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Can mobile apps unlock better client interaction?

By Iain Ravenhill, Sales Executive at Notafy.


Johannesburg, 26 Sep 2013

The explosion of mobile apps has created an exciting new avenue for companies to inform, engage and sell to their consumers. The era of bulk SMS is over, and in its place is something more fun, more user-friendly and more customisable than anyone could have imagined just a few short years ago.

Over the years, many of our clients asked us for a cheaper and more reliable bulk SMS communication platform. As we saw this need grow, we started looking at customer service from a different angle. We thought, why try to improve an outdated service? Why not reinvent bulk SMS communication altogether?

So we turned to mobile app technology, and invented Notafy, the ultimate messaging service to connect companies and customers in a way that SMS never could, says Iain Ravenhill, Sales Executive at Notafy.

A study in the US, entitled "The US Mobile Ad Spending Forecast", conducted by eMarketer, revealed that 78% of consumers surveyed use mobile apps for customer service purposes such as billing, account status updates, reservations and real-time surveys. South Africa may lag somewhat behind these international trends, but we are catching up fast, and mobile technology is starting to feature in consumer interaction preferences and behaviour here too.

If you're wondering how mobile apps like Notafy can shape the customer experience better than bulk SMS ever could, here are just a few ways mobile apps like Notafy can enhance any business offering.

1. Stay front of mind

With a mobile app like Notafy, you can push messages at certain times of the day when your product or service would be most relevant to your consumers. You also have a dedicated space on your customers' most personal electronic devices, which means greater brand awareness across a greater audience.

2. Use apps to grow your business

On-the-go technology is becoming the first choice as a communication platform for consumers and businesses alike. Apps are making customers' lives easier - they want it when they want it - and this means increasing efficiency and revenue for those businesses that are quick to incorporate mobile apps as a communication and transaction touch-point with their customers.

3. Cut costs

Mobile apps are far more cost-efficient in comparison to traditional channels of communication. For example, SMS campaigns are charged per message whereas apps like Notafy charge per user - this means unlimited messaging without any extra fees. Research in the US shows that customers use mobile apps most frequently for customer service needs followed by travel and hospitality needs. Being able to keep track of customer activity is a good way to map customer behaviour, trends and preferences.

3. Be relevant

The rise of online interaction is unprecedented and customers are looking for the latest technology to connect with the world they live in. Companies that fall to the wayside are those that underestimate the ability of mobile technology and that aren't connected to customers via the platforms they choose. Mobile apps allow companies to easily and readily become digitally integrated with their customer base, making them more relevant to consumers.

4. Go paperless

Trying to keep track of rewards, loyalty cards and other incentive systems through traditional methods of posting rewards slips or requiring customers to swipe their cards to check point balances will soon be a thing of the past. Often, customers misplace their loyalty cards or forget them at home, which means they lose out on incentives. This kind of frustration can be altogether avoided. Innovative companies are using technology to make loyalty smarter and save on costs. Companies can use mobile apps like Notafy to drive sales and increase customer loyalty by letting customers know their points or rewards via mobile apps instead.

5. Create the best customer experience

Mobile apps like Notafy allow customers to engage with their favourite brands in a way that works for them. They can identify their favourite brands, personalise the content they want to receive, and engage with businesses according to their needs. When customers find their favourite brands, products and services at their fingertips, they'll feel valued and they'll be more inclined to engage in the experience those brands want to create.

The end result

It's not hard to see why mobile apps are quickly becoming a platform for companies to drive more loyal and profitable relationships with their customer bases. This is exactly what Notafy does, and we're set to revolutionise the world of customer experience management with it. Notafy provides a unique platform for companies to build their brands, improve customer service and increase their competitive advantage. It is perhaps the ultimate customer service touch-point that empowers customers with convenient, on-the-go self-service features and the ability to stay in touch with their favourite brands. That's a win-win relationship in the making!

To find out how Notafy can improve your customer service through its cost-effective platform with greater reach to your customer base, contact kandia@mynotafy.com or call (+27) 11 568 0728 or visit www.notafy.co.za.

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Editorial contacts

Bronwyn Wainwright
Thewordworks
(076) 899 8750
bronwyn@thewordworks.co.za