Why are mobile technologies important and why are they changing how we interact with customers and co-workers?
This is a presentation I gave to 50+ professionals in the marina industry whereby I provide examples of just how rapidly mobile technologies are being adopted. I then provide some ideas on how managers and small business owners should plan strategies for marketing and managing in an ever growing mobile world.
I also give some basic examples of native vs mobile web apps, and finally I provide case studies on apps or mobile sites that are being used in the marine industry in North America.
12. • Apple makes 10X on their hardware compared to
Google
• Apps are more popular than mobile web
http://www.forbes.com/sites/darcytravlos/2012/08/22/five-reasons-why-google-android-versus-apple-ios-market-share-numbers-dont-matter/
Show of hands of who saw us speak last year How many people have a smartphone (can search the web) How many people have a tablet
So what types of
Portability – our devices are now portable so we need to develop applications that are designed for this new way of interacting. This is different than mobile. Humans are mobile and they always have been. Its the fact that powerful computers are now portable that makes for the opportunity.
Collaboration – working with customers in an exchange of ideas. With a computer the perspective is an immovable screen. Toshare you crowd around it. Mobile devices allow you to have the meeting where the exchange is taking place - at the water cooler, etc. You are not tethered to a computer.
A PC is basically a single user device with one screen, keyboard and mouse. Others must crowd around the screen to see what’s happening because its basically a fixed display. Tablets and to some extents smartphones are collaborative because you can share information on the device (selling a car) or exchange information easily between devices. The customer is not engaged in this scenario – there is a wall or barrier made by the display.
Tablets and smartphones were built for sharing and engagement.
Visibility – access to data from various sources. This includes both marketing and information. Mobile can bridge the gap between an often disparate outward marketing experience and the internal information experience. The information from both sources needs to be presented to the user in an optimized and user friendly way.
Screen size forces designers to think more about what the customer needs to see and when. Only the most relevant information should be presented to the user at any given time. Flow from screen to screen is very important. Icons, buttons and navigation bars need to be intuitive. Finally the human gestures in mobile are touch and swipe, not point and click.
The landing page at SimpleSlip.comSection to create the mobile applicationExample of a the customized mobile application (on the phone)Example of a service request (on the phone)
Sample application and Service Request
The Waypoint Nautical Almanac. The App features a complete marina directory including the latest marine weather, tides, compass and news and events information and much more. We have all major ports in Europe and North America. All these ports have the possibility to be booked online at the press of a button when members of The Waypoint as well as listing addresses, phone numbers, satellite pictures, facilities and any other additional information.