JERUSALEM, Israel – Juniper Networks, (NYSE: JNPR), a leader in secure, AI-driven networks, today announced that Duty Free James Richardson (JR/Duty Free), one of the 20 largest duty-free businesses in the world and the largest operator of duty-free stores in Israel, has deployed an AI-driven solution from Juniper to boost revenue, simplify IT operations and enhance customer satisfaction in stores, distribution centers and in the company’s corporate campus. The Juniper Mist solution leverages AI to maximize mission-critical Wi-Fi uptime in JR/Duty Free facilities through self-driving operations, AI-driven troubleshooting and customizable service levels, all of which are managed via a microservices cloud for seamless and scalable operations.

The retailer’s total of eight shops in Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, for example, provides a wide range of beauty, liquor, wine, tobacco and confectionery tax-free goods. Reliable Wi-Fi is critical to operations in those stores, supporting mobile Point of Sale (POS) devices, wireless scanners for inventory management and phone systems. When the JR/Duty Free IT department was looking for a WLAN solution to maximize network uptime and scalability in these stores as well as the company’s distribution centers and corporate campus, they turned to Juniper Mist technology.

JR/Duty Free deployed Juniper Mist AP41 access points in conjunction with the Juniper Mist Wi-Fi Assurance service and Marvis Virtual Network Assistant. These cloud-based services simplify IT operations through client-level insight, rapid wired and wireless troubleshooting, trending analysis, anomaly detection and proactive problem remediation. Previously, when there was a problem with a handheld device in JR/Duty Free’s distribution center, work came to a halt as IT had to identify and troubleshoot the problem – and had immediate impact on the shoppers’ experience who have, by definition, a limited amount of time to make their purchases. With Juniper Mist, the network either fixes itself or gives the IT team prescriptive guidance on how to proactively fix problems before users are impacted.

News highlights:

• Mist AI delivers unparalleled user experience and provides a cohesive approach to manage wired and wireless networks
• Juniper, with its AI-driven Radio Resource Management that leverages reinforcement learning, has solved ongoing issues with radio-frequency interference (RFI) at JR/Duty Free’s airport stores. In the past, JR/Duty Free’s team spent hours manually tuning the RF signal strength and channels to mitigate RFI, but with Juniper Mist technology, the system now automatically optimizes the RF settings for the best experience
• With Juniper Mist’s reliable AI-driven Wi-Fi, JR/Duty Free can now connect digital displays wirelessly, rather than physically cabling them. Eliminating cabling made the displays more visually appealing and significantly simplified the network
• JR/Duty Free is exploring indoor location services to increase customer engagement and optimize store merchandizing. Juniper Mist Wi-Fi access points also support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) with their patented virtualized BLE (vBLE) antenna array, which boosts the accuracy and reduces costs of deploying and operating location services. For instance, retailers can offer shoppers mobile check-in and customized greetings. Sales associates can be alerted when a customer uses pickup service. Shoppers can make a purchase at one location and pick up the package at a different location, or on their return trip, so they don’t have to carry items with them
• The retailer also uses the Juniper Networks® EX Series Ethernet Switches in its stores, offices and warehouses and can seamlessly implement wired assurance via the cloud to deliver similar capabilities as the existing wireless assurance product
• The Juniper Mist architecture also sets the stage for more advanced network reliability and engagement. The same platform used for wireless assurance, for example, can also be used for wired assurance. This enables JR/Duty Free to implement service levels and perform proactive operations and troubleshooting on their Juniper EX switches in the future
• Mist AP41 Access Points come equipped with a patented virtual Bluetooth LE® antenna array, giving JR/Duty Free the option of deploying advanced location services without additional hardware, such as proximity notifications, shopper greetings and asset location. Juniper Mist’s detailed analytics can also be used to drive revenue by providing detailed data on customer traffic patterns for optimal product placement.

Supporting Quotes:

“Before using Juniper, we spent lots of time and resources to manage the network infrastructure.We looked for a solution to shorten the troubleshooting process, simplify the management platform by using the cloud and adopt leading edge technology based on AI solutions. After a long search, we chose Juniper Mist technology, one that allows us a 360 degree solution for the JR network infrastructure.”

• Avi Aciman, VP & CIO, Duty Free James Richardson

“The primary objective of this innovative Wi-Fi deployment is to create a more engaging user customer experience at JR/Duty Free’s stores at Ben Gurion Airport. Most people don’t travel every day, and JR aims to give them a superior shopping experience that exceeds expectations. We will continue to work with JR/Duty Free to support their innovation in retail as their ideas and aspirations develop even further.”

• James Morgan, Vice President, Enterprise Sales, EMEA Juniper Networks

Additional Resources:

• JR/Duty Free: Success Story
• Follow Juniper Networks online: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
• Juniper Blogs and Community: J-Net