Following up on the Great Mobile Research Debate

 

Editor’s note: Today we have a guest post from John Carroll, Global Head, Customer Experience of Ipsos Loyalty that is a summation of some fantastic learning originally shared in a webinar about consumer usage of smartphones. It’s been a while since we’ve focused on mobile here on GreenBook Blog, mostly because I think if MR doesn’t get the shift to mobile yet I’m not sure what else to say to change that perception. However, if being a parent of five has taught me anything it’s that repetition and patience are keys to changing behavior. So, we’ll be weaving relevant content related to mobile technology usage into the editorial queue as warranted. This reminder that consumer behavior is changing even if our engagement strategy with them isn’t (or at least not as quickly as it should be) is a great place to start.

 

By John Carroll 

Ten years ago, those select people that carried a cell phone did so mostly for making and taking phone calls. How primitive we were. Now flash forward to the 2010s and it seems that almost everyone has a smartphone and they’re doing much, much more with it than calling home to see if there’s enough milk in the fridge. Wouldn’t you love to know what they are doing their smartphones? Of course, you would, because what you don’t know can hurt you.

So based on our research, here are ten things you need to know about how your customers are using their smartphones. The list has a few points that will prove invaluable to your future marketing efforts.

10. Consumers are using their smartphones to create lists – grocery lists, to-do lists, wish lists, bucket lists. Whatever list it is, they’re on their devices, building and sharing lists, taking photos and gathering information, and keenly working to make things happen.

9. Sometimes, they’re just passin’ the time. Maybe while waiting in line, or for an appointment, they’re using their smartphones to kill some time by looking through social networking sites, playing games, listening to music, view texts or emails, read product reviews or maybe to complain about why they’re stuck waiting.

8. They’re researching everything! Whether in a store, at an event, or a business meeting, they are pulling out their smartphones to find anything and everything possible about the products, places and people they encounter.

7. Location, location, location! Consumers are using their smartphones to let friends know where they are by checking in on various social networking sites – be it a concert, the office, a restaurant or the mall.

6. They’re using smartphones to get discounts, deals and coupons. The increasing popularity of mobile coupons is no coincidence!

5. They’re brand hunting! Consumers are using their smartphones to find you, where your product/service is available, the quickest/easiest way to get their hands on it, and what others are saying about it.

4. More and more consumers are making mobile payments on their smartphones. The technology is there and consumers are adapting.

3. More consumers are storing their loyalty and membership cards on their smartphones or using company apps to help them do so.

2. They’re doing even more research! But in this case, the consumers are using their smartphones to research products and brands – checking and sharing reviews and getting input from their peers on their thoughts and experiences.

1. Consumers are using their smartphones to talk about you! And they’re not holding back. Whether it is to their own social network, responding to your surveys, or contributing to a review site, consumers are giving loads and loads of feedback and commentary on the products and services they are shelling out the money for.

Want to know the full deal on our list of ten things consumers are using their smartphones for?