New VMware Retail POS Modernization Solution Delivers Faster Innovation, Better ROI, and Faster, Secure Store Operations
VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) has just introduced a new solution to help global retailers modernize the point of sale (POS) and realize greater financial return on these systems. Developed in collaboration with Stratodesk, VMware's retail ISV partner, the new technology extends the lifecycle of today's POS to deliver tangible ROI, reduce security risks, maximize store uptime and enhance the customer experience. With the tool, store operators of all sizes can modernize their systems, make them customer-facing and, at the same time, minimize their debt.
Retailers have the opportunity to accelerate digital transformation through cutting-edge technologies that help them evolve to an agile cloud and software-defined architecture. As a result, they can overcome key information technology (IT) and retail POS challenges related to deployment, management, security, and ongoing upgrades as needed. The solution combines unified data management software endpoints and VMware's enterprise-class virtual desktop infrastructure with the endpoints from Stratodesk to offer a more agile, modern and safe service at the point of sale.
“Retail is one of the most expensive and complex environments to operate. Changing market dynamics are new opportunities for POS to become an innovation hub, a driver of retail business priorities and an enabler for better financial performance for companies of all sizes,” said Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight Research. “Virtualizing existing systems and adding multi-cloud support allows retailers to offer more modern and flexible environments, helping to eliminate the high capital expenditure required to upgrade POS terminals.”
Delivering results to key stakeholders across the retail organization
With VMware's retail POS modernization solution, operations, IT, marketing and security teams are positioned to achieve greater agility and responsiveness to deliver key business and customer returns. These are the desired results:
- Increased hardware lifecycles: the separation of POS hardware and software, through VMware's virtualization software and Stratodesk's NoTouch operating system, can typically extend the lifecycle of devices beyond 3-5 years and yield a much better ROI.
- Maximizing uptime/continuous operations: retailers can apply patches and update critical systems, such as payment controllers, just as they would any other software-defined workload, enabling continuous operations that positively impact the bottom line and customer experience.
- Safer POS environments: security organizations can automate the deployment of patches and updates to mitigate overall security risks faster. The migration to athin client” of software on POS devices further reduces an organization's threat surface.
- Brand and service expansion: retailers can create a “Store-In-A-Box” scenario, where hardware and software systems can be pre-configured, shipped directly to stores and be up and running in a matter of hours, in sync with the rest of the organization. Marketing teams can leverage new technology-enabled service offerings to engage customers, more quickly deploy and update solutions for in-store analytics to drive a better understanding of customer behavior through advanced metrics .
- Mobile POS and pop-up stores: Migrating workloads to a retail edge platform or cloud of choice allows retailers to dynamically scale their presence and utilize mobile kiosks and handheld devices for “line expansion” without the need to retrain employees to enable them. them using unknown software solutions.
- Simplified IT operations and management: retail IT can use orchestration and analysis tools that staff are already familiar with from their data centers to manage previously isolated systems. Application updates are centrally managed and automated through VMware's retail POS solution in the customer's preferred cloud.
“The point of sale is no longer just the last moment of contact with the customer, but also a facilitator of business processes. Retailers cannot afford to be constrained by legacy POS systems that impede the execution of retail strategies,” said Ed Durbin, Senior Director of Retail Industry Solutions at VMware. "VMware's solution enables global retailers to deploy and support a system that leverages current investments in retail POS technology to provide customers with a modern experience aligned with their business strategy."
"VMware's retail POS modernization solution with Stratodesk's embedded NoTouch software enables retailers around the world to embrace modernization initiatives and improve the customer experience," added Emanuel Pirker, Founder and CEO of Stratodesk. “Regardless of kiosk, route or store, companies can create the same modern retail experience through Stratodesk's suite of endpoints and deploy and repurpose standardized terminals using their preferred hardware.”
Based on proven technologies from VMware and ecosystem partners
The solution leverages proven end-user computing and cloud technologies and provides VMware partner tools that retail IT teams already use across the enterprise. It has the following components:
- VMware Horizon: Connects the POS terminal to virtualized desktops and application workloads and more securely reconnects peripherals that are physically connected to the terminal. This includes receipt printers, barcode scanners, cash register drawers and credit card PIN pads.
- VMware Workspace ONE: Cloud-native device management that improves security hygiene and provides application automation to POS systems.
- Stratodesk NoTouch Operating System and Management Software: Enables POS terminals to run a more secure operating system that is regularly maintained, centrally managed and easily updated.
- Edge Computing and Multi-cloud: The VMware Edge Compute Stack or any public cloud provides processing and workload management services that enhance security and increase agility.
New Coresight research reveals key drivers for retail technology investments
New research conducted by Coresight and commissioned by VMware reveals that retailers can profit more through technology solutions, for example, with a migration to the cloud, which allows them to transform fixed costs into variable costs, access a virtually unlimited processing and develop new functions faster and easier. However, sometimes the cloud is not enough: retailers also need to bring processing power closer to brick-and-mortar stores, also known as edge technology, in order to strengthen security and provide faster response. in functions such as image recognition, which are time sensitive. Ultimately, retailers need a software platform that determines which actions need to be performed in the cloud and which actions are best performed locally. Read the report in full here: “Retail Challenges Driving Edge Technology Investment."”
