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iBeacon is an indoor proximity system that allows your mobile device to understand its position even indoors. iBeacon enables an app to trigger push notifications when in close proximity to an iBeacon. Although retail was one of the very first industries to utilize iBeacon, the airline industry is another area where iBeacon is, along with events, hospitality, banking and mobile all of which can be seen below:
1. Airlines
iBeacons have the capacity to provide multiple solutions to passengers in airports and can provide a boost to their overall journey experience. Using iBeacon airlines can easily provide passengers with indoor directions, walk times to gates, lounge access and inform passengers in real-time of boarding updates. Very often passengers arrive into airports that are of unfamiliar territory and quite often it can be an overwhelming experience. Particularly if you were to arrive into Dallas Forthworth Airport with research revealing that 65% of passengers arrived at the gate early because they are often nervous about whether they are at the right gate. Following on from this research iBeacons were deployed at the Dallas Forthworth Airport where American Airlines app users could automatically receive information and directions to their gate via their iPhone or iPad when they were at the terminal.
2. Events
Mobile event apps using iBeacons have the capability of enhancing features like contact exchange, exhibitor information, maps, line-up information, sponsorship, advertising and promotions, seat upgrades, in-game prizes, scavenger hunts and geo fencing. Networking events such as the Cannes Lions Festival has used iBeacon for networking. The company used iBeacon to allow attendees to network with an “Around Me” feature in the event’s app that display nearby attendees. The feature was integrated with LinkedIn profiles allowing attendees to send messages and connect instantly if they’ve opted in. GenieConnect an event app introduced a new iBeacon-enabled audience response solution for the convention and corporate events industry. The solution utilizes the proximity awareness of iBeacons to ‘push’ session content to attendees and, if desired, locks their handset screen during the session to minimize distractions.
Similarly iBeacons are being embraced at sports events. Here at XtremePush we teamed up with Leinster Rugby and deployed iBeacons during the recent RaboDirect Pro 12 semi-final at the RDS stadium. Mobile-minded supporters received push notifications through the Leinster Rugby App, triggered by specially placed iBeacons, when they entered certain areas of the stadium. The push notifications directed the fans to collect special prizes from Leinster’s Blue Crew within the RDS.
3. Hospitality
iBeacons used in hotels can allow a hotel to enhance and deliver a greater overall customer service experience. iBeacons can look after those hotel formalities that you would rather not have to think about, freeing up time for guests to enjoy themselves. In the case of formalities such as check-in, your reservation number is automatically opened up in passbook and upon entrance of the hotel you are then provided with an electric room key. Beacons can help you to solve the potential maze you will have to solve when you are trying to find your room. The James Hotels based in the United States, released an app called the James Pocket Assistant with iBeacon integration. The app promises to give hotel guests a concierge like experience, providing location-based suggestions for dinner, shopping, and activities.
4. Banking
iBeacon offers exciting opportunities for banks. iBeacon can target customers as they walk past or enter a branch. These opportunities include welcome communications, customer recognition, availability and wait times, personalized product offers, surveying and branch analytics. St. George bank branch in Australia was the first ever deployment of ibeacons in the banking industry. When a customer walks into the bank, the iBeacon senses the person’s entrance and sends a welcome message and personalised information directly to the iPhone or iPad. The bank hopes the service could help to reduce queue times. The bank has said that their investment in iBeacon has the ability to anticipate customer’s needs, understand what matters to them and act on that knowledge to surprise and delight them.
5. Mobile Payments
iBeacon and mobile payments is the latest industry to embrace this technology. Hailo has a new ‘Pay with Hailo’ service that is fully equipped to use iBeacon technology. This feature uses iBeacon which can automatically recognize taxis with the option to connect and pay for a journey automatically as soon as you step foot inside a vehicle. And in the the new year PayPal will be deploying PayPal Beacon to connect to a customer’s PayPal app when they enter a store. With one vibration or sound on your phone, you’ll know you’re checked in and when you’re ready to make a purchase, all you have to do is say you’re paying with PayPal and the transaction is automatically completed: no cash, cards, taps, or signatures required – all hands free.
