Reader":1,"#+ workstations by Windows Update, but can be manually downloaded":1,"#Our <a ljsid-1=\"\"><strong ljsid-1-0=\"\">Pick</strong></a>":1,"#Runtime is required to run RQ":1,"#<strong ljsid-0=\"\">Topaz </strong>Siglite <span ljsid-2=\"\">1</span>×<span ljsid-4=\"\">5</span>":1,"#To learn more about setup and configuration, please refer to the":1,"#Disclaimer About Our Picks":1,"#Many of our customers use Epson receipt printers with RQ, particularly Epson TM-M<span ljsid-1=\"\">30</span> or Epson T<span ljsid-3=\"\">88</span>V models.":1,"#Socket Mobile CHS":1,"#<strong ljsid-0=\"\">Note:</strong> Many payment terminals include signature capture functionality.":1,"#Microsoft Office <span ljsid-1=\"\">2010</span> Standard<sup ljsid-3=\"\"><span ljsid-3-0=\"\">3</span></sup>":1,"#Many of our customers use Zebra and Epson-brand label printers with RQ.":1,"#Our Label Printer <a ljsid-1=\"\">Picks</a>":1,"#Many of our clients successfully use Zebra-branded Barcode scanners with RQ.":1,"#Our Barcode Scanner <a ljsid-1=\"\">Pick</a>":1,"#Our <a ljsid-1=\"\">Pick</a>":1,"#Multi":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Megan Howse</span> on Oct <span ljsid-3=\"\">9</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2020</span> in <a ljsid-7=\"\"> Omnichannel Retail Trends </a> <a ljsid-9=\"\"> eCommerce </a>":1,"#Megatrends":1,"#: iQmetrix Telecom Industry Address — Top":1,"#Nothing helps build trust in your products like getting them in the hands of your team. Everyone’s business is different so I cannot tell you exactly what will work best for you. What I can tell you is that by helping your team get the devices and accessories you sell in their hands or on their devices can really help build trust in what they are selling. It allows them to know the product inside and out, and speak truthfully when promoting a product you sell in-store. My team has seen that confidence is contagious and when the team member is confident in the product they’re selling, the shopper can be confident in purchasing it. It’s a win-win!":1,"#Web Presences":1,"#A vital piece to becoming successful at up-selling products from a repair and transitioning into more of a retail experience is having proper and approachable displays for the products you’d like customers to recognize. Allowing customers to interact with their potential purchase is helpful in making the sale. There are a bunch of good companies who sell retail fixtures, or you can get creative like we did and build them from scratch. Either way, making sure you have phones, tablets, computers, accessories, & more display is a sure way to increase product sales.":1,"#Making Moves: The Transition from Repair to Retail":1,"#Happy selling!":1,"#Facebook Marketplace":1,"#Let’s be honest, we all know the hard part of selling more product is the ability to have the capital to buy the product in the first place. Making sure you have an accurate system with a checks/balances process in place can make sure you are buying the right product. What does buying the right product mean? Well, not only does it satisfy the needs of your clientele, but it also helps product move off your shelves and prevent theft (since less product in-store means less product available for the taking — literally — it’s a no-brainer).":1,"#A little extra nudge never hurts. Utilizing wall space for posters and digital signage can help remind consumers about all inventory available; even if your entire product catalog isn’t on display. Bundle upsells are a great way to get the conversation started (when a customer comes in to pick up their recently repaired phone, think about asking <span ljsid-1=\"\"></span><span ljsid-3=\"\">“</span>to help prevent this from happening again, would you like to take a look at our protective cases?”). Signage also gives your sales team visual clues to remind them to engage with customers and tell them all there is to know about your extended offering.":1,"#Being a successful repair store means more than fixing what's broken. Why not stand a head taller than the competition while supporting customers at every…":1,"#The following is a guest blog from Michael Oberdick, the CEO and Founder of iOutlet.":1,"#Specializing in selling these types of products helps you set yourself apart from other locations who may only focus on repair. Overall, in my near <span ljsid-1=\"\">15</span> years in retail and repair, I believe having a business more focused on used devices and accessories — alongside your exceptional repair offering — is a much more scalable business. And don’t forget, it’s also what customers are beginning to expect.":1,"#Inventory Systems":1,"#With the rocket launch of mobile commerce, it’s likely true that thousands of consumers are browsing your website every day. But, if they are unable to see the products you sell or know that you do indeed offer them, they may not ever make it in your door. This means that your nicely displayed products and your eye-catching sales signage is going to waste. I know online product libraries may seem like a hard, tedious platform to maintain with ever-changing inventory counts and added or removed product offerings, however listing your complete product catalog on your website can be a game-changer for device and accessory sales. Trust me.":1,"#by <span ljsid-1=\"\">Michael Oberdick</span> on Nov <span ljsid-3=\"\">20</span>, <span ljsid-5=\"\">2018</span>":1,"#iQmetrix | Making Moves: The Transition from Repair to Retail":1,"#Displaying Products":1,"#But how can you reap the rewards of these new revenue streams? Let’s break it down to the basic keys that, if used correctly, can unlock the door to continued success.":1,"#This is a good trend for repair shop owners to recognize and make the most of. I first noticed this emerging phenomenon a few years ahead of the curve when opening my retail stores, iOutlet. Selling devices and accessories is a much easier task to hire and train for, as compared to the art of device repair. This may be why some, if not many, repair shop owners aren’t jumping at the chance to add accessory sales to their operations.":1,"#In today’s rapidly growing repair industry, the focus seems to be shifting from solely repair to repair plus devices and accessories. Consumers are looking for trustworthy brick-and-mortar locations they can visit to get the retail experience and shop; they want the entire experience in one stop.":1,"#Believe it or not, this list is just the beginning! I am sure I could carry on for days about what your team can be doing to sell more alongside your all-star repair services. But with these quick tips, you’ll be on the right track to secure closed up-sells like never before.":1,"#Signage":1},"version":5434}]