Early marketers would be jealous. There is such an abundance of quick, immediate feedback on products and services at our disposal with technology. Information can be acquired, analyzed, and processed at amazing rates and in great abundance. It is true, the information must be understood correctly from a statistical standpoint (i.e., “Is the population correctly represented?”), but the possibilities are numerous.
The scenario
I’ll start with this example. A marketer is informed that a client wants to explore “digital/mobile” marketing and learn how to best approach this medium. The marketer, who is familiar with the medium, but not an expert in it, begins to consult various sources, present the information to the client, and strategize on the best approach. Sounds fair enough. Now, I don’t want to make it sound like “jumping in” to something without adequately strategizing is a good idea, but on the other hand, there is no better time than the present.
A digital proving ground
How so? Well, let’s be more specific and suppose that the client wants to create a “mobile app” and figure out which services to provide to its clients. In this scenario, we are presented with a “perfect” opportunity. There a few facts that we know.
First, we are considering a mobile app, so there are at least a few prevalent “platforms” (iPhone, Android, and Windows 7 Mobile) and there is also a mobile “browser” option that can catch any remaining devices that exists.
Secondly, we know our target audience on a broad scale: mobile app users, or those who use mobile devices. We do not need to get caught up with mundane questions like, “is the app going to be easy enough for Grandpa George (who does not use mobile devices) to use?” because he is not a prospective target. The most important point here, and the compelling reason to just “git er done” and get the app developed and released quickly is the feedback that is obtained by making the app available.
Build it and they will come
I would argue that in today’s “lightning fast” technology cycles, it is most imperative to simply offer an app, then the feedback will flow. It is in the response to this feedback that an organization can shine. For instance, when the client learns that consumers are saying, “we don’t really need this feature, but we really want this other one”, if they respond quickly to this feedback and continue responding in a timely and consumer-focused manner, consumers will take notice and a loyal following will be created. There are plenty of examples of companies who spend so much time in contemplating what to do that they miss their opportunity to make an impact with the technology.
What do you want to know?
In addition to the app-specific feedback that is collected to enhance the consumer’s experience, there is also the mountain of data that can be acquired concerning consumer habits and/or product usage, as the particular client’s industry applies. To make the point more clear, consider a restaurant. If the restaurant offers food ordering features via a mobile device (we’ll say this feature applies to in-store dining), along with food rating capabilities, storage of consumer food and beverage preferences, loyalty point accumulation, and customer service/feedback comment submission. The restaurant potentially has a gold mine of data that can be collected and analyzed to determine not only the best mobile app functionality, but also consumer habits and preferences that assist with strategic management of the organization in the future. Yes, it is true, this only represents the thoughts and opinions of mobile application users who actually opt to use the associated functionality mentioned. However, it is important information that can give insight into issues that are potentially present with other consumers as well.
The tools are there. Why aren’t they being used?
One amusing phenomenon exists that has intrigued me for many years. Despite low-tech or hi-tech options that exist to gather information from consumers about their tastes or preferences, the practice of determining consumer opinion before making strategic moves appears to be less than one think.
Here’s an example. A restaurant is considering , or feels compelled, to drop an item from its menu, switch it for a new offering, or simply remove an ingredient from an existing item. Let’s say they are going to start using black olives in a salad that has traditionally made with imported Italian olives. As a marketer, and from a business standpoint, there may be very valid reasons for doing this. The cost may not justify the low profit margin on the item, whereas black olives are a cheaper substitute. Maybe the supplier is not offering this
item any longer. So what does the restaurant appear to do (in the cases I’ve observed)? They simply drop the ingredient or item. Maybe there was some centralized focus group testing, but it would appear that most of the time the item simply disappears.
Now, as a consumer, and yes, you’ve guessed it, I am referring to a personal situation here, that is extremely frustrating. Could the restaurant not ask its servers, when the item is ordered by a restaurant patron, to ask the customer for their thoughts on the proposed change? Could an item not print with the receipt that informs the customer of the proposed change and solicits feedback? Could the restaurant not ask the consumer if they are willing to pay a higher price for the item to receive it the way it was originally offered? Getting back to the original point, mobile applications allow for this type of notification and information gathering, which results in a more informed organization and more satisfied consumer. Again, for the non-technologically inclined, there are low tech ways to query consumers who visit and reach the exact target audience –those who are buying the product—to inform them of proposed changes.
Technology and Marketing, You are now married.
To summarize these points, mobile app development is best approached quickly and thought of as not only a “product or service” in and of itself, but as an information gathering tool that evolves based upon its consumers tastes, preferences, and expectations. The most critical element is response. If immediate and satisfactory response to consumer feedback is not perceived, then the information will be spread throughout “cyberspace” faster than ever before. Proper research and technological education is important, but it is an ongoing, cyclical process, not a simple milestone.
More marketers are learning that technology staff and leaders are becoming a critical asset within their organizations in order to become and stay competitive and formulate business strategies. By simply “getting into the game”, companies greatly enhance their ability to formulate their strategies in other marketing pursuits (i.e., which products to offer, how to market them, how audiences will perceive them, what marketing channels to employ, etc). So, get out there and listen to your consumers via mobile app technology. Are you ready for what you’ll hear?
Tags: advertising, Android, Business, Client services, Clients, iPhone, marketing, Mobile application development, Mobile device, Technology, Windows 7 Mobile
