Page 7 - Optus Future of Business Report 2013

6
OPTuS FuTuRe OF BuSINeSS
Key findings
chaNNel eXpeRIeNce
Mobile is emerging as a major focus
for engaging consumers. The number
of organisations using mobile as a
channel to engage customers will
nearly double over the next three to
five years, from 46% to 82%.
Businesses will devote significant
effort to mobile commerce apps.
The number of organisations
expecting to offer mobile payments
for customers will rise nearly four-fold
to 45% in three to five years.
Mobile will come into its own as
a channel as websites give way
to transactional apps. More than
60% of consumers say that they
expect to be able to use mobile apps
and mobile payments to interact
with organisations in the next three
to five years.
Online is expected to emerge
as consumers’ overall preferred
channel of interaction with
organisations in the future. Fifty-six
percent of consumers expect they will
prefer to interact with organisations
online in the next three to five years,
followed by contact centres (53%),
bricks and mortar (53%), mobile (19%)
and social media (8%).
Consumers expect to replace most
of what they do in other channels
with online. In three to five years,
consumers expect online to be the
channel they use most often when
researching products and services
(65%), making purchases and
payments (57%), and having products
and services provided (53%).
Businesses see online as their most
important marketing, sales and
customer care and support channel
in the future. Thirty-four percent
rated online as their top channel to
sell products and services in three
to five years.
Mobile app use is set to nearly
double among business. In three to
five years, 71% of organisations expect
to have mobile apps for customers, up
from 40% today.
oNlINe mobIle
56%
Consumer expectations are high
in regards to having a consistent
experience across channels. When
asked what elements they expect
to be consistent, 65% expect to
have access to the same service and
features, followed by the same service
levels (64%) and the ability to carry
out the same transactions (57%).
Channel integration is low but
businesses are optimistic for
the future. Although only 12% of
organisations have fully integrated
channels today, 61% say they will
have integrated channels in three
to five years.
Businesses are balancing customer
experience and brand values in their
digital channel choices. Although
businesses say that improving
customer experience is the main
reason they offer online and mobile
channels, social media is used for
brand-building for almost half.
digital channels are at the top of
most organisations’ investment
priorities. The three channels that are
investment priorities for organisations
in the next three to five years are
online (87%), social media (70%) and
mobile (69%).
82%
45%
87% 1.
70% 2.
69% 3.
3–5 yRS
46%
12%
71%
40%
63% 64%
MOBILeAPPS MOBILe
PAyMeNTS