Digital shop experience using tools that save costs

A retail company was looking for a way to test new technologies risk-free. Using Cloud Foundations from Sunrise Business, the fashion retailer was able to find a new point-of-sale system that meets its specific needs for all its shops quickly and flexibly. The flexible cloud service gave the SME the ability to make informed decisions and laid the foundation for further growth.

Customer

The Aurora Boutique* is a small concept store that opened just over a year ago – with a rapidly growing customer base. In an intimate atmosphere, the three founders sell regional designer objects and unique handmade items from their own studio in the rear of the premises.

Initial situation

As digital natives, the Ticino shop founders were keen right from day one to use digital tools to manage their daily work efficiently. However, as the business grew rapidly, it became clear that the individual solutions originally chosen for Internet, calls and card payments did not fit together very well; the costs proved higher than expected and Italian-language support was not available when problems arose. Especially in the studio and storeroom, the Wi-Fi was not reliable enough for creative research, reordering items quickly and checking the stock on a tablet.

The founders were faced with the challenge of rethinking the digital foundations of their business. Without IT expertise, it was difficult to find the right components from the wide range of offers available and this wasted a lot of time and created uncertainty in cost control. At the same time, the start-up had to keep a very close eye on costs: the card terminal’s intransparent transaction fees also put a strain on the profit margin. As the plan was for the shop also to be used for evening events and public viewing in the future, the search for a simple combined solution became the key task for the shop team.

Why SME Ready Connect & Pay from Sunrise Business?

Sunrise Business offers three carefree packages , ideal for hotels and restaurants, beauty salons and health service providers, and shops that want to modernise their digital infrastructure with minimal effort, simplify processes and optimise costs at the same time. All packages are coordinated, ready for immediate use and offer local support in all national languages – leaving you free to focus on what matters most: your business, your manufacturing and your customers.

In addition to the basic S package with Internet, cybersecurity and a Nexi card reader for contactless payments, the M package also includes multi-line calls with up to five parallel lines for professional accessibility and a Wi-Fi booster for comprehensive Internet coverage right through to the studio and storeroom. The L package also offers Business TV Public for legally compliant TV service – perfect for public viewing and digital customer information.

The Nexi card reader included in the bundle is available on a leased basis – with no acquisition costs or fixed monthly fees – and impresses with its transparent, inexpensive terms (0.95% debit/1.75% credit). Onboarding usually takes 5 to 15 days, meaning that the boutique is ready to go quickly with no fuss.

Solution and implementation

To cater for the shop owners’ requirements sustainably, the solution implemented was SME Ready Connect & Pay M – the modular package solution for start-ups and business owners with growth ambitions – and needed no complicated provider-comparisons or technical resources. For the shop owners there was no wading through quotes or grappling with IT jargon. Internet, security, a Wi-Fi booster, multi-line calls and payments are bundled together as a practical, complete solution. As is customary in the industry, the payment system is set out under a separate contract with Nexi but integrated seamlessly from a technical perspective, and it does not require any additional coordination effort.

• Nexi card reader POS A77 – Contactless and «future-ready»: leasing model without any expensive acquisition costs or fixed monthly fees; attractive transaction fees (0.95% debit/1.75% credit); automatic software updates. Supports all standard payment methods, and so is particularly practical for all standard payment options used daily Switzerland.

• High-speed Internet with extra Wi-Fi booster: Comprehensive Internet all the way to the studio and storeroom – ideal for stocktaking, reordering, using admin tools in the cloud or for stable music streaming to create a pleasing atmosphere.

• Business Ready Phone: Up to five parallel phone numbers – this makes it easy to separate calls for customers and suppliers, ensuring that no calls are lost, even during busy times.

• Cybersecurity integrated: Cisco Umbrella protects data and tools reliably – greater security with no extra effort.

Ordering, installation and onboarding were each coordinated centrally by Nexi and Sunrise. The card reader came preconfigured; the onboarding took place within ten days and the Internet was activated at the same time.

Result

With SME Ready Connect & Pay, the boutique owners laid the digital foundation to serve their rapidly growing customer base with real confidence – providing streamlined processes, planning certainty and a modern shopping experience.

Modern point-of-sale (POS) payments are fast and contactless, with the low fees protecting the profit margin and allowing investments to be made to help the start-up carry on expanding.

In the studio and storeroom, the stable Wi-Fi ensures that products can be located, reordered and stock levels checked on a tablet without delay – and music streaming plays reliably to create the perfect feel-good atmosphere.

Communication is now professional as well: with two separate lines, calls from customers and suppliers can be kept separate, making delayed calls a thing of the past. Data protection and IT security run in the background – without any extra effort. The founders particularly appreciate the personal support in Italian – rapid support that understands what really matters in the shop.

And with the boutique planning to host evening events or public viewings in the future, the package can be expanded simply with Business TV Public.

Twice as attractive financially: the leasing model eliminated the high cost of acquiring a new payment terminal – and the bundled Internet plan is also significantly cheaper than it used to be with the previous provider.

The advantages for shops and service providers at a glance

1. Secure, fast payments with minimal transaction fees (0.95% debit/1.75% credit) – for all common payment options

2. Fast Internet for shops – stable, comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage through to the storeroom

3. Business calls with no bottlenecks – up to five parallel lines

4. In-person support in all national languages (German, French, Italian)

5. Modular expandability at any time – e.g., with an upgrade to L incl. Business TV Public

6. Cost-effective – attractive monthly rates and transaction fees, with no high acquisition costs

7. Ready to use immediately – quick installation, preconfigured functions, easy to use

8. Future-proof infrastructure – thanks to the latest technology and automatic updates

*The example of Aurora Boutique has been anonymised but is based on a real customer case. The experiences and solutions outlined have been tried and tested in practice – and are very relevant to many SMEs.