How can travel apps make a difference?

There are millions of apps flooding the market that are tailored specifically for travelling and to assist in all stages of the travel journey. 

We are much more likely to use our mobile devices today to research and book a trip with Hotels.com stating that 1 in 4 people research their holidays via their mobile phones whilst at work. 

It is therefore essential that apps are available in the market to help people find information quickly (and slyly for those at work) as well as making the booking process as seamless as possible to encourage people to book there and then rather than leave a time delay where they may change their mind.

When it comes to the design of an app, companies should cater for smaller screens and smaller buttons to encourage people to use the app and find value. It is important to remember that any unnecessary information that is not critical or useful to the visitor should be removed to simplify the information held within the app and make it as easy as possible to find what they are looking for.

Nielsen, xAd and Telmetrics' new study Mobile Path to Purchase found price, deals, reviews and location-related look-ups were the most important criteria for people researching via their mobiles. Apps for booking travel must therefore include this information in an easy to use layout to help increase the number of customers using their services.

There are apps exclusively designed to make the travel experience itself more enriching. For example, The Heathrow Airport Guide is a free app and includes live flight tracking and status updates, interactive terminal maps, shop guides, restaurant listings and many more features, just for Heathrow Airport. For a traveller, this helps make the journey more enjoyable and straightforward, and gives them more information on any potential delays, helping them plan ahead and make any necessary arrangements if needed.

Mobile apps are also said to be changing the way we use information. TripAdvisor is now the second most downloaded travel app following Google Earth for planning travel. A great example of one of their apps is City Guides which can be used offline and therefore not accruing any roaming fees. Each city guide provides itineraries given by experts, local area maps, reviews of top visitor attractions, and a “Point Me There” function that directs travellers to places using the GPS on the mobile, as well as being able to share their experiences on Facebook via a journal.

These apps help ensure people gain the best possible travel experience and gives travellers advice and useful tips when they need it. Enabling travellers to get to places using transport links helps travellers get to places quickly and avoid the dreaded panic of getting lost.

By providing these types of services for travellers, helps strengthen customer relationships. Learn more about how mobile technology is helping the travel industry or read our Transport 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

Business travellers go mobile

With the GBTA predicting UK business travel spending to grow this year, and domestic business travel expected to outperform international travel this year, catering for business travellers should be a key focus for the UK travel industry.


Like many industries, the UK business travel sector has changed over the last number of years. Enterprises are embracing new technology such as mobile to cut travel costs. HRG predicts mobile technology will become the ‘new norm’ for business travellers, as enterprises try and centralise all their travel arrangements and information on where employees are. This helps create cost savings as well as being able to locate travellers in case of an emergency. This is particularly important since many international events are held in countries that are susceptible to unrest.

Whereas previously, enterprises would not necessarily consider low cost as a prime purchasing reason; valuing convenience, speed and comfort instead, times have changed. Nowadays the cost of travel - including hotels and restaurants - is taking much more precedence, putting pressure on travel companies to lower costs.

For companies operating in the travel sphere, mobile offers an effective route to lowering costs and improving efficiency as well as capturing and retaining customers. For example, travel companies are embracing mobile ticketing as a way of reducing paper and staff costs as well as speeding up the journey time and cutting queues.

Mobile technology is also being utilised to enhance the customer experience which is extremely important for a service industry. Proactive SMS notifications regarding any delays to travel are improving the customer journey, restaurants can use geo-location technology to send targeted and relevant SMS promotions when customers are nearby, helping travellers decide on where to eat and if your hungry, knowing a trusted restaurant is nearby is half the battle. Hotels are also utilising mobile technology enabling travellers to use their mobile phones to open and lock doors instead of carrying about cumbersome hotel keys. Some even give their guests the option of closing blinds, changing channels and adjusting the thermostat using their mobile phone!

When it comes to travel applications, you can find an app for almost anything. Travel apps giving information on the local weather and providing suggestions on what to do in the evening can be very valuable when travelling for business as time is much more limited.

Being able to navigate your way around a new place can also be daunting for business travellers. Apps for booking and paying taxis, finding the best parking space, updates on travel delays in public transport as well as on the roads if you are driving, all help travellers get to places more quickly and manage schedules.

You can also find apps specifically designed for business travellers which enable you to track and manage expenses and even provide a list of LinkedIn contacts in the area. From a networking point of view, this is extremely beneficial.

Mobile can also be used to help encourage repeat business. Travel companies such as airlines, hotels and travel agents are using mobile based loyalty programs to help encourage customers to return and provide information on discounts available and loyalty points generated.

Mobile technology is changing the way people travel and gives companies opportunities to use mobile to their advantage. Learn more about how mobile technology is helping the travel industry or read our Transport section to find out more.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

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

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

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

Mobile technology helping the travel industry

Mobile is certainly not a new phenomenon in the travel industry and has helped many travel companies - which can include travel agents, airlines, rail and bus companies - stay afloat and compete successfully.

Travel companies have felt the ill effects of the economic downturn with families and businesses cutting down on travel and searching for less expensive alternatives. This has caused some to fail and others to flourish as they try to adapt to changes in the industry.

Mobile technologies have been a beacon of hope for many within the travel industry. Not only does it help businesses cut those burdensome costs and improve efficiencies, but they are also able to utilise mobile technology to improve the overall customer experience - helping companies compete and win new customers!

So, how is mobile technology helping travel companies?

Mobile technology has changed the way people plan, research and book their travel arrangements which is creating a new way for travel agents to capture customers. A recent study conducted by Nielson shows that almost half of mobile travel searches carried out in the UK end up in a booking or reservation with almost 1 in 3 doing so through their mobile devices. Travel agents can design a mobile friendly website and / or app to tailor services towards people using mobile devices, creating an edge over competitors who are failing to respond.

A key factor for any successful travel company is to deliver an excellent customer service and develop strong relationships with customers.  Apps are providing a valuable way for travel agents to achieve this goal. You will find many apps which help customers find travel options and book via a mobile device, but there are also specific apps for travel agents such as allowing travel agents to retrieve and change any bookings whilst out and about. This ensures they are able to maintain an excellent customer service, by offering round the clock care.

Apps can also be used to improve the customer experience when on holiday. For example, travel agencies are able to provide guides to help customers find attractions, good restaurants and night life or how to get around whilst in the country.

Mobile technology can also open doors for repeat business. Travel companies can now send tailored promotions directly to a customer's mobile, increasing the chances the message will be read and helping drive demand during quiet periods. By tailoring promotions, travel agencies are able to interact in a more personal way with customers and send more relevant promotions.

Find out how mobile technology is making a difference in the public sector or read our Transport section to find out more.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

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

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

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

Public transport + mobile = happy travellers!

The thought of using public transport will make many groan particularly for those commuting during peak times. However, the University of Porto and Imperial College London state mobile technology can improve the travel experience and overall public transport services.

I didn't think it was possible to enjoy public transport either. So, the question we’re all likely to be pondering now is, how is mobile technology making a difference to the travel experience?

For many, the journey often begins before you even step foot onto public transport and will continue after you've stepped off.  Before you get onto public transport – whether it be a bus, train or flight - you will begin to think about what time you should leave at to reach the terminal at the correct time and you will probably find out the different arrival and departure times, taking into account any inconvenient delays that may occur.

Your mobile device can come in very helpful here as a way of conveniently finding out the various arrival and departure times. There are also useful apps available that provide real time information to your mobile as to when transport is due to arrive helping you plan more accurately. Gone are the days of waiting around and not knowing what time you are likely to depart at.

A great advantage this provides is that at least if there are any unexpected delays, you know if you have time to relax and visit a shop, or wait in a café, or grab some food making the most of your time rather than becoming more stressed and anxious as the delay lengthens. More importantly, by knowing when transport is expected to arrive, you can manage any knock on effects on other travel plans and inform relevant parties of any probable delays as well as giving reasonably accurate estimates as to how late you will be.

Mobile can also be used after you have stepped on or off public transport, as a way of finding out when your next connection is due to depart and arrive at your desired destination as well as costs involved. You may also wish to buy tickets online using your mobile device to save valuable time.

There are now many other innovative apps available to help travellers plan their journeys and enhance the travel experience. There is even an app that lets you know how busy your train is allowing you to choose whether or not you wish to get on and chance standing the whole journey or wait for the next train to arrive in order to get a seat and relax. For busy rush hour commutes, this can greatly enhance the travel experience as by giving more information to travellers they are able to decide how they wish to travel and make the important trade-offs between time and comfort rather than having it decided for them.

It is important to remember that mobile technology can not only benefit public transport companies, but also related services such as retailers and restaurants within the terminals. The reason for this is travellers will often have to wait for transport and this gives businesses great opportunities to engage with customers as they have free time.

With mobile payments becoming more popular, the time when travellers can pay fares by mobile is becoming a very real possibility. In the city of Novosibirsk in Russia, you can use your mobile phone to buy a ticket for public transport. By removing the need to queue to buy a ticket from a machine or teller, makes the journey quicker. It also helps improve the experience as it not only means you no longer have to queue, but you no longer need to worry about the time it will take to buy your ticket

Mobile is making public transport more enjoyable by putting customers at the forefront and giving them more accurate information enabling them to better plan their journeys and cut out the ‘waiting around’ time as well as giving them more control over the travel experience. To learn more about the different ways mobile can benefit you, please visit our Transport section for some valuable ideas or simply get in touch.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

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

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

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

HSL Mobile shooting way to the top

Mobile communication services – encompassing the everlasting popular SMS – are proving to be invaluable for large enterprises, regardless of the sector. Logistics companies can use SMS for parcel tracking, eliminating customer calls to support staff for information on where their packages are. 

Not only does this improve customer service, but it also improves operational efficiency and therefore cuts overheads. For retailers, they can use mobile to design customer specific apps allowing them to send tailored promotions. For banks, they can do anything from sending alerts directly to customers' mobiles to enabling cheque deposits via a mobile device.

This year has been very busy as we focus on expanding into the enterprise market and developing solutions that specifically help improve business communications with enterprise customers and staff. However, we believe it is important to look after our hard working and dedicated team by treating them to some fun team building days.

We decided rather than just picking a team event it would be much fairer to include everyone by asking all colleagues to brainstorm ideas and from the final list vote for their top 3 events. Our list got a little adventurous with ‘It’s a Knockout’ and white water rafting included in the list.

As it turns out, our top 3 events had a wide appeal and rather than just picking one team event, we decided to do all 3 in the end!

Top spot this year went to clay pigeon shooting, closely followed by Murder Mystery Night and then car racing - recognising a theme here?!

Clay pigeon shooting proved to be great fun, splitting the team into groups, encouraging and helping each other to reach their targets. This was followed by a scrumptious BBQ lunch which the team was able to eat outside - a very welcome surprise considering the Scottish weather! To help the team fight the calories, a 'friendly' football game was organised where we saw the teams' true colours come to shine. This has proved to be so popular that there are rumours floating about regarding a monthly football game...

By asking our colleagues what they wanted, we were able to organise more enjoyable and successful team building events. We recognise the value in getting people involved and asking for their opinion. As a result, we would like to ask for your thoughts about our new HSL Mobile website. What do you like? What would you change? Let us know your thoughts by getting in touch.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

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

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

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

Will mobile banking security concerns really hinder adoption?

One of the most newsworthy items surrounding mobile banking is security concerns. But do customers really care? Are security concerns actually making people not use mobile banking?

Let's find out.

Mobile banking is now reaching mainstream in most countries with developing countries seeing some of the best innovations being developed. 

Sales for smartphones also continue to rise creating new mobile banking users in the developing world. We come to expect banks to offer mobile banking services around the globe, and if you don't, you run the risk of turning away customers.

With the rise of mobile banking users, concerns around security are heightening according to a survey by Federal Reserve Board. A list of some of their key security findings are noted below.

• Customers rated security of SMS for mobile banking at 38% in 2011 but this has dropped to 34% in 2012.
• Customers also rated mobile browser security at 42% where a year earlier they rated it at 38%.
• Number of customers rating mobile apps as safe also declined from 40% to 35%.
• More customers are unsure as to whether SMS for mobile banking, mobile browsers and apps are safe or not.
• Mobile phone users who use their mobile for banking are more likely to consider mobile banking safe and are likely to know whether they consider it secure or not.
• Overall mobile banking safety (keeping personal information safe) has not witnessed much change.

These findings indicate that as customers use mobile banking more, security concerns are rising and there is a gap in terms of the knowledge of mobile banking security with many stating they ‘don’t know’ if it is safe or not.

Another survey by Jumio Inc "The 2013 Consumer Insights study" found some very revealing insights into whether customers will actually not use mobile banking due to security concerns.

They found many had been subject to online or mobile fraud (a quarter) and although 83% were concerned with identify theft, they would choose the convenience of mobile banking over security. Customers would continue to use their mobile for carrying out banking activities and expect to use them even more in the future.

However, although security concerns appear to not be hindering mobile banking adoption at the moment, it is important that banks address concerns and educate customers as to how they can protect their details and accounts. This will ensure that mobile banking continues to grow and security concerns do not hinder adoption in the future.

To learn ways you as a customer can enhance mobile banking security, or banks looking at ways to improve safeguards in place for mobile banking, please read Mobile banking - is it a stick up?

Alternatively, please contact us for more information.

For further information regarding HSL Mobile, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

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

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

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com

Develop an award winning mobile banking experience

As consumers become more and more comfortable with mobile banking, which banks are winning the mobile banking race when it comes to delivering a top customer experience whilst other struggle? What do you need to do in order to compete successfully?

A recent study by Forrester found that US banks are at the top when it comes to mobile banking. They examined the mobile banking activities of 15 of the biggest banks in North America, Western Europe, and Australia.

As expected, the UK lags behind as the US and Europe take the lead largely due to the UK being slow to embark on mobile banking services. Chase bank has taken top spot with La Caixa in Europe taking 2nd place. Other US and Canadian banks scoring highly were Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and RBC. Canadian bank ING Direct were also recognised recently for their mobile banking experience on Blackberry as they won the BlackBerry Achievement Award in the 'Putting Customers First' category.

So what are the gold plated mobile banking features?

1. Access mobile banking across a wide range of devices
2. Multiple ways to carry out mobile banking 
3. Proactive banking alerts 
4. Allowing customers to manage payments 
5. Person to person payments 
6. Advanced functionality 
7. Tailor customers' mobile banking experience

You will find that all of these banks will offer customers the ability to sign up for mobile banking from a range of devices such as the popular smartphone, android, iPad and Blackberry. This is important as you do not want to exclude any of your customers and not everyone uses a smartphone. You need to consider your audience - who are they, where are they - and think about what devices they will most likely use to access mobile banking.

The majority of banks above are also offering customers the opportunity to carry out mobile banking across text, mobile sites and various apps. This allows customers to choose a platform which suits them, giving a more tailored service.

Proactive banking alerts are also being offered by some banks where SMS alerts are sent when account balances reach a certain threshold for example. A study by Varolii found almost 2 in 3 people in the US felt their bank was responsible for notifying them instantly when funds were low or there was not enough in the account to cover a bill. Proactive alerts can be a strong tool for raising the customer service and developing deeper relationships with customers.

Mobile banking payments is an area where much development is being undertaken. Many banks are allowing customers to manage payments from a mobile device but not all will allow you to set up the payee, amend and cancel payments and set up future payments. Giving customers this type of freedom greatly enhances their banking experience and allows the bank to cut transaction costs considerably.

Person to person payments using just a mobile number or the individual's email address is very novel and exciting. This is very important as using a mobile to carry out banking activities does create some difficulties as screens and keys are considerably smaller. Trying to find and type in a person's account number and other details required is a more time consuming process which can often be frustrating as you may type in the wrong details due to buttons being smaller (as I do)! Simply needing an email address or phone number makes the whole process easier and more enjoyable, creating a happy banking customer.

Advanced functionality can help you differentiate your bank from others and give a clear motivator for customers to choose your bank. One of the hottest topics at the moment is mobile cheque deposits as banks begin to launch this service to their customers. This service allows customers to use their mobile to deposit a cheque into their account - cutting out the need to visit a branch and wait in a queue - they can now deposit a cheque at the touch of a button. For everyday consumers, this may not be an exciting feature but for businesses where cheques are a more common form of payments, this is a real time saver and can enhance their loyalty to the bank.

La Caixa has tailored the mobile banking experience for customers by allowing them to modify the landing screen on their iPhone app. This can help customers feel special and appreciated, creating a stronger bond between customers and the bank. Are there opportunities for you to tailor mobile banking services for customers?

If you have any other features or services which you believe are crucial in delivering an enjoyable mobile banking experience, please get in touch and let us know. Alternatively, please visit our Solution Planner to discover other innovative mobile banking uses.

For further information regarding HSL, visit us at:

http://www.hslmobile.com

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

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

or email us at sales@hslmobile.com