Free WiFi?

[Fulvio]

Speaking of dealers, and their ability to shoot themselves in the foot, How is it that so many drop the ball when it comes to value adding that costs them nothing?

Case in point... WiFi.

I had an interesting conversation with the Apple store manager at Chadstone last week. Now, I go to chaddy a couple of times a week, mainly to hit the banks, but also to clock up a few km in a pleasant, dry, temperature controlled environment and keep the blood sugar under control.

The shopping centre has free WiFi, but its a complete waste of time. They make you jump through hoops to use it, and it mostly doesn't work anyway.

Of the hundred or more other networks in the building, only two are BS-free. Both belong to Apple. So on every lap, where does one choose to take their pitstop and get things done? At the Apple store of course!

This is a massive marketing tool. As anyone who's been in business more than five minutes can tell you, the first step to making a sale is to get the customer in the door. Closed doors tend to drive people to your competitors.

Getting customers in the door can be a very expensive proposition. That's why advertising agencies tend to be full of rich smartarses. And every dollar spent on marketing is a dollar less in the till, and a step closer to being an ex-businessman.

So why do the vast majority of businesses completely ignore the huge drawcard that WiFi represents? Its essentially free money, because once the customer is in your store, you have a very good chance to make a sale. And free access to the internet, while not enough to get someone out of bed and into the car, is enough to get them through your door instead of the bloke next door's once they're out and about.

I've had this conversation with a couple of dealers. One in particular has his router sitting right there taunting me with its blinking lights, but he steadfastly refuses to unlock it. And I've yet to get a coherent answer as to why.

Surely its not rocket science?

Oh, and before anyone prattles on about security, I've had an open network here for years. Of the 50 networks on this block, mine is one of only two that are unlocked. And I've never had a problem, nor do I expect I ever will. If your systems are that fragile, you should put them out for hard rubbish collection and buy something better.

[ausjack]

:shock: I'm Mr Biggles :pilot:
Yep, I think the meds are workin :Alvarin_33:
So WTF is all this wifi crap and why should I care :angel:
I don't think it matters unless you have laptop or whatever and I'm a retard so I don't, just this big black box that seems to work so I don't think I need any high tech BS that will only cost me more money and then you have to keep up so then it's more and more money so that's less for me and my coins so what do I pick, high tech that I wouldn't really use or a nice coins..hummmm let me think about that :scratch_one-s_head: Nah coin wins sorry :winkextra:

I just want one HUGE solar flare just to see what happens :derisive: