Businesses of all sizes have had to adapt and become more agile as consumer behaviour has evolved, including an expectation for anytime, anywhere access to their content, to businesses, and to brands. A recent study showed 76% of US apparel executives planning to improve omnichannel integration in stores to adapt to changing market conditions and consumer behavior. The global pandemic has only accelerated the need for omnichannel initiatives such as curbside pick-up and ship from store.
With this in mind, HP Inc. has expanded its Engage portfolio with the new HP Engage Go 10, a convertible system that thrives on on-the-go atmosphere and serves customers from anywhere, and HP Engage Flex Mini, designed to meet the demands of customer applications across verticals.
HP is designing technology to help businesses create experiences that consumers expect with reliable performance and the agility needed for convenient, secure, and personalised shopping experiences. It is no longer about online vs. in-store shopping, but about creating seamless, integrated experiences that blend across the various channels to meet customer needs. Brick-and-mortar stores play a vital role in the customer journey by providing the immediacy and hands-on experience that consumers value.
“As consumer behaviours and shopping habits continue to evolve, businesses need to remain laser-focused on connecting with consumers in new and exciting ways,” said Cory McElroy, vice president and general manager, Retail Solutions, HP.
“The new Engage Go 10 and Engage Flex Mini reflects HP’s commitment to delivering technology solutions to retailers and hospitality operators that combine sleek designs, expanded capabilities, and the reliability and security needed to run a wide range of operations throughout their business – whether fixed in store or mobile for curbside pickups.”
According to National Retail Federation, convenience is increasingly being defined by contactless shopping, on-demand fulfilment, and inventory availability with retailers that offer convenience. To help businesses deliver enhanced, seamless, and contactless interactions with consumers, HP is collaborating with Ingenico, a Worldline payments brand, to integrate payment capabilities into the Engage products. With the initial integration option on the Engage Go 10 tablet, it will enable businesses to accept most major payment card methods and complete transactions on-the-go.
“Powered by 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processors, the new HP Engage Go and Engage Flex products will help retail and hospitality meet the rapidly evolving needs of consumers, by facilitating new transaction and fulfilment capabilities that have evolved from niche offerings to mainstream channels in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Joe Jensen, VP, Internet of Things Group and General Manager, Retail, Banking, Hospitality, and Education at Intel.
The HP Engage Go 10”, a tablet-based convertible solution, allows sales associates to easily transition between fixed and mobile operations. Starting at 726 grams, the mobile and lightweight device is designed to integrate key accessories such as a barcode scanner and fingerprint reader directly into the tablet, providing users with greater on-the-go portability. The option to integrate the Ingenico Moby 5500M payment device into the tablet allows businesses to accept a variety of electronic payment methods, no matter whether the customer is located inside or outside the store.
Additionally, it features, powerful performance with the Intel chip and up to 9-hours of battery life alongside HP Fast Charge Technology; HP Wolf Security for business and is built to last after undergoing MIL-STD testing.
The HP Engage Flex Mini provides businesses with the ability to drive a wide range of operations from a compact device that fits almost anywhere. The power and performance of the Engage Flex Mini in such a small footprint brings versatility to fit the right applications across multiple verticals – retail, hospitality as well as healthcare, manufacturing, and transportation.
HP Engage Flex Mini features 10th Gen Intel Core i9 processors, 64GB memory and 2 flex port options, including a 2nd NIC flex port option that offers fast transfer rates and reliability. It can be deployed with HP Engage Edge.
Additionally, HP’s point-of-sale system, Engage One Pro, will now be available with Android or Windows options, providing customers with even more versatility in their configuration options.
HP will reveal the pricing closer to date of availability in the Middle East.
