Turnstyle Solutions

Turnstyle Solutions, now operating as Yelp WiFi, was established in Toronto, Canada, in 2012 by co-founders Devon Wright, Chris Gilpin, Matt Hunter, and Nav Sangha. The initial concept for the company originated from the founders' own experiences in a band, where they sought a better way to connect with and reward their fans at live shows. This led to the development of a location-based marketing and analytics platform designed to give brick-and-mortar businesses the same level of customer insight enjoyed by online retailers.

The company's core offering is a WiFi marketing platform that enables businesses to provide free guest WiFi to their customers. In exchange for access, customers log in using their email address or social media profile, allowing the business to build a valuable contact list. This model serves a variety of physical venues, including restaurants, bars, and retail stores. Revenue is generated through a subscription model, with businesses paying for access to the platform's marketing tools. A significant milestone for Turnstyle Solutions occurred on April 3, 2017, when it was acquired by Yelp Inc. for approximately $20 million in cash. The acquisition was a strategic move for Yelp to expand its service offerings for local businesses beyond customer acquisition, integrating tools for customer retention and loyalty.

The platform, now known as Yelp WiFi, transforms a business's existing guest WiFi into a powerful marketing asset. When customers connect, they are met with a customizable, branded splash page. The service provides businesses with a dashboard to access analytics on customer behavior, such as visit frequency and duration. These insights allow businesses to understand their clientele on a deeper level. Key features include the ability to send targeted email and SMS promotions, create loyalty programs, conduct customer surveys, and segment users for tailored marketing campaigns. By capturing customer data at the point of WiFi login, the platform helps businesses re-engage customers, drive repeat visits, and ultimately increase in-store sales.

Keywords: WiFi marketing, customer analytics, guest WiFi, location-based marketing, customer retention, loyalty programs, retail analytics, Yelp WiFi, customer engagement, splash pages, email marketing, SMS marketing, business intelligence, foot traffic analysis, Turnstyle Solutions, Devon Wright, customer data platform, brick-and-mortar retail, restaurant technology, marketing automation