I recently went to pitch a client on mobile and was taken aback by their negative perception of the mobile medium. They had fairly
justified misgivings about intrusion to privacy. They also felt that being a personal medium, the mobile was possibly inappropriate for ad messaging.
The same qualities that make unsolicited marketing on mobile so invasive also make the mobile medium very effective when with consumer permission. A study titled "Engage at every stage " and sponsored by the CMO council, a body dedicated to high level marketing information exchange explains that the key to successful mobile will be in using the mobile phone as remote control to manage consumer relationships. The study outlines the opportunities "Marketing should aspire to a more dedicated multi-screen experience that can connect and integrate unique experiences through each engagement channel, including mobile. While marketers are looking to translate content into mobile formats, only 24 per cent of respondents intend to develop content that is unique to the mobile channel." The report adds.
According to interviewee on the study understanding consumers and how they migrate from different media across the day or according to their context. "We take a three- to four-screen approach because at any given time, consumers can be watching
television, on their computers, or using smartphones or tablets," says Kelly Doss of Beam Global. "We have to look at that and understand how the consumer is engaging and socializing." A consumer carrying a tablet uses it for a different use across the day. This same consumer has a mobile phone and uses a computer and watches TV. How these screens add up to create valuable brand contact can make the difference between success and failure. In many instances when i have spoken to clients, the discussion is often about the use of mobile or the internet as stand alone media. Consumers as described do not use these same channels in isolation but will work across them doing different things and seeking different utility for each.
The ability to plan each engagement delivers value for both the consumer and the brand owner. A US broadcaster for instance has
studied the usage of mobile and understood its role in consumer engagement. For others, the multi-screen approach means that mobile may, in speciï¬c scenarios, take a back seat, but it must be part of the equation as that position may switch
depending on the behaviour of the consumer. "The immediacy of the consumer touch point is very beneï¬cial, and Turner Broadcasting System looks at mobile with respect to other devices [as in second-screen usage]," says Benjamin Grubbs. "For example, within homes, Turner can create a participatory environment for the consumer that positions the mobile phone or tablet as a complement to the TV screen. Outside the home, however, mobile becomes the primary screen. The report explains that the best use of MCRM (Mobile CRM ) also plans for a long term relationship with consumers. For those like my client who like my client are wary, remember that mobile is more than sms. Its a tool to build relationships.
Frank is lead consultant at FMC and CEO at Sponge a mobile agency.
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It looks like you're talking more about marketing here than you are about customer relationship management, however that isn't to say that CRM isn't translated well onto mobile. In fact, mobile should be one of the main goals of CRM software as an effective tool for staying in touch with customers on the go. CRM software like JobNimbus (http://www.jobnimbus.com) has done this very effectively, especially for contractors out on a job site that need to stay connected with everything going on at the office.
In that way, mobile is a huge boon to CRM strategy application. And, as you mention, mobile is also a great way to reach customers through marketing, then maintain a relationship with them via CRM software for mobile.
As Brad Hodson notes in his comment, this article mainly looks at mobile as a marketing medium and not really as a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool. But not only is mobile a useful way to engage with customers in a CRM context, as Hodson notes, but it is a great way for sales, marketing and service teams to stay connected with each other through their CRM platforms and to better understand what is going on with their customers. Indeed, a recent survey of nearly 1,400 SMEs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa by CRM technology firm Maximizer Software showed 46% of SMEs with CRM systems in place have upgraded to include mobile access and functionality. CRM systems are an invaluable means for companies to store, access and share comprehensive and accurate information on customers and prospects, including purchasing histories, service records, notes on previous correspondence and communication preferences. Successful execution of marketing and sales depends on such data. However, if it is only accessible back at the office, its value diminishes. In an African context – in which firms often deal with far-flung sales and service areas – being able to tap into a CRM system remotely before a client visit can be especially important. Many of the businesses that my company, Camsoft Solutions, has set up with CRM systems have sales and service networks that reach as far as South Africa, Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria. For them, having on-the-move access to their CRM systems is essential. Grant Chapman, managing director, Camsoft Solutions