The Mobile Marketing Blog - TellMyCell

Is the Mobile Wallet More Important to Retailers than Apps?

 

 

Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay have ushered in a seamless payment system for the 21st century. Mobile payment methods are on the up, and increasing numbers of consumers and merchants are realizing the benefits of mobile wallets.

For businesses of all types, from multinationals to mom-and-pop stores, mobile wallets present a range of solid business advantages, including increased revenue and significantly reduced costs.

Want to find out why the mobile wallet is more important to retailers’ futures than apps? Read on...

Increased revenue and sales

Paying via a mobile payment system is fast - just touch, and go. The result is quicker service, and the ability for more consumers to be served in the same space of time. More customers paying for goods means more revenue for merchants.

Apps are great for helping businesses engage with consumers, showing them products and offering them deals and promos, but buyers don’t have the ability to make a purchase as easily this way as they would if using a mobile wallet.

Using a mobile wallet also allows businesses to sell more products and services during traditionally slower periods. Mobile payment systems mean you can connect with clients and customers wherever they are in the world, so they can check out anywhere, anytime.

Reduced costs

Payment processing fees are one of the largest expenses after labor for many merchants and retailers and food service operators. Secure mobile wallets significantly reduce this cost as well fraud losses.

Apps remain riskier than mobile wallets, with apps being vulnerable to hackers accessing private customer information, including their credit card numbers, addresses and bank account details.

 

Opening businesses up to the world

With more and more of us completing more of our daily tasks and shopping errands on the web, merchants want to get in on this online marketplace. As consumers get used to making purchases on their mobiles, it’s imperative that businesses are there to help make mobile purchases swift, convenient and secure. Today’s mobile-enabled consumer doesn’t have to visit a physical store to profit your business. Reaching out with a rich and interactive experience means attracting customers, wherever they are in the world, to make a purchase via internet-based mobile tech.

 

Presenting a new marketing platform

A recent Forrester Research report predicts that within the next five years mobile wallets will have become a crucial marketing platform. Mobile tech can create real connections with consumers, and mobile brand loyalty is key. Businesses are set to mobilize their branded content and loyalty programs to target consumers with offers and promos in real time.

 

Easy payments

Mobile wallets make purchases simpler. A user only has to enter their information once, then they receive secure PIN numbers via text message that they use to complete the purchase. While some apps require users to re-enter their info for every single transaction, all mobile wallet shoppers need is a simple PIN entry to complete their purchase.

 

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Can Mobile Technology Revolutionize Healthcare?

One of the hottest topics to hit the campaign trail this year is healthcare. Both Democrats and the GOP have spent time discussing the sustainability of President Obama’s universal healthcare system (Affordable Care Act), spurring much political debate along the way. However, what you haven’t heard any of the presidential candidates talk about is mobile technology, and how smartphones could be the key to revolutionizing our crippled healthcare system. 

 

A Booming Industry 

This year, at the Mobile World Conference and South by Southwest Interactive Conference, people were talking about mobile technology and healthcare—and they weren’t just talking about new jogging apps and calorie calculators. More than 100,000 mobile health apps are in app stores worldwide; it is estimated that by 2017, these apps will reach a combined total value of $26 billion. If apps are any indication of smartphone users’ interests, it’s clear that healthcare and wellness are fast becoming a priority in the online mobile space. 

Improving healthcare in the mobile age isn’t just about people and their phones; it’s about streamlining cumbersome administrative costs and adding much-needed transparency to insurance. This is where a lot of the current debate stems from—financial missteps that have cost the American public its peace of mind. However, these worries might soon have a solution. 

 

Better Technology, Improved Treatment 

One of the greatest challenges faced by our healthcare system today is the lack of resources we have to treat one of our largest aging populations: baby boomers. These individuals will need better access to healthcare, and they’re going to need more of it, as they get older. Mobile technology could greatly reduce the strain of this burden by offering patients more access to their physicians, as well as reducing administrative costs with automated reminders for appointments, prescription refills, emergency services and more, all available via text. 

Reducing administrative costs will also be achieved by streamlining communications among patients, providers, and insurance companies. Digitalized communications, as well as electronic records, will reduce the time it takes to receive services. Electronic healthcare records will also allow physicians to offer more personalized care. Increased data and analytics can provide contextual clues about patient behavior that doctors have never had access to. This is especially true in developing areas of the world, where healthcare is often limited. 

Saving Lives 

Advancements in mobile technology, including Near Field Communication (NFC), iBeacon technology, and geo targeting are tools that we can use at home and abroad to improve healthcare on a global scare. Take text messaging, for example: SMS has already been used in several studies to help manage the treatment of diseases like diabetes. It’s also helped patients kick bad habits like smoking and combat maternal and child mortality rates in countries like Rwanda. We may take SMS text for granted, but when healthcare is severely lacking, it could be the only lifeline available. 

This is a reality that Penn State Associate Professor Richard Lomotley knows all to well. In 2015, Lomotley lost a family member living in rural Ghana to a snakebite. 

“It shouldn’t happen when information about symptoms and emergency instructions [is] only a fingertip away,” said Lomotley. 

But it does happen, all the time. 

Mobile technology is going to give us the tools we need to revolutionize the medical industry, in ways we can’t yet predict. From wearable technology and better user experiences, to real-time monitoring of sick patients, mobile technology should be at the center of the political discussion. 

 

Clear Majority of Millennials Respond to Push Notifications

A recent study into the preferences of millennials found that, unsurprisingly, they are the most highly engaged group when it comes to mobile technology. The research provides yet more evidence that any forward-thinking marketing campaign must take this demographic seriously. 

Among the key findings:

 

• 94% of millennials regularly use apps with geo-location technology, with both Android and Apple users equally keen on such tools
• A majority of millennials (84%) say they act on push notifications, with men responding at a slightly higher rate than women, and more iPhone users (92%) responding to push notifications than Android owners
• In terms of the kinds of information millennials are looking for, 61% like coupons or discounts for immediate use; 35% prefer to receive the latest product information; only 16% of respondents said they used mobile devices for ‘in-store guidance’

 

The 500 millennials surveyed also described the circumstances in which they would not respond to a push notification. The most common reasons were: lack of relevance (39%); intrusiveness (34%); receiving too many notifications (25%) and a lack of attractive deals.

As esoteric as they can appear, these studies provide crucial information to the modern business. Millennials now outnumber baby boomers, and their buying power is at an all-time high. Even with a slower economy and higher cost of living than their parents enjoyed, one can reasonably expect millennials to continue increasing their financial clout. Right now, the median income for those at the younger end of the demographic (ie born in the 90s) is around $25,000; thirtysomethings towards the top of the range earn double that. With 23% having a bachelor’s degree or higher, millennials are the most highly educated generation in history. 

The study - conducted by Retale - is just one fraction of the market research honing in on millennials, and how to predict and capitalize on their preferences and habits. Research from Zogby corroborates the suggestion that millennials are more wedded to their mobile device than any other group, with 87% reporting that their phone ‘never leaves their side’ and 80% claiming the first thing they do in the morning is to reach for their smartphone. Around 78% said they spend at least two hours per day on their phone. 

 

The 2016 Effective Mobile Marketing Awards

These days, there’s an award ceremony for just about everything—mobile marketing included. 

Honoring the men, women, and collaborative teams that conceptualize and deliver the most compelling media via mobile, this year’s Effective Mobile Marketing Awards will be held in London, on Nov. 17, 2016. 

Big brands and unknown startups alike will toast one another at this gala-style celebration produced by the industry’s leading publication and mobile authority, Mobile Marketing Magazine. 

 

An International Celebration 

This is the sixth year that the publication will produce the anticipated awards ceremony, covering more than 36 categories of all things mobile, including services like Most Effective Publisher Offering; products like Most Effective In-Car App; and mobile marketing campaigns such as Most Effective Brand Campaign. 

With such broad categories, it’s no wonder that a wide range of mobile marketers gather each year to compete for recognition among their peers. 

Notable winners from last year’s awards include Audi, winner of Most Effective Brand; Start-up of the Year went to UsherU, and Most Effective Mobile First Solution went to Domino’s Pizza and Future Platforms.

The event also serves as a valuable networking opportunity. David Murphy, editorial director and co-founder of Dot Media, is the brainchild behind Mobile Marketing Magazine, founded in 2005, and the awards ceremony.

Murphy also manages the magazine’s speaker program and other mobile marketing events, like the Mobile Marketing Summits. He presented several of the awards at last year’s awards ceremony, and will likely be a big part of this year’s event. 

 

How to Enter 

The entry process has been streamlined this year, thanks in part to a new awards portal system, where you can now submit entries and supporting materials with an account that allows you to stop and start your application process as need be. 

The entry period is open now through August 5. Early bird applicants will receive a discount if they submit their applications before July 22. The cost to enter is £175 per entry, per category.

This year, the awards show has launched a People’s Choice Awards Category, in which the industry picks the shortlist and the winners. 

A new crop of judges has been selected for this year’s awards show as well, including industry leaders like Elaine Smith, head of digital product management at House of Fraser, and Glynn Pegler, CEO of Culture Group.

For mobile marketers, and digital media players of all backgrounds, this annual event showcases a year’s work in vivid color, and recognizes many of the people involved in prolific mobile campaigns. Brands usually get the credit for viral media, but this awards show lets the minds behind the campaigns take center stage. 

FordPass App Promises 'Mobility Solutions' That Go Beyond Cars

Ford is entering the mobile technology ring with the launch of a new app. The company announced the FordPass mobile app in January of this year at the North American International Auto Show. The app is designed to help people get “from here to there,” whether by Ford vehicle, public transportation, ride-sharing or rent-a-bike service, or another car. There’s even a parking assistance feature. 

 

A ‘Marketplace for Mobility Solutions’

The idea behind the FordPass app is to provide consumers with “a marketplace for mobility solutions.” Spokespeople for the renowned vehicle brand note that while the core business concerns selling vehicles, the whole industry is shifting to serve consumers’ general mobility needs. This includes consumers who don’t always require a vehicle to go from “here to there.” 

Vehicle sharing is increasingly commonplace, a fact that Ford recognizes. The company is subsequently crafting a “whole ecosystem” that extends beyond standard vehicle buying and current customers to include non-Ford owners. 

 

What the App Does

FordPass revolves around the ‘My Vehicles’ feature that lets drivers add their cars and trucks and review basic model details, such as when the vehicle was purchased, current fuel level, color, and how many miles it has. Product recalls are also included if necessary. This may be accomplished by scanning a vehicle’s barcode. 

In addition to providing useful vehicle information, the mobile app functions as an extra key capable of remotely locking and unlocking the vehicle and starting the engine. However, this feature is only usable on cars with modern functionalities, such as the 2017 Ford Escape. The feature is indicative of things to come, as key access is one of the biggest issues currently surrounding car-sharing. 

Other app features include parking assistance, which allows drivers to take photos of where they parked and save related maps. The app offers a number of features, but Ford is hoping to create one app to rule them all rather than sticking drivers with multiple car apps. 

 

Loyalty Program

Ford wants not only to maintain its existing client base, but also to attract new customers through a loyalty program. The program will launch later this year in the U.S. and is set to be the brand’s first-ever “global loyalty scheme.” Points are accrued by buying a Ford vehicle, scheduling a car share or parking space through the app, and filling up on gas at a partnered BP garage, among other things. These points are redeemed to provide free oil changes, free winter check with new windshield wipers, and essentially anything else available through FordPass. 

The vehicle brand is (obviously) hoping for great success with the mobile app, as it aims to be the “Apple of the mobility world.” 

 

Using Mobile Tech to Stay Safe

Can mobile devices help you stay safe under many varied circumstances? The answer is a resounding “absolutely.” Your smartphone or tablet won’t take the place of a muscle-bound bodyguard, nor do they mean you should voluntarily put yourself in harm’s way. However, they will help you remain safe and secure, thanks to a number of apps and alert systems. Check them out and feel better walking down a dark alley (not that you should): 

 

bSafe

bSafe is a free personal safety app designed for both Android and iOS. Features including the ability to notify friends and family of your current whereabouts, letting them know when you’ve arrived at your destination and sending exact GPS location information while en route. The latter makes it easy for your emergency contacts to determine where you are at all times. Another bSafe feature is programming faux phone calls so it looks like you’re talking to someone while around shady characters. Should you require immediate assistance, the app activates an alarm that also triggers your phone’s camera to start recording the incident. 

 

SafeTrek

SafeTrek is the free app to use when you find yourself in a less-than-safe situation. It alerts the police so they can help you as soon as possible. The app is designed to prevent accidental alerts via the ‘Safe’ button that launches the app when you press it. Once you stop pressing, you’ll be asked to enter a four-digit code that tells the police where you are and to make haste to your location. You therefore don’t have to worry about notifying the police because you sat on your phone while at brunch.

 

Disaster Alert

The Disaster Alert app was created by Pacific Disaster Center and remains one of its World Disaster Alerts. This app provides access to several hazard-monitoring organizations, and sends alerts should a severe storm or other natural disaster make its way to your town or city. Its DisasterAWARE platform offers real-time access to current data on natural disasters, both near your location and around the globe, and provides important warnings should you need to get out of town. Disaster Alert has some 1.5 billion users worldwide so far. 

These and similar apps make outstanding practical use of mobile technology, though again it’s necessary to emphasize that such options are not substitutes for 911 emergency calls. It’s still important to contact the emergency number when possible and if the situation calls for it, such as if a crime is taking place or immediate help is required to save your life or someone else’s. That said, emergency and safety apps are a great help as they allow for discretion, which is often required in a dangerous situation. Use one or more safety apps as part of your overall safety plan and remember to avoid anything you suspect as dangerous. It’s better to be safe than very, very sorry. 

mHealth Wearable Market Set for 135 Percent Annual Growth Rate

Pharmaceutical companies are the driving force behind rapid growth in the mHealth wearable market; an estimated 97.6 million devices are expected to ship by 2021. The compound annual growth rate of mHealth is set to increase by 135 percent in the next five years, and the hope is that these mobile healthcare devices will provide quality care to patients and help providers make better decisions.

These healthcare statistics are from a recent study published by Tractica called, “Wearable Devices for Healthcare Markets.” The study covers current devices available, how they’re being used, and adoption timelines within the industry. 

Some wearables are more familiar to us than others. For example, smart watches can track everything from heart rate to dietary habits, and fitness trackers are already being used to monitor patient activity levels. There are new technologies like wearable patches and delivery pods that are administering pain medication and management therapies, as well as a slew of other devices under review by the FDA. 

 

Why Wearables?

The healthcare industry in particular has a lot to gain from mobile technology, such as the wearables just mentioned. Most healthcare providers have taken on more patients as a result of mandatory healthcare legislation, which means medical resources have thinned in some areas. Mobile technology provides doctors and insurances companies with assistance during this dramatic growth by automating, tracking, and administering basic care in some instances, without the need to go to the doctor’s office. It also gives doctors greater insight when following up with patients, to ensure treatment plans and therapies are as effective as they can be. 

Similarly, patients have more freedom to go about their lives while tracking their health concerns via mobile. 

 

Challenges Ahead

Digital health solutions are focused on decreasing quality care costs and expanding patient services, but that goal is not without its own set of obstacles. 

For one thing, mobile healthcare is still very much in its infancy, and early adopters are managing high costs with the prospect of more affordable solutions in the near future.  Moreover, the FDA review process can be lengthy, sometimes taking as long as a year. 

Patient challenges are even more unique. The generation that will benefit most from wearable technology in the midst of our fluctuating healthcare system is also a generation of less technically savvy patients. Tractica’s report suggests that elderly patients have a difficult time using the mobile devices because they’re less familiar with computers and smartphones. Educating patients about mobile healthcare is still too expensive and time consuming, so providers aren’t able to offer much of a solution yet. 

The other major obstacle providers, insurance companies, and clinical trials must overcome involves aggregating and analyzing large amounts of data. In addition to storing and organizing this data, doctors have to become familiar with interpreting it, which means there’s a learning curve for them as well. 

Despite these challenges, mHealth and wearable devices are predicted to make huge waves in the healthcare industry during the next five years—most likely out of necessity.  

Local Mobile Marketing Tactics for SMBs

Small businesses have the most to gain from local mobile marketing. As it becomes harder to compete for consumer attention, the mobile frontier offers greater opportunity; but it can also be intimidating for local business owners more familiar with traditional marketing tactics. However, the mobile tipping point is upon us, and a delay of better tactics due to unfamiliarity is an excuse, not an option. If you’re a local business owner, mobile marketing is the best way to stay competitive. 

Here are a few effective local mobile marketing tactics that you can implement today:

 

The Mobile Experience 

Optimization: this is a word you’re probably very familiar with by now. We optimize retail space, employee productivity, and even websites — but have you optimized your customers’ mobile experiences? 

The reason you should care about this is because mobile use exceeds regular desktop activity—your customers are on their phones more than they are on a computer. Is your website mobile responsive? In other words, does it reconfigure to make sense on a tiny smartphone screen? Users who struggle to navigate a bad mobile website are more likely to give up on their purposes, whether they’re looking for information or trying to make a purchase.

Your customers’ journeys will often begin on mobile devices; be there to capture that experience and optimize it every step of the way. 

 

Mobile Communications 

The mobile experience means that users are generally going to be on their phones when they reach out to a business, but that’s also true in reverse—the communications you send to your customers will also likely be received on mobile devices. Email and SMS messaging are two very popular mobile communication channels. To be effective, these communications must be interpreted for mobile. 

For example, open-and-read rates of text messages are about 90 percent, so it’s worthwhile targeting customers through SMS. To craft an effective SMS message, try to keep the message as short as possible, provide a value to your customers (discount, special offer), and make the follow up action (usually a link) accessible and easy to follow. 

Similarly, emails on mobile should have some structural variances that enable mobile users to read and take action. For example, use a larger font and a single column layout. Keep the content brief and make sure the call-to-action is clear and actionable. 

 

Social On-the-Go

Another thing people do almost exclusively on mobile these days is use social media. Part of your mobile marketing campaign should involve getting in front of your customers in the mobile spaces they frequent most. For many, this means implementing mobile tactics that make sense on social media. 

Some tactical examples include regularly posting short, relevant content with attention-grabbing topics. You should also encourage customers to share their pictures, reviews, and ideas within your brand’s social community. Engagement is invaluable. Use your page metrics to adjust settings, improve content ideas, and reach more potential customers. Local pages enjoy 5 times more reach than their larger corporate competitors, as well as 8 times more engagement from each fan reached. This is largely due to a shift in consumer behavior, which favors smaller businesses and local production. 

Small businesses can use each of these local mobile tactics to their advantages and succeed in a competitive market. 

 

 

Apple Is Finally Making a Budget Phone

 

In late January, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple had achieved its most successful quarter—an impressive $76 billion in revenue and $18.4 billion in profits. Sounds pretty good, right? But what else would we expect from the one of most innovative companies in mobile technology? After all, the company has earned the title of “world’s most valuable,” and by all accounts it’s the most successful company of the 21^st century. 

So, if profits are sky high, and more products like the Apple Watch are in the works, why would Apple release a budget device last week?

 

What’s in a Name?

Before we get into why Apple would release a budget smartphone, let’s take a look at the device itself. The iPhone SE is the cheapest phone Apple has ever introduced to market. Basic specs include a modest 4-inch screen, 326 ppi, embedded M9 motion processor, 12-megapixle iSight camera, and Touch ID on the Home button. 

Truth be told, this phone isn’t exactly new. Said Kate Knibbs of Gizmodo, “There is nothing new or distinctive in the size, shape, look, hardware, or software of the iPhone SE.”

Apple’s ‘new’ budget phone is more-or-less the iPhone 5S, but it’s been relabeled a low-cost smartphone to meet specific market trends that could otherwise cause problems for the company.

 

The Big Picture

Apple closed a huge quarter in December of last year. While it was, strictly speaking, the most profitable quarter the company had ever seen, these four months were only about 2 percent more profitable than the same time from the year before. 

This information is relevant for a few reasons. Apple’s year-over-year trends between 2010 and 2015 were far more significant. For example, between 2014 and 2015, Apple enjoyed a 30 percent increase in sales, and revenues were skyrocketing fivefold in some cases. But that’s not what we’re seeing from the company anymore. 

Apple has done a great job of maintaining the company’s position as a luxury brand—new phones usually go for as much as $650, a hard pill to swallow if you’re used to operating a cheaper device. The 16GB iPhone SE will cost about $399, with payment plan options available. Apple’s even offering free phones for people who sign up for a special two-year contract. So, how does this fit into the big picture of why Apple is offering a budget phone at all?

 

Why Now?

Until recently, Apple’s product lifecycle was pretty short—people would get a new phone before there was anything wrong with the old one. But that’s slowing down on several fronts, particularly in China, where budget phones have become increasingly successful.

If the product lifecycle is lengthened, Apple has no choice but to go after new users, users who may prefer smaller devices, or users who could never afford a $650 phone. 

Repacking old phone iterations isn’t a bad idea—but it certainly makes you wonder why the phone was so much more money in the first place. In some ways, this undermines the company’s luxury branding, cheapening the value of each new device or wearable that comes to market. If everyone has an iPhone, it’s hard to call one a luxury item. 

 

Israel Launches Distress App with Texting and Video Capabilities

Mobile technology is increasingly being used by police departments and first response units across the United States. Text 911 in particular has proven highly successful, often in emergency situations where texting is the safest option.

Now, emergency responders across the world are following suit. Israel is the latest country to introduce various text message services, but they’ve gone further still, with live video distress call capabilities. The first-of-its kind service could be a real boon not just to citizens in trouble, but as part of evidence gathering that could help convict offenders.

Until now, Israel - like most countries - has used an outdated emergency call system, which only takes voice calls. By not making full use of the technology available to the vast majority of the public, emergency services respond more slowly, with a greater a risk of miscommunication, wasted resources and, ultimately, a citizenry that isn’t as safe as it could be.

Israel sought to improve the situation when it launched its groundbreaking platform across the country earlier this month. It enables emergency operators to see a live video stream of whatever crime or crimes are unfolding, as well as communicate with victims via text message and precisely locate where help is needed.

Available as a phone app, the country hopes to export the technology around the world. And in an unstable geopolitical climate, with mass casualty events unfolding everywhere you look, the potential is obvious - not least in the United States, where some 240 million 911 emergency calls are placed every year. Without geo location technology, the best emergency responders can do (in the event of receiving a call where the caller can’t provide information) is locate the closest cell tower. Accuracy is changeable, and never perfect - a huge problem in an emergency situation where every second counts.