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At first, it might not make sense for profit-making businesses to give away rather than charge for, wireless Internet access. However, a growing number of hotels and restaurants have found that it pays to offer free WiFi Internet access. This perk attracts customers and provides a real bottom-line payback for a relatively small capital investment, according to free WiFi pioneers.
Cities and community development organizations across the country have embraced free WiFi to boost economic development and attract visitors to downtown areas. A handful of small airports in the shadow of large hubs offer free WiFi to attract travelers.
One free WiFi pioneer is John Woolsey. He is the chairman, CEO and president of the restaurant chain, Schlotzsky’s Inc. in Austin, TX. Woolsey is not shy about sharing details of what he calls the "strong ROI" from the company’s free WiFi service. According to him, the free WiFi results in an additional 15,000 visits per restaurant per year by customers who spend an average of $7 per visit.
Keep in mind this was data from back in 2003, back when Schlotsky’s had only 30 company-owned or franchised Schlotsky’s Delis WiFi enabled. Nevertheless, back then WiFi service brought in more than $100,000 per year per outlet in return for an investment of about $8,000 per restaurant. The wireless infrastructure also required T1 connectivity.
Woolsey also uses the free WiFi as a high tech marketing tool. When wireless users first connect to Schlotsky’s WiFi Network, they are shown an in-house "splash" Web page the the chain uses to promote itself and its bill of fare. Schlotsky’s has even brought high-gain WiFi antennas into the process. These antennas are designed to transmit the splash page as far outside its deli restaurant as possible.
One Austin outlet beams its signal into dorm rooms at the University of Texas, and another beams it into a competing Starbucks. According to Woolsey, this high-tech guerrilla marketing campaign to grab the eyeballs of potential customers is less expensive and potentially more targeted than buying a 30-second TV commercial.
Today, a good and secure WiFi connection is a lot more affordable than it was back in 2003. The wireless service can also be achieved with either a cable or DSL connection rather than an expensive T1 line. Thanks to WiFi service companies like The Wifi Company of Denver, CO, creating a secure WiFi hot spot is both easy and cost-effective. The installation of the pre-flashed wireless router is simply plug-and-play.
While it is possible to have a WiFi hot spot by just connecting a wireless router to a cable or DSL modem, that connection will not be secure. And, that could result in serious problems for the wifi hot spot owner should the hot spot get hacked or exposed to viruses.
A good, secure WiFi hot spot is one that is connected to Virtual Private Network and monitored remotely 24/7 to make sure everything works properly and remains secure. The WiFi Company of Denver, CO provides all of it customers throughout the nation with that kind of protection.
These days, free WiFi can be found almost anywhere people congregate - not just in restaurants, coffee shops and book stores. For that reason, do not be surprised if you see free WiFi offerred in parks, marinas, automotive repair shops, schools and government offices. In fact, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is being asked to creatively use wifi hot spot advertising as a means to help lower California's $10 billion deficit rather than to seek closure of state parks.
Some small businesses have no desire to be a WiFi hot spot. They only want the cost-effective, targeted audience exposure provided by a splash page advertisement. This advertisement can take the form of an audio message (think radio commercial), video message (think Youtube) or HTML (display ad) in high traffic areas. CDMM, a small marketing company, is working with The WiFi Company to help make that possible.
Lamar Morgan lives in Hidden Valley Lake.
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