- Retail TouchPoints

Taking A Bite From The Mobile Industry

Times are changing and retailers who fail to meet the needs of today’s savvy consumers will be left behind. There’s a reason mobile and social media are trending topics in the retail industry. For starters, consumers practically are glued to their mobile devices. Having access to several web sites while on the go doesn’t help. In fact, there are 90 million smartphone users in the U.S. alone, according to a recent Mobile Retail Advisor study conducted by comScore, a mobile research firm.

What does this mean for retailers? It means more opportunities to engage with the hyper-connected consumer.

But wait! Sending an email or SMS blast to everyone in your database won’t work. Yes, consumers are available through various channels; however, relevant messaging is the key to customer engagement. You wouldn’t send a friend a birthday card if it wasn’t his/her birthday, would you? So why treat your customers the same? With the focus on targeted communications, COLLOQUY Managing Partner Kelly Hvlanika recently discussed the findings of the company’s new study, titled “2011 Cross-Cultural Loyalty Study,” indicating that only 12% and 10% of respondents in the U.S. and Canada said it pays to be loyal to their favorite brands. Retailers can create loyal customers by meeting the needs of their audience and engaging with them through their preferred medium.

“The beauty of the ‘new school’ channels, such as mobile and social media, is that tailoring a message to an individual customer’s needs and preferences is easier than ever,” Hvlanika told Retail TouchPoints. “Based on COLLOQUY’s research findings, it’s evident that the need for loyalty marketers to ramp up relevance has never been greater.” A perfect example of this was demonstrated in the Raymark video titled, “Retailers. Listen Up! A Customer-Centricity Story.”

Embracing Mobile As A Social Medium
To leverage mobile and social efforts, retailers are fusing the two while creating a more personalized customer experience. Although demographics play an important role in spending habits, Nordstrom recently was noted as one of the top retailers in the mobile engagement industry. Because consumers are more likely to engage with retailers who appeal to their interests and meet their needs, Nordstrom received ranked the highest in the BIGinsight Mobile Aptitude Score. BIGinsight Consumer Insights Director Pam Goodfellow commented on the consumers’ mobile comfort level: “Technology is ever-evolving and becoming easier to use. As consumers develop a steady comfort level with mobile, retailers will need to look to mobile to reach their customers.”

With data from recent mobile studies conducted, it’s safe to say mobile is not a fad. Retailers could stand on the sidelines and watch it score or take a bite while it’s still fresh.