Retail – the deer caught in the headlights
For the past 20 years, logistics and infrastructure have driven technology innovation. For the past 10 years, marketing and advertising have been creating awareness and interest in digital and mobile communication.
However, mainstream retail has predominantly avoided any real in-store customer connection technology outside of the traditional media comfort zone. This is about as shortsighted and safe as handling Nuclear waste with oven gloves, a beanie and a pair of sunglasses!
In a retail environment, connected technologies such as mobile devices, touchscreens and 2D mobile barcode scanners are the number one opportunity for retailers to add much more than just price-value propositions.
The retail environment is a regular consumer dwell time area and an opportunity to interact with people at a contextually deeper and more meaningful level. The opportunities are considerable, adding service value, transparency, nutritional information, convenience, promotions and rewards not to mention the customer loyalty spin-offs that this would generate.
The dilemma for most retailers is cost versus innovation. If online, digital and mobile is perceived as JUST marketing it will always be perceived as a COST.
To put this dilemma in context; look at the demise of the music and publishing industries. Procrastination is not a strategy.
In reality, these connected technologies should be an integrated part of the revenue generating business development investment model.
Mobile and online digital communication offer the flexibility of format, inter-connection, time, place and opportunity to build relationships that contextually connect with people. These relationships create richer, deeper and more meaningful value proposition that ultimately results in revenue generation.
Tags: Mobile Proximity Marketing, Mobile Vouchers & Banking, Social Media
