The current generation’s need for Wi-Fi has become a lifestyle. In fact, in the F&B business, Wi-Fi availability is one of the important factors for customers to choose your restaurant.
Benefits of installing Public Wi-Fi in your F&B business
- Extend the duration of visitors thereby encouraging visitors to buy more products
- Help increase promotions through customers sharing their experiences while visiting your business
- Attract the attention of remote workers and digital nomads to visit your F&B business
- Encourage more practical and safer contactless transactions, such as using digital wallets
- Improve accessibility for international guests, for example by enabling language translation tools to facilitate communication
Disadvantages of installing Public Wi-Fi in your F&B business
Apart from the advantages, there are also several vulnerabilities that arise when you decide to install Public Wi-Fi in your F&B business, namely:
- Affects the atmosphere and customer interactions, such as detracting from the dining experience which impacts customer satisfaction
- Reduced sales per customer due to customers exploiting free Wi-Fi
- Increase the vulnerability of cyber threats
- Increases the maintenance and operational costs of the F&B business
Although there are pros and cons, the advantages of providing free Wi-Fi greatly outweigh the disadvantages. In fact, concerns about free Wi-Fi can be easily addressed.
How to optimize free Wi-Fi installation for F&B businesses
Choose a reliable internet provider
Read carefully what the ISPs in your area offer. Choose one that offers high-speed service. Ask your ISP to set up a separate connection specifically for customers (Guest accounts) to ensure the security of your business information.
Choose a faster service
Invest your capital in renting high-speed internet services. Customers prefer fast Wi-Fi. Providing high-speed Wi-Fi can leave a positive impression on your F&B business, thereby encouraging repeat visits.
Ensure that the equipment installed is appropriate
Make sure the equipment needed to provide Wi-Fi, including modems, routers, and access points is high quality. Place routers strategically to maximize coverage and signal strength in areas customers access Wi-Fi.
Set password
Protect your Wi-Fi network from unauthorized access by setting a password. Enable WPA/WPA2 encryption for additional security. Turn off your private network SSID so customers don’t see it.
Communicate Wi-Fi passwords to customers
Write the password for this customer on the nameplate, customer desk, or behind the cashier’s desk for easy access. It would be better if your Wi-Fi access is only for paying customers. This also prevents non-customers from exploiting your network.
Implement Captive Portal
Improve Guest Wi-Fi access with a captive portal, a web page that customers encounter when connecting to the network. Captive portals can be filled with forms to collect customer information such as name and email address. You can use this information to send newsletters about your business. Additionally, use this page to communicate terms of service or special offers to your customers.
Limit bandwidth usage
Captive portals can also be used to limit access to bandwidth-consuming sites. You may consider blocking access to YouTube, Netflix, or Disney+ sites. This ensures everyone gets the fastest connection.
By following the steps above, you can optimize Public Wi-Fi for your F&B business. Entrust Public Wi-Fi installation to a trusted Managed Service Provider such as Hypernet. Contact our Call Center for more information.
