Are Marketers Thinking Mobile First?

There is no denying the Smartphone onslaught when it comes to innovation in marketing. As a media, smart devices have acquired an astounding mind-share with mobile devices as a means of selling and buying skyrocketing over the last few years. Unabashedly therefore my second post too is dedicated to the space of mobile marketing. This time however, I focus on whether marketers are thinking with a mobile first approach!

Thinking mobile first is not about jumping the consumer mobile app bandwagon. To my mind it is the contrary. Enterprises, especially retailers need to dial back a step and consider if they really need an app. In case they do, then they need to define the kind of experience the app will drive for customers. While I am no expert on the subject and less on the technology, my comments are based on some observations over the last few years.

Mobile First is about the Experience

I have friends over on a Saturday evening and I decide to use an app by a fast food retailer to order food. It my first time using it and I realize that the app is simply the website converted or rather forced into an one. The navigation is unwieldy. It takes me a grueling 20 minutes to order and I am exhausted by the end of it. There was no sense of cohesiveness, no sense of ease. It would have been easier to just call and order.

Mobile apps have their distinct way of impacting buying behavior, but first they will always be tested for the experience they deliver. Enterprises often in their frenzy to go mobile forget the difference of environment between a physical store, an online store and a mobile app.

To this end I am extremely impressed with what Bookmyshow have done with their app. I can order movie tickets with a few taps. Navigation is simple and easy. Depending on my payment options, the app suggests offers and discounts. It lets me select my preferred seats. Connects seamlessly with a payment gateway and the whole transaction takes me not more than 5 minutes. The app offers a pocket where my booking is stored and I can flash the same at the movie counter and pick up the physical tickets.

Once an enterprise has decided to go mobile, experience is what they have to think, than just being there as another mobile app.

Mobile First is also about the Last Mile

A phenomenal mobile experience does not end with a few taps on a device by the customer. The last mile delivery is equally critical. The mobile ecosystem is an intricate mesh of an enterprise’s offering, its brand essence and the quality it delivers.

This makes a lot of sense when one has an objective look at online retailers. They are investing heavily in creating a push for their mobile apps. An equal amount of effort is being spent on strengthening their seller and delivery network. These retailers understand that with mobile they are exposed to the extent that everything has to be first time right.

A consumer who comes via the mobile application has already shown their commitment to a particular e-tailer. Failing to deliver then is a sheer way of losing customer loyalty and also creates an adverse impact on the brand. One negative feedback is enough to deter several other prospects.

Mobile First is also about the Technology

It might sound obvious, but working for a tech firm has given me the perspective that a lot of enterprises do not invest enough in the right technology. The consumer mobile app ecosystem is so intricate and delicate that even a small slip can lead to a huge setback. In the present context, retailers need a technology backbone which can help them operate in a multi-device and multi-environment ecosystem.

There technology ecosystem has to be ready to brace the onslaught of changes introduced by Mobile OS giants including Google, Apple and Microsoft. Sometimes updates can wreck havoc, in case a retailer is not prepared for them. Anticipating how the crosshairs will move remains critical to success.

The technology framework has to be adept in creating, pushing updates across different OS’, devices and use experiences. Most importantly though, the right people who value the right technology and a community of interest in how to help the mobile strategy succeed will remain key imperatives.