Page 18 - Optus Future of Business Report 2013

17

CHANNELS CONSUMERS EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO USE

3–5 YRS (%)

72

69

65

38

20

ONLINE

CONTACT CENTRE

BRICKS AND MORTAR

SOCIAL MEDIA

MOBILE

Making the most of mobile

opportunities

New digital channels and strategies provide rich veins

of customer engagement for organisations to tap into.

The biggest question most organisations face is which

ones they should throw their weight behind now.

The answer will vary between industries, government and

the private sector, and even between organisations operating

in the same sector. Much of the decision falls to historic

considerations within the organisation, its relationship

with customers and the strategic path it wishes to forge.

Based on our Future of Business research, consumers

and organisations are most in agreement on the role

online fulfils. It’s a reasonably mature channel that is

well accepted by customers for its convenience and ability

to save them time.

This alignment on the role of online presents an opportunity

for mobile to emerge as a more meaningful channel for

organisations to engage customers in the future. With the

continued rise of mobile computing and enhancements to

the mobile user experience, mobile is poised to become an

extension of the online experience in the future.

As more consumers adopt the next generation of

smartphones and tablets, internet-connected mobile

devices are becoming a more prevalent way to access the

web in the future. In 2017, IDC predicts that over 16 million

smartphones and over five million tablets will be shipped In

Australia, compared to approximately four million personal

computers. Wireless 4G and the National Broadband

Network will further accelerate this trend as they roll

out across the nation.

Businesses could look to enrich the mobile experience

for customers by optimising their mobile web presence

and delivering more functional interactive apps that can

help fulfil key customer needs. The research shows that

mobile apps and mobile payments offer a rich opportunity

for businesses and customers to connect over the next

few years.

Organisations may also consider how they can benefit

from greater integration of mobile with their contact centre

to given consumers strong preferences for interaction

through traditional channels.

For example, the My Optus mobile app lets consumers either

live-chat with an Optus customer service representative

or call our contact centre. This integrated approach allows

customers to control how they want to interact with Optus.

STEpS

channel availability

are high despite

preferences for online

and traditional channels

Although businesses and consumers

agree that online will play a major and

increasing role, consumers still have

high expectations that organisations

will continue to offer traditional

channels above digital channels in

the future. For instance, in the next

three to five years, 69% of consumers

expect to be able to use contact centres

(slightly less than online), followed by

bricks and mortar (65%).

Consumers expect this traditional

relationship to strengthen even as

more organisations turn on digital

channels over the next few years.

This is especially true for construction,

utilities and information media and

telco customers, who had the highest

expectations of being able to use

contact centres over this timeframe.

However, many consumers still expect

businesses to offer newer digital

channels in the future, despite strongly

preferring online and traditional

channels. Thirty-eight percent of

consumers expect that they will be

able to use mobile to interact with

organisations in three to five years,

while 20% expect to have the option

to use social media.

Organisations keen to see a return

from their social and mobile

investments may like to consider

ways to demonstrate the value to

their customers. However, the gap in

customer expectations should close

in the mobile channel as organisations

optimise their mobile presence and

more consumers rely on smartphones

and tablets as the primary device for

accessing the web. This will make the

mobile channel an extension of the

online experience, which consumers

already value.

Looking to the future, online is

emerging as the preferred channel

for organisations and their customers.