Thin Film Electronics (Thinfilm) has announced a global alliance with Tata Consulting Services (TCS). Through the partnership, the companies will create the "Next Experience in Retail" through a powerful combination of Thinfilm's proprietary NFC technology and TCS's comprehensive portfolio of retail solutions and accelerators.
According to the announcement:
- TCS will collaborate with Thinfilm to incorporate the printed electronics leader's NFC OpenSense and NFC Barcode technologies into the TCS OmniStore POS Platform and the TCS Optumera Suite of Products.
- More specifcally, the offering will be delivered through interactive NFC shelf labels at the point of sale, allowing shoppers to tap items with their smartphones to receive product information, promotional offers, usage tips, and other contextual messaging that influences their buying decision.
- The "opt-in" protocol with NFC, which is much less intrusive than Bluetooth or iBeacons, is geared toward increasing consumer engagement levels, strengthening brand loyalty, and significantly enhancing the consumer experience.
- Retailers and brands will also benefit as data associated with shopper interactions and behaviours is captured through the TCS OmniStore POS Platform and sent to the cloud for analysis.
Davor Sutija, CEO of Thinfilm, said, "NFC solutions in a retail setting are quite empowering to the consumer and can literally transform the buying experience." Davor added, "We look forward to working closely with TCS, one of the most successful technology solutions providers in the industry, to deliver innovative products and services to the retail market."