If you start a business, one of your challenges is to get enough reviews and testimonials, whether by word of mouth or other means, in order to get enough customers to start making a profit.
Offering free access is perceived by your customers as an invitation and even an guarantee of quality, especially if the service is efficient and Wi-Fi is performant enough (which means a good browsing speed).
Another asset to consider is that free Wi-Fi helps with engagement, which is essential to build a customer base. By facilitating access to your services, you encourage that engagement.
In the case of getting reviews, a Wi-Fi portal will allow you to redirect Internet users to a rating system (such as Google reviews or websites like Yelp). It is ideal for gaining visibility quickly on the web and in your city. You can automate the collection of reviews that way without bothering to asking yourself for testimonies. And if you encourage word of mouth by offering a good experience to visitors, they will not hesitate to recommend you. In addition, if a prospect hears about you and wants to check if you are reliable, the reviews will quickly convince him/her to buy your products and your services..
To summarize, offering free Wi-Fi is like opening a door for new customers and allowing them to discover you with pleasure and ease. It is also an opportunity to engage them immediately and use that momentum to grow your business.