Mobile help retail stores win sales

With big retailers such as Blockbusters and HMV going belly up and attributing this on people buying online instead, it is of no surprise that retail stores are concerned this Christmas, particularly as these sales can make up to 40% of retailers' overall annual revenue.

Good news? Retailers concerned about the negative effects of online shopping this holiday season can rest a little bit easier tonight as research by BuzzCity finds although 47% of shoppers around the globe expect to do their Christmas shopping online this year, this will not negatively affect the volume of customers shopping in retail outlets.

With multiple ways for customers to shop, retailers must focus on creating a consistent customer experience regardless of the channel chosen by customers to engage with retailers this holiday season. By doing so, this will help ensure retailers are competing across channels. If a customer's first point of contact with you is visiting your website via their smartphone, you need to ensure this is representative of your brand and creates an enjoyable shopping experience. Consider that one of your brand values is 'quality products and services' but your mobile website is ill-designed and difficult to navigate - is this truly demonstrating your 'quality' brand principle?

Mobile helping retail stores win sales

Make sure you have a mobile website to ensure you do not lose sales to others and integrate this with your store. For example, if a customer reserves items online, you can send a text message alert to notify them when the reserved product is available for collection at their nearest store.

Text messages can also be used for sending general alerts about accounts such as new statements, special events and promotions. This can prove very valuable when developing customer relationships as you can invite special customers to a fashion show for example, increasing the likelihood that they will become a repeat customer.

Retailers have a deeper understanding of their shoppers today including their buying habits and demographics helping them tailor mobile coupons and promotions to increase revenues. Using geo-location technology, you can even send specific deals to customers when they are nearby, making the likelihood that they will visit your store that little bit higher. If you are a restaurant for example, you can blast customers with a mobile alert or e-mail advising them of any deals making them not only aware you are nearby and putting yourself to the forefront of their mind, but also providing a direct reason for them to visit your restaurant over others. With UK shoppers becoming more cost conscious, this can provide the perfect excuse to spend money in your restaurant over others.

Retailers could consider equipping sales staff with tablets and custom apps so they can help customers in store and pull up information instantly on customers' past shopping behavior or to find information about merchandise. For example, they could find information about stock availability both within their store and other nearby stores enhancing the customer experience and helping secure the sale. QR codes can also potentially be used to allow customers to find detailed product information, add products to a 'wish list' and even suggest other associated products for example.

Mobile technology can be used to help retailers enhance customer service across channels and provide a more cohesive and consistent experience. Learn more about how retailers can enhance the mobile shopping experience or read our Retail section to find out more.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

follow us on LinkedIn, @hslmobile, Facebook or Google+

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605 260

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

UK struggles to stay warm this Christmas...smart meters here to help?

Across the UK people continue to struggle to pay energy bills and stay warm this Christmas as energy prices keep on rising. A recent survey found that there is a higher percentage of people in the UK struggling to pay their energy bills than elsewhere in Europe, ranking 26 out of 27 and only ranking higher than Estonia.

There has been much attention surrounding energy prices and profits accumulated by energy companies. A report by Ofgem found that profits from departments which supply gas and electricity, soared from £681 million in 2011 to a tremendous £1.19 billion last year when comparing the same period. With the publics' anger mounting, the Government has now stepped in to demand that utility companies explain the rise in prices and Ofgem is challenging companies to cut costs for consumers.

Smart meters are taking hold across the globe as governments, energy companies and customers realise that smart meters can help reduce energy bills. Customers can better manage their energy consumption by simply having an improved understanding of how much energy they use in real time. Customers can find out the differences in energy consumption during different times in the day, across various weeks and months of the year. By knowing this, they can try and reduce consumption of certain household appliances as they will know how much it costs to leave the heating on all night for example, or carry out two washings a day.

Another great feature of smart meters is accurate billing, meaning no more incorrect bills and having to call companies to rectify or dispute the matter. Meter readings are automatically updated on a regular basis resulting in no more visits to collect meter readings or having to log in online and wait patiently for the web page to load to enter meter readings manually. Or, if you're anything like me, having to receive multiple email reminders to enter meter readings before remembering to do so!

As well as facing pressure to reduce energy prices, energy companies are facing further challenges as consumer trust and loyalty remain low, partly a result of high energy prices and incorrect billing. A study by Opower found five consistent findings regardless of country which they termed the '5 Universal Truths of the Energy Consumer'. They highlighted that customers not only want lower bills and accurate billing but they also want utility companies to offer more than their existing services as they compare providers with their banks and as such, they are now rating energy providers based on their online services, personalisation, information and text message alerts.

Utility suppliers should ensure customers can visit their website and find information easily regardless of whether they are accessing the site via a laptop, PC, iPad or a mobile phone. Customers should be able to manage their own account 24/7 from wherever they are and set up personalised text message alerts which they want to receive such as a notification when funds are low. Utilities can develop apps that are tailored towards their end customers and focus on what they want to achieve.

Reduce the need for customers to call you and wait on hold by sending information to them or by allowing them to find the information themselves. By sending text message alerts straight to a customer's mobile phone ensures they are alerted immediately and builds positive customer relationships. Messages can be used to send valuable information such as when a bill needs to be paid, cheaper tariffs become available or offer tips on how to reduce energy.

Customers today value convenience and information, and by focusing on delivering what customers require will help energy companies bring back good customer service and help them secure long term relationships with their customers. Find out how energy suppliers use mobile communications to build customer trust or read our Utilities section to find out more.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

follow us on LinkedIn, @hslmobile, Facebook or Google+

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605 260

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

Mobile technology in retail - pass the bar?

Mobile technology in retail is no longer new as people continue to embrace the technology to make shopping that little bit easier as they recognise the convenience and benefits of mobile. 

No longer are shoppers restricted by stores' opening times, or where they are at that moment in time, you can shop 24/7 from wherever you are (well, as long as you have an internet connection and a mobile device)!

However, a poll by Populus into food and grocery shopping in the UK found retailers are failing to capitalise on the demand for new mobile technology. More than a third would like to scan their shopping using mobile phones to keep a track of spend and to quicken the payment process but less than 3% of retailers are currently offering this. A third of shoppers also indicated that they would like to use their mobiles in store for price comparison, and 28% would like mobile alerts regarding special offers when they are close by to a store.

New research by Verdict predicts spending online and via mobile devices will rocket over the next five years. This is partly a result of shopping via tablet devices becoming more commonplace as consumers become more secure with using mobile devices. At the moment, spending using a mobile phone and tablet device is expected to rise from its current level of £7.9 billion this year to hit £23.1 billion in 2018.

So how can retailers take advantage of the mobile opportunities available? What should they be doing?

3 tips for retailers going mobile

1. Apps

Everybody loves a good app, but if your app is poor quality or not delivering what a customer needs, expect to be deleted. You need to ensure that you have researched your target customers and understand what they are looking for within an app before building one. It is also important to allow customers to provide feedback and take this on board. You need to understand the purpose of the customer using the app - are they simply looking for information or are they likely to want to buy, get in touch, create a wish list and so on.

The best apps focus on what customers want to achieve when using the app, simple to use and make it easy to find what you need.

2. Mobile Sites

It is - and I can't stress this enough - vital that you remember the key differences between viewing a website on a computer to viewing a website on a mobile. Screens are smaller, buttons are fiddly and it is much more difficult to navigate your way around a site. How many times have you clicked on the top navigation menu bar such as 'contact us' and you've successfully hit the correct option first time?

Anyone designing a mobile website needs to remove any unnecessary information and try and ensure content is as concise as it possibly can be. It is also important to consider the time it takes to load your website as if it takes too long, visitors are most likely going to go elsewhere. A good way to reduce load times is reviewing images on the site as this can attribute negatively to load times.

3. Text message alerts

Simple and easy and yet a very effective tool for engaging with customers. Often we receive a text message from retailers about reserved products available for collection, special promotions, account details and any other information they wish to send. A great benefit of text messaging is the high read rate of 97% and because customers have opted in to receiving communications by text, they are less likely to view the text as invasive and obtrusive. It can help strengthen relationships whereas sending unsolicited emails is more likely to damage a relationship.

Retailers should also think outside the box. Apps, mobile websites and text message alerts are just three technologies that can help you capture customers and enhance relationships. Retailers can also offer mobile coupons, enable mobile payments or provide iPads for sales assistants to name just a few. Retailers should consider the shopping journey for their customers and target customers and come up with new and innovative ideas to engage with customers as this can help them stay ahead and compete against others.

Learn more about The future for retailers in a mobile environment or read our Retail section to find out more.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

follow us on LinkedIn, @hslmobile, Facebook or Google+

or call us on +44 (0)1506 605 260

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com