The Face Of Business Is Changing With Mobile

Why treat mobile seriously? Just check out these facts

• Mobile Preference. Mobile gadgets have become super trendy, and their sales exceed PC sales. As Gartner reports, worldwide PC shipments are to drop from 315 million units this year to 271 million units by 2017. But, mobile phone shipments are to increase from 1.8 to 2.1 billion units and tablet shipments from 197 to 467 million units. Also, the fact that people would rather wait 5 seconds for a mobile website to load and 3 seconds for desktops to do the same clearly shows their preference.
• Web Traffic. With greater mobile popularity and usage comes larger traffic. According to Cisco’s report, mobile traffic increased by 70 percent in 2012. Next year, accessing the Internet via portable gadgets will surpass desktop Internet use. Also, by 2017, mobile data traffic may reach 11.2 exabytes per month, which is a 66 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2012.
• E-commerce. More individuals use their portable devices to shop online. As KISSmetrics illustrates, on Black Friday 2012, 166 percent more people than in 2011 utilized the mobile shopping option. Also, PayPal revealed a 190 percent increase in mobile payments. According to eMarketer, in 2017, 69.6 percent of U.S. tablet users and 49.9 percent of smartphone owners may use their devices to shop online.
• Linked Devices. The number of Internet-connected vehicles, medical tools, and machine-to-machine (M2M) units is rising. As Cisco and Ericsson predict, we may have 50 billion non-phone devices connected by 2020. Also, this year, the amount of mobile-connected devices will surpass the number of people on our planet, and in 2017, we’ll have more than 10 billion linked devices.
• IT Spending. Both businesses and individuals will invest more in IT. As Gartner reports, the overall global IT spending may increase from more than $3,5 billion in 2012 to more than $3,8 billion in 2014 and $4,4 billion in 2017. It’ll be a change from a 2.5 percent growth in 2012 to a predicted 4.1 percent increase in 2014 and a 3.7 percent growth in 2017.

What’s exactly changing in business? These examples say it all.

• Expectation Management. People appreciate responsive websites. Also, since they’ve changed their online habits, they expect quick responses and better financial or shopping solutions. To manage these needs, retailers change their marketing strategies. For instance, 23 percent of them developed point-of- sale and point-of-payment technologies.
• Work Flexibility. Many individuals don’t work the hours or locations they used to. Now their jobs are portable and schedules bendable. They can complete their tasks on the go or at more convenient hours. In fact, employers can let more employees go mobile, and by 2015, we’ll have 1.3 billion, or more than 37 percent, of mobile workers worldwide.
• Unlimited Connectivity. With mobile, we can not only keep in touch with others and stay connected 24/7, but we may also conduct businesses around the globe and in real time. This is great for companies, and it allows smaller businesses in remote countries to enter the world marketplace.
• Mobile Mechanization. Connectivity of portable gadgets lets companies enhance their productivity in many departments. Now, various phone and non-phone devices can be linked, which allows faster and easier options to find solutions, locate people, or manage time and expenses.
• Personal-Professional Line. Networking, relationship building, and job searching seem easier. But, since our coworkers or employers can see our online activity, it may affect our jobs or relations. Also, due to constant connectivity, even on weekends or on vacation, we may still be interrupted. This blurs the line between our life and work.

How to prepare your company? Just follow these tips.

• Examine Your Audience. Use your website analytics to study markets and clients. Learn the percentage of your website’s mobile users and investigate their demographics, interests, and shopping habits. Talk to people about their expectations and preferences.
• Mobilize Your Website. Keep your website simple, readable, and optimized for mobile use. You can invest in a separate app or website, but having a responsive web design that will adjust to your viewers’ browsers is vital for you and your clients.
• Innovate Your Content. Personalize your mobile website by making it engaging and adaptable to fit people’s personal lives. Keep your content and business ideas honest and appropriate but always fresh, interesting, and attention-grabbing.
• Accommodate Mobile Customers. Create simple and secure mobile browsing, shopping, and paying, or other financial, options for your clients. If your website asks for contact information, make sure the forms aren’t too long.
• Reveal Your Location. Always mention your physical location, which may be your zip code or city name. Remember that it can be really helpful when campaigning within your community and collecting feedback from local clients.

The face of business has definitely changed thanks to the innovations and usage of portable technologies. Mobile is clearly becoming the new norm. Realizing the changes, understanding the audience, and meeting people’s expectations are crucial for any company’s success. Is your business ready for this shift?