You’ve heard us go on and on about the importance of mobile in enhancing the consumer experience.  The latest trends in mobile can be seen in nearly every industry. Recent days have allowed not only the most technologically sound industries, but even technologically challenged industries to add value to their brands through mobile development. Mobile development has become the norm in the consumer shopping process.

Mobile is not just a transactional, e-commerce sort of experience. While many companies have turned to e-commerce solutions to retain the ever-growing population of online shoppers, there is simply more to mobile. Mobile content for your brand is not just limited to the customer’s online experience, but can carry over to the customer’s overall service experience from discovery to sale even in a brick and mortar location. The key is to use mobile in a way that blends with your customer service goals. Going mobile is more than just having a site that works well on a smart phone.

For true mobile success, a company or brand must offer mobile options to the customer while also educating its employees. The mobile content must be consistent with current company values and branding so as not to provide mixed messages to the consumer. Employees who can seamlessly transition the customer from mobile content viewing to the sales floor present the sustainable competitive advantage. Despite beginning their shopping process online, customers still rely on employee knowledge to make a final purchase. Making sales representatives aware of mobile content, how it works, and knowing what is offered to customers can make a huge difference in the customer’s perception of that brick and mortar.

Imagine you are a consumer shopping for a brand new gadget. You heard about it from a friend, searched for the immediately on your phone, and began looking at reviews. You see the gaget has had mixed reviews, but an overall good rating. You’ve never seen the gadget in person, so you’re hesitant to take the risk of ordering it online. You take a chance and stop by your local retailer – who you find doesn’t have the item in stock. Customer service FAIL. You choose not to buy the product.

Now let’s say this company IS mobile friendly, and through a mobile-friendly dealer network you find a local retailer that actually carries the gadget. You’re not ready to commit to buying this product off your smart phone without seeing it, so you drive to the local store and check it out. Customer service WIN – you decide to buy the product.

Let’s take this a step further – this local retailer not only has knowledge of mobile content, but also has in-store tablets that allow you to continue that mobile experience. The sales person has knowledge of the mobile content, and allows you to see the 27 other colors of gadget they can order for you that aren’t carried in store. Customer service WIN – Not only do you decide to buy the product, but it is ordered for you in your favorite color. Not only has this sales person enhanced your experience with this gadget, but has increased your overall perception of the brand as a whole. The customer service WIN here gives you as a customer a seamless experience that is EVEN more likely to make you a repeat buyer. Double WIN.

Photo Credit: JD Hancock via Compfight

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