Is your customer service ready for mobile?

While that might sound like a simple question – and one that would provoke a flippant response along the lines of ‘well yes, we’ve been mobile for years’ – what it means to be truly mobile is changing so your customer service might not be as ready as you previously thought…

Last year for the first time in history the number of connected devices exceeded the number of people on earth and this growth is showing no sign of slowing down. By the end of this year it’s predicted that more than one quarter of the global population will use a smartphone and by 2018 there will be 2.5 billion consumers worldwide using them. In further testament to their importance, for many, a smartphone is their primary and only way to access the Internet.

While it’s clear from these type of stats that the growth of mobile presents huge opportunities for brands to engage and communicate with a new, global and previously untapped audience; it’s important that customer service professionals first understand the changing customer service needs and expectations of mobile users before they take any steps to interact.

The evolving customer experience landscape

Before they even start thinking about mobile, today’s brands have a difficult enough task trying to reach the right customer, with the right message, at the right time, and on the right channel. 10 years ago the channels available were limited to TV, print and radio – fast forward a decade and  brands now need to split their attention – and budget – across multiple, ever-evolving traditional and digital channels. Facebook wasn’t a big player six years ago, Twitter wasn’t a big player four years ago and Snapchat wasn’t properly considered a player until it launched this nifty feature a few months ago.

In fact, Accenture’s latest consumer pulse survey found that on average consumers now use six channels to research and communicate with brands. But with brands having to focus so much attention simply on tracking the relevant channels, is how people are accessing those channels being missed?

What are customers demanding and how can brands keep-up?

Though the majority of brands now claim to be ‘mobile’ it is becoming increasingly apparent that it is no longer enough to just have a mobile presence – consumers expect this – brands need to ensure their mobile experience is seamless, or risk losing out to the competition. In fact 59% of millennials prefer using company-specific mobile apps over mobile websites. So are your claims of being a ‘mobile’ business actually meeting your consumers demands?

This past holiday season shoppers spent more time on mobile apps than on mobile sites and 26% used their device to make purchases while they are in physical stores. How are these consumers being serviced or do they have access to be able to self-serve if their mobile device is their only way to access the internet?