Lessons from Mobile Matters: Discover What Technologies You Should Use In Your Business
by Michelle Lawrence | Last Updated: Jun 12, 2020
Ever wish you could see into the future? When Stephanie Cox sat down on Mobile Matters to discuss what the future of technology looks like with Global Futurist for Allegion, Rob Martens, listeners got a glimpse into what trends will impact how brands engage with consumers on mobile.
Augmented Reality (AR) is More Than Just a Wow Factor
I am very much a planner. So much so that when I go somewhere new, I’ll go on the street view of Google Maps to get an idea of what the surroundings will look like. So you can imagine the stress I take on when I’m entering a building for the first time (like a job interview), and I have no idea where I’m going. I guess I’ll have to wait patiently for the day when all buildings have a wayfinding app or an augmented reality (AR) experience.
AR has the power to be so much more than just a wow factor for your business. Think of AR as your new digital lens that’s designed to make our lives easier. And the best part with AR is really accessible to anyone with a smartphone. We’ve already seen how much consumers love this technology with Pokemon GO. And the love for AR goes beyond games - 50 percent of consumers are more inclined to shop with brands with AR experiences. Take the 19 Crimes native mobile app, for example. When consumers scan the bottle labels, the criminals come to life to tell stories of their crimes.
Sure, having a product come to life is cool, but if you’re going to bring AR into your business strategy, take Rob’s advice, “It goes beyond promotional capabilities.” Make sure it adds value to the customer experience.
Rethink Your Definition of Mobile
Ready to rethink everything you know (about mobile) with this next statement? Here it is: mobile more than just your smartphone. Mobile is any device that is not tied down to a power source (we’re looking at you, clunky desktops). Mobile marketing channels include wearables, voice assistants, tablets, etc. The options with which you can do with your mobile marketing strategy are endless once you realize that mobile is more than just once device.
But developing a mobile marketing strategy isn’t a walk in the park (especially if the rest of your company isn’t thinking about mobile every day). Our piece of advice: be patient. Not every mobile marketing campaign you run will be a success - that’s okay! It’s going to take some trial and error to figure out what works for your brand.
Don’t Be Smitten With New Technology
Listen, I get it...new technology is awesome. As someone who works for a SaaS company, I find myself constantly enthralled with the latest tech. But try to fight the urge to implement new technology just for technology’s sake. Before you start developing your IoT strategy, ask yourself, “What’s the job we’re trying to get done?” If it makes sense to add new technology to your business strategy, then great. But if you’re adding new tech just for the heck of it, you may need to go back to the drawing board.
IoT Will Have a Massive Impact on Business
Finally, we couldn’t recap a conversation with a global futurist without discussing the Internet of Things (IoT). Rob explained that one of the biggest tech trends he sees influencing how brands engage with consumers on a mobile device is IoT. Sensors are more available and affordable now o, meaning that a ton of new devices will become connected (we’re talking about 20 billion connected devices in 10 years).
But like Spiderman’s dad said, with great ability comes great responsibility. There’s not a ton of legislature that exists for a lot of these things, so how do we make sure we don’t abuse the power of this new technology? As Rob and his team say, act like there are adults in the room. Before we rush to market with new technology, we have to understand its implications. The last thing marketers would want is for consumers to say, “I never want to connect this device again.”
The biggest lesson we can take away from Rob’s episode on Mobile Matters is to remember to add value to your customer experience. Make sure you’ve got the right roadmap to the ideal customer journey by downloading our infographic here.
Meet with one of our experts to see how easy it is to centralize your product data, manage digital assets, and create digital product experiences. Trust us…you’re going to be wowed.
