Visualization technology and retail is the combination of the future. According to industry leaders, the technology is going to change the way people shop and the way firms go about marketing their products — a shift that presents an important opportunity for managed service providers (MSPs).

Visualizing Trends

The increasing convergence of digital and physical retail environments is changing the way companies plan for their future IT needs. TechRadar points out that visualization is set to drive innovation across all industries, but retail is the main sector that needs to make big changes to meet new consumer demands.

In the article, several visualization technology companies explain what the future has in store for retailers. One important trend in retail is showrooming, where customers research and try on products in a brick-and-mortar store but make purchases online. Virtual reality can help retailers go above and beyond for showrooming customers by eliminating the need for the store visit altogether. For instance, 3-D scanning can recreate clothing, and a shopper can look at a virtual version of herself wearing the dress she's interested in buying — all without leaving her home. This technology provides the ultimate retail experience for customers, with price, time and comfort advantages.

IT for a New Retail Future

Graphics are an essential component when marketing a product or service, and the most innovative and advanced graphics and visualization technologies can convert data into compelling, revealing and interactive graphics that further a company's business goals. According to TechRadar, companies will have to think about this visual aspect of marketing more and more. The future of marketing will be about sensory experiences and how data is visualized.

MSPs should be ready to assist their retail clients with the IT strategies necessary to move toward the future customer experience and marketing. Big data analytics are necessary in the transformation, since industry trends will need to be analyzed quickly to make better business decisions. MSPs may also be asked to provide the software to create holographic displays and advanced mobile applications to enhance the shopper experience.

Visualization technology and retail can go a step further to include other types of analytics, languages and models of interaction. There is also the process of designing informative visuals using smart visual analytics and developing new representations of 3-D geometry. MSPs can assist their retail clients with strategies for collaborative and social visualization. Designing software systems that support various smartphone formats and large multi-display environments will also open the door to new marketing possibilities.

Tomorrow's savviest companies will aim to reach more markets by investing in the best visualization and analytics tools. MSPs will be key in helping retail clients achieve their goals.

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