App-solutely Fabulous
Today's expanding digital culture has altered the traditional brick-and-mortar landscape. It's no longer a question of when these changes will occur, but rather how companies can capitalize on this new business model.
E-commerce mobile applications particularly are a boon to shifting consumer technologies. Gartner, a leading information technology research and advisory company, estimates businesses will generate 50 percent of Web sales via their social presence and mobile applications by 2015.
Distributors, take note. It is no longer enough to sell print—a growing segment of end-users also expect their print source to perform as a marketing services provider. This means helping them with e-commerce offerings, developing mobile applications and the like. But before rolling out a shiny new app, remember that mobile is a channel, or one part of the solution.
"People want to rush into mobile just for the sake of being in mobile. [...] But you need to do it right," said Stephen Derksen, business development manager, retail and hospitality for Toronto-based Xtreme Labs. "It's an investment in your brand, but it's really the glue that holds the brand experience together."
To gain a better understanding of this channel—the good, the bad and the technical—distributors are encouraged to partner up with an expert in the field. Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Greystone Results is focused on helping distributors become marketing service providers. "We work with distributors to expand their service offerings into the multi-channel, multi-media space through the right mix of training, subject matter experts, project management and program execution support," explained Eli Sackett, vice president marketing technologies.
Sackett believes distributors should rethink their current position and adapt to the trends accordingly. "Traditional customers are not used to thinking about print and promotional products distributors as a source for marketing strategy, technology-based marketing services or results analytics," he commented. "It is easier than ever for our customers to find resources for each niche solution that they want to put into place.
"I believe that the distributor's advantage is stronger today than ever before," he continued. "Customers do not have the time to consult multiple vendors and keep multiple relationships working together to implement an integrated marketing campaign."
Needless to say, a frustrating mobile experience can hurt public perception of a brand. Consumer sentiment aside, your customers might turn elsewhere to get things done right. To prevent this from happening, Greystone is involved in the conversations with customers as a member of its distributor client's team. Sackett mentioned the process typically follows this pattern:
• Requirements definition
• Process flow diagram
• Design mock-up
• HTML mock-up
• Begin coding.
"This process allows us and the customer to touch and feel the application prior to beginning real development and avoids wasting time on functionality that does not hit the mark," he pointed out.
Since creating mobile applications can be difficult, especially for the uninitiated, always focus on customer pain points. "We traditionally design our quoting applications so that they can function and reformat themselves based upon the device they are being viewed on," Sackett noted. "When working inside of some of the industry-available tools, we largely help clients lay the site out in the best possible manner to be viewed on all devices."
Both iOS and Android platforms introduce their own set of functional features and limitations. Sackett explained that applications are traditionally built to function in both environments, along with being built to function as a mobile website for BlackBerry and other operating systems.
"The advantage of the iOS and Android wrappers is that you can automatically tie into the phone's functions," he said. "In a general sense, both platforms have similar functions that can be leveraged; however, the Android platform is much more open and less controlled."
Xtreme Labs has built mobile applications on every platform, including iOS, Android, Windows 8 and BlackBerry 10. If your client needs a mobile solution, Derksen advised them to first analyze where their web traffic is coming from (e.g., Android, iOS, BlackBerry, etc.). This data can be found by simply leveraging Google Analytics. From a retail standpoint, Derksen has noticed a preference for iPhones.
"iOS users historically tend to spend more money on mobile and they're more app-loyal," he remarked. "That being said, there are more overall Android users in the market and retailers are definitely starting to take notice."
In regard to potential pitfalls, Derksen described some development shops as "one-and-done," meaning they don't iterate with clients throughout the process, offer the ongoing support necessary for a top-grade mobile app, or provide the full suite of in-house services, such as UI/UX design, product management, product development and weekly quality assurance (QA).
Companies that are not equipped with their own QA teams might turn to outsourcing. However, the benefits of an in-house QA team outweigh an attractive price. For instance, mobile experts truly understand how to build apps that meet Google's and Apple's expectations.
"One of the problems with offshoring for a competitive price is that the app developer may not be aware of compliance rules that are in effect locally where the app will be used," Derksen mentioned. "Not only that, but if the product is not up to Apple and Google's standards it will not be accepted by the app store. Apple and Google are incredibly thorough and expect the highest quality application."
As part of its weekly sprints, Xtreme Labs performs rigorous QA testing on devices to eliminate potential bugs and prepare the mobile product for use. Xtreme Labs has more than 1,000 devices it continuously uses for QA testing. This is a key part of the development process to ensure the highest quality product is delivered.
"QA specialists put themselves in the shoes of the user and run through numerous use case scenarios to ensure that the experience is seamless and the app is 'ready for use,'" Derksen said. "In the end, it's all about your customer and it is critical to create a high performance app that will drive usage. This will reflect well on your [client's] brand and increase consumer engagement."
Oftentimes, however, a mobile opportunity requires an organization to look beyond the technology. Distributors can impart their marketing knowledge by helping customers define their strategy and goals. Are they taking a strategic view and do their mobile investments align with and enhance their intentions?
From marketing strategy to technical processes, the time is now for distributors to reconsider their role in the game. Perhaps Sackett summed it up best. "I believe that people will one day do more on their phones and tablets than on the computer," he concluded. "As an industry, we need to be ready for the implications that come along with that."
- People:
- Eli Sackett
- Stephen Derksen
- Places:
- Toronto