BUSINESS TIP ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– of the greatest “disruptors” that we have ever seen in retail. Given the ability to instantly access not only information but also input from family and friends about every pur- chase has changed the way consum- ers view and interact with retailers. Long gone are the days of getting in your car to drive to different stores to compare prices; they are now available right in your hand. Gone also are the days of waiting to ask friends or family their opinion of a desired purchase or feedback after the purchase, such as “What do you think of my new kitchen floor?” Now the opinions and feedback occur in real time before, during, and after the purchase, making the path to purchase very different from what it used to be. Technology beyond the phone is also having a profound impact. There are three technologies in par- ticular that you need to not only pay attention to – but more impor- tantly – have a strategy of integrat- ing into your business. These three technologies are Augmented Reality (AR), Conversational Commerce and the Internet of Things (IoT). Each of these technologies is having an impact on your customer’s shop- ping journey and therefore needs to be part of your strategy today. Augmented Reality Augmented Reality is the ability of computers – and more often mobile phones – to insert objects into a real environment. The use of this MAPEI’s Mapeguard® WP water- proofing membrane systems are uniquely engineered to deliver water- proofing, crack-isolation and vapor- control solutions, addressing the demands of wet and high-moisture environments encountered in today’s ceramic tile and stone installations. Mapeguard WP systems can include Mapeguard WP 200 waterproofing sheet membrane, Mapeguard WP ST waterproofing sealing tape, Mapeguard PIC pre- formed inside corners, Mapeguard POC pre-formed outside corners, Mapeguard PC pre-formed pipe collars and Mapeguard VC pre- formed valve collars. Components of Mapeguard WP systems can be purchased individually or collectively as the Mapeguard Combo Pack (which consists of inside corners, outside corners, a pipe collar and a valve collar packaged together in a kit). www. mapei.com 32 TileLetter | March 2019