Pew Internet & American Life Project reported that smartphones have now surpassed basic phone users. Gartner predicts that mobile phones will overtake PC’s as the most common web access devices worldwide. WiFi is so widely available in major metropolitan areas that most tablet users don’t even need wireless data plans. Finally, tablet sales grew 264% in 2011 over the previous year, and this year, Yankee Group predicts the sale of almost 25 million tablets in the U.S. alone.
What does this data mean for companies and organizations looking to engage with a connected audience?
Consumers are now demanding communication with their providers, on their terms, which in most cases, means through their connected devices.
What does this mean for businesses? Well, it will cease to be the primary interaction channel between companies and their customers. The smartphone will become the contact center of the future.
It won’t happen all at once, and certainly not everyone will prefer this channel. However, both consumers and businesses will benefit significantly, leading to a major communication shift by the end of 2012.
The bottom line .... as a small business it is well worth the effort exploring how you can reach potential new customers ... and stay in touch with your existing clientele ... using mobile marketing applications.