For the best part of a decade now, smartphones have been revolutionising the way businesses interact with their customers. Companies have become increasingly aware that they need to adapt their marketing strategy to make the most of the opportunities that the rise of the smartphone has brought. We’re going to take a look at 5 ways in which smartphones have impacted the business world.
Mobile websites
Over two-thirds of the UK own a smartphone, therefore businesses are attempting to design their websites, with varying degrees of success, to be as easy to use on mobile devices as they are on computers. The ecommerce website, Etsy, has done this very well. The website is well laid out, giving you just the right amount of information, enabling you to easily navigate the site as well as clearly views its content. Unlike many mobile websites, the user can quickly and easily purchase items when they’re on the move, therefore increasing user satisfaction and also the likelihood of converting a sale. Competitors will have to keep up with Etsy or run the risk of losing many customers.
GPS
With GPS standard in all smartphones, consumers are presented with a plethora of options of where to spend their money. GPS is used in many markets to advertise a company’s product/service, but it is perhaps most useful for the food and drink market. Consumers can use applications such as Google Maps to locate somewhere to eat. This has revolutionised the industry because would-be customers no longer have to know the area to locate their favourite brands. Businesses that don’t make use of GPS on smartphones face danger of being completely ignored by customers who are increasingly using their phones to discover the world around them.
Online Reviews and Social Media
As previously mentioned, consumers are more and more using their smartphones to lead them to businesses while out and about. But not only do they use their smartphones to lead them to stores, they use them to decide whether or not they should trust them or not. It is common practise for potential customers to search on websites such as Trip Advisor, to discover how previous customers have rated their experience. Furthermore, would-be customers will regularly search for comments on social media applications such as Twitter before making a transaction with a business. It is for that reason that most businesses have opened social media accounts, to order shape the discussion being held.
Apps
While almost all businesses ensure their website design has been optimised for mobile phones as well as computers, many go one further and design an app. One industry that done this to tremendous effect is the online gaming industry, where mobile betting accounts for around a third of all bets. Betting companies have put a great deal of effort into building apps that are simple and straightforward for the user to navigate and enjoy. With in play betting on the rise, well-designed betting apps allow customers to bet on sports that they may be watching away from the house. Online casino betting, also becoming increasingly popular, is now available for customers who may be looking to liven their commute. The smartphone has improved the online gaming industry remarkably offering customers the chance to get in on the action wherever they are.
Quick Response Codes
Quick Response codes, or QR codes for short, allow businesses to quickly and easily provide customers with all sorts of useful content. This could be anything from promotional codes to a map to the store. The supermarket Tesco, for example, increased sales by placing QR in various locations, allowing anyone with a smartphone at hand to instantly purchase food. QR codes increase the speed in which customers and business interact, and in an increasingly fast-paced world that can only be a good thing.
There can be no doubt that the smartphone has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on the business world, not just for companies, but for customers too. They have improved the way in which the two interact, which of course, can only be a good thing for all involved.
