Mobile marketing plans need revamp

The evolving nature and fast-paced environment of the Middle East typically means that business meetings are frequently punctuated with the persistent trill of one or more of my colleagues' mobile phones.

The choice to answer such calls or messages is of course personal. As technology moves forward, so too does the ability to take calls and answer e-mails on the move.

The driving force behind the desire to reply to calls or messages is of course the content and manner in which they have been sent, and it was on receipt of a recent message that sparked my interest in content-driven text messages from retailers.

I received a message whilst driving to work at 8.30am informing me of a certain 'not to be missed' discount. I was apparently one of a few discerning customers who had been sent this message. However, given that I was being informed about a mid-season sale so early, via text message that was interspersed by poor grammar and syntax, made me question the exclusivity and best intentions of this offer.

This experience, as well as many others that have since been forgotten, led me to the conclusion that as a region and as a retail sector, we're not using our available mobile marketing techniques to their best potential. In the US, there is a different outlook on this form of customer connection. Nordstrom and Wal-Mart are actively targeting specific segments of their shopper demography with distinctively tailored messages. What's more, there are increasing amounts of strategic marketing and long-term business solutions revolving around mobile marketing campaigns, and are fast becoming a crucial element of the bigger retailers' customer experience.

Lessons

So what can we learn from this and how can the retailers in this region better manage their customer contact? My first suggestion would be to strategically plan the season ahead, and plan a mobile message campaign in advance.

There is a need to plan a mobile messaging budget and a thorough procedure of customer contact. Punchy, informative and helpful messages sent at the right time would have a greater impact on customer awareness.

Customers like to feel valued and currently it feels as if we're the ones doing the hard work by labouring through the volley of messages being sent. However, if there is an extra incentive to read, keep and then use the messages, then both the customer and the retailer are happy.

The writer is head of GRMC Retail Services, Dubai.