IDC predicts that by 2015 there will be approximately 1.3 billion mobile workers. Yes, you read that right, 1.3 billion, not million.
Why is this number so compelling? Are you thinking that this number is irrelevant to you because you do not employ mobile workers? Or that you are already prepared for the mobile workforce?
How about your online platforms, websites, blogs, social integration? What about your ecommerce store, customer service processes and supporting technologies? What about the measurement systems, analytics and data management capabilities? How will you use data to learn, tweak, rinse, repeat and optimize?
Your Customer is Changing
The growth of the mobile workforce is already having tremendous impact on business today. Think about the number 1.3 billion. It means that 1.3 billion people are going to be working remote.
Consider the following scenario. Your ideal customer could be on their iPad first thing in the morning. Then they head to Panera Bread or Starbucks for a mid-morning snack or late breakfast plus a caffeine boost.
Next they may head home for a couple conference calls and then off to a working meeting and late lunch in a restaurant that offers wi-fi. If you own a restaurant and you aren't offering wi-fi, but you expect your business customers to join you for lunch, you may want to rethink your technology investments over the next few years.
Responsive Design is a Requirement, Not an Option
We no longer think about which device we grab to surf the web, book an airline flight, order take-out or do research on our next big information technology investment for our business.
Instead we grab the device that is within reach, charged and not smuggled by the youngest of our family members.
Creating digital experiences that focus on the mobile customer as a priority is key. Mobile must come first, period.
We Must Evolve With Our Customers
Acknowledging and embracing the fact that our customers are evolving, growing and learning to use these new technologies is imperative to success. We must evolve and grow with them.
We must inspire, engage and empower them to live the best mobile life possible. We must help them by giving them easy access to user profiles, account information, sales purchase history and more. They don't have time or enough fingers to search through your antiquated systems.
If your systems, websites, blogs, ecommerce platforms aren't keeping up with these changes it simply may not matter in a few years. Why you ask? Because your customers will likely go somewhere else.
Join the Conversation – Exceptional Digital Experiences
We are honored to be part of a new conversation series sponsored by the IBM Social Business, Exceptional Digital Experiences team.
The IBM team joined us on September 12th for a discussion on why user experience matters. We dug into the business reasons why marketers and business leaders must embrace the evolving, mobile customer as a top priority.
Joining the conversation from IBM:
- Larry Bowden – IBM VP, Digital Experience Software
- Stuart McRae – Executive Collaboration & Social Business Evangelist
- Tami Cannizzaro – IBM Global Director, Social Business
Below are the conversation highlights of the Twitter chat. You can also view the entire transcript of the chat here #GetRealChat IBM Social Business – “Delight Customers & Employees – Exceptional Digital Experiences. More than 300 people participated in the conversation.
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You can also follow & engage in the conversation real time via the following hashtags!
Additional Resources – Listen, Watch, Engage & Learn
Check out the resources and even take a listen via your mobile device to the world premier launch of #GetRealChat Radio show with IBM, Base22 and CityForward as guest.
- Full recap: September 12th #GetRealChat Twitter Conversation
- Full recap: July 18th #GetRealChat Twitter Conversation & Radio show
- Listen & learn: Replay of #GetRealChat Radio Show World Premier Launch with IBM Social Business, Digital Experience Team.
- Learn via webcast: IBM Social Business Webcast
- Check out the demo: IBM Exceptional Digital Experience Software Demo
- See CityForward in Action: Who Gets an Annual Bonus? and Philadelphia Vacancies
- Learn from the Tweet Chat Recap: #GetRealChat with IBM
- Stay Updated on Future Events: Sign Up for Updates & Announcements on Future Conversations & Events!
Special Daytime Edition of #GetRealChat hosted by @PamMktgNut with IBM guests @LarryBowden @SMcRae @TamiCann. We had 150 contributors and over 18 million timeline deliveries
Special Daytime Edition of #GetRealChat hosted by @PamMktgNut with IBM guests @LarryBowden @SMcRae @TamiCann. We had 150 contributors and over 18 million timeline deliveries
http://storify.com/GetRealChat/9-12-13-getrealchat-why-user-experience-matters-ib
