Why Long-Term Partnerships Still Matter in Retail Technology

In a fast-moving tech world, a 28-year customer relationship is rare. For Skywave, it’s a testament to consistent service, evolving technology, and shared goals.

One of our proudest examples is Northpoint City in Singapore, our customer since 1997. What was once a neighborhood mall with around 130 stores has since expanded into a major heartland destination — now spanning over 400 retail outlets and F&B tenants across its North and South Wings, with footfall reaching 56.7 million visitors yearly (Oct 2022–Sep 2023).

Through every renovation, expansion, and retail shift, Skywave’s sensors have been quietly running at every mall entrance, capturing the traffic insights needed to support tenant planning, leasing strategies, and visitor experience.

This is what 28 years of collaboration teaches us.

1. Start with Listening, Not Selling

When Skywave first began working with Northpoint City in the late ’90s, the request was simple:
“Help us accurately understand visitor traffic.”

Instead of pushing technology, we spent time on the ground — walking the mall, understanding entrance layouts, and building trust with the operations team.

This early foundation shaped how Skywave approaches every customer today:
✔ Understand the environment
✔ Understand the business goals
✔ Then deploy the right solution

2. Evolve With the Customer, Not Away from Them

Retail trends change. Visitor behaviour changes. Mall layouts change.

Over the years, Northpoint City underwent major expansions, refurbishments, and tenant reshuffles. Each time, Skywave adapted:

Repositioning sensors for new entrances
Refreshing hardware to the latest models
Calibrating for changing shopper patterns
Expanding the dashboard as their data needs grew

A long-term relationship only works if the technology evolves with the customer’s vision.

3. Stability Matters More Than Flashy Features

In people counting, accuracy and uptime are everything.

Northpoint City’s trust was built not on hype, but on reliable data, year after year:

Minimal downtime
Local support that responds quickly
Hardware built to last
Calibration that stays accurate across mall transformations

A system that “just works” becomes invisible — and that’s how it should be.

4. Support Isn’t a Department — It’s a Culture

Across 28 years, what kept the relationship strong wasn’t only technology.
It was people.

The Skywave team ensured:

On-site support when needed
Fast troubleshooting
Transparent communication
Long-term familiarity with the mall’s unique layout

It’s easy to be there on Day 1.
What matters is being there on Day 10,000.

5. Loyalty Reveals the Only Thing That Really Matters: Trust

Remaining with one partner for nearly three decades in a competitive tech market says something powerful:

👉 The data is accurate
👉 The service is dependable
👉 The relationship adds value
👉 The partner shows up

This is what loyalty looks like in B2B — earned slowly, maintained consistently.

A Partnership Built to Last

Today, Skywave sensors continue to count every person entering Northpoint City, supporting:

Leasing teams who negotiate with confidence
Marketing teams planning activations
Ops teams ensuring smooth visitor flow
Management teams making data-driven decisions

28 years later, we’re still proud to be their partner.

Let Us Be Your Long-Term Partner in People Counting

Whether you manage a mall, retail chain, attraction, or event venue, dependable footfall data is the foundation for smarter decisions.

If you’re looking for accuracy, stability, and a partner who stays with you long-term —
Skywave is ready to walk the journey with you. Contact – Skywave