Mobile ecommerce is growing at an exponential rate. Two-thirds of all internet shopping in the UK is done through mobile devices, and there are no signs of it declining. As such, the ability to offer a seamless, personalized mobile experience can make or break customer loyalty. There’s no excuse as to why many mobile customer journeys are less functional than a website experience. Mobile is here to stay. Organizations that don’t adapt to the mobile-first world will inevitably lose out to competitors that are better prepared to meet customer expectations.
Huw Owen is Head of EMEA at Couchbase.
A mobile channel shouldn’t just be seen as an afterthought next to the traditional website experience. The shift towards mobile ecommerce is representative of a much broader move towards a new method to engage and retain customers. Organizations that don’t future-proof their mobile offerings will lose out on vital revenue streams, as well as ways to connect and interact with customers. Providing a good mobile experience is more than just a ‘nice-to-have’ – it now has a genuine business value tied to it.
Lagging behind
Take mobile banking, for example. A report from Forrester Research found many consumers are frustrated with their experiences using mobile banking apps. It found that many mobile banking apps do not have the same capabilities as the website experience, such as budgeting and savings features. Mobile banking should be effortless, but customers are complaining about having to jump through too many hoops to complete the same transaction. This leads more customers to switch to digital-first challenger banks such as Monzo and Revolut, where apps are not hindered by outdated legacy technology and are instead designed with customer experience at the core.
In retail, we see similar sources of customer frustration in the mobile experience. These stem from mandatory sign-up processes that force customers to create accounts, websites that are difficult to navigate on a mobile device, limited payment options, and being forced to repeat information.
Organizations don’t have many chances to get the mobile experience right. According to PwC, nearly three in five consumers will walk away after several bad customer experiences, and 17% after just one bad experience. In short, a poor mobile experience has the potential to lose up to a fifth of a customer base in a single day. Organizations must focus on bolstering their mobile infrastructure now, or risk seeing the backs of their customers for good
Customer experience comes first
Crucially, organizations need a better approach to data to ensure the mobile experience matches the traditional website experience. They should consider adopting a mobile database platform that can support the digital-first experience that customers receive via other platforms and channels. A secure, responsive database that extends to the edge will help to underpin organizations' new mobile applications – ensuring that the mobile experience doesn’t lag.
A mobile database also brings offline-first capabilities to apps, so users retain a first-class experience even on the move. This is critical for delivering a seamless and streamlined customer journey, as it minimizes friction even in areas with patchy internet connectivity. This means organizations no longer have to sacrifice speed, scalability, or ease of use when developing new mobile apps.
Making the most of mobile
Making use of offline capabilities when designing mobile apps opens the door to a wealth of opportunities. For instance, creating medical applications that help doctors to diagnose and treat patients – even in areas with poor internet connectivity like crowded sports stadiums or remote locations – allow doctors to identify injuries in real-time. This ensures they can deliver treatments to patients, faster.
Or, closer to home for most of us, retailers can also create a more engaging digital journey through mobile, helping to deepen customer loyalty. Brands must focus on providing an innovative use of mobile to ensure it is engaging and that it retains customers on all platforms, and not just via its main website.
Mobile is here to stay
Mobile is only set to grow in popularity over the coming years. Intense periods like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the upcoming holiday season, mean that the mobile experience cannot be falling behind that of the traditional website experience. Many customers will not give brands that fail to deliver on mobile a second chance.
Organizations should focus on reducing friction within their mobile apps to ensure customer loyalty and drive customer satisfaction. This means having the right technology in place to support this. Mobile is more than just an added bonus, it’s a business imperative. Organizations must now reconsider their strategies or risk waving goodbye to previously loyal customers.
