Mobile Web
Customer Experience
Regardless of whether a user accesses a Web site via search or Direct navigation on a mobile device, the content they find will dictate the quality of their experience.
Ultimately, the adoption of the Mobile Web relies on the widespread availability and accessibility of user-friendly mobile content. For a company to add value through a Mobile Web presence they must not only be where consumers expect to find them (at their chosen point of entry such as a well-known or likely Freestyle address), but their Mobile Web content must serve the needs of mobile users to deliver optimal results. Building a Mobile Web presence allows companies to deliver positive impressions via a new kind of Internet medium, thus reaching more potential customers and interacting with all customers in a more productive manner.
It is essential that companies differentiate their Mobile Web content from the traditional Internet to create a more positive customer experience. In order to deliver the convenience that Mobile Web users desire, the Mobile Web should be streamlined to contain content that is easy to access and applicable to users’ needs.
Unfortunately, many Web sites that are accessed via a mobile device today are confusing (or even inaccessible) and they fail to deliver positive customer experiences to the consumers they seek to please. According to iCrossing’s Opinion Research Corporation poll, “An overwhelming 84% of mobile searchers expect the sites they visit frequently to have a dedicated mobile version.”[4]
It is important to consider how content is presented on a mobile device. Specifically, is the content optimized for a mobile device and does it display in a meaningful and easy-to-navigate way? For example, attempt to access www.target.com on a mobile device. While the site resolves, the mobile device is forced to show all of the content in a vertical display. The result is a confusing site that is difficult to navigate. Next, attempt to access www.cnn.com. This site, which recently became Mobile Web optimized, displays a small sampling of top news stories rather than attempting to display the standard site in its entirety. CNN recognizes that their Mobile Web users are probably not accessing the site to casually review the news, and are most likely looking for headlines, so that is exactly what they serve.
One key point to consider when creating Mobile Web content that delivers positive customer experiences is that mobile devices typically do not serve Flash, which is a commonly used graphic animation technology. Since many corporate sites use FLASH, they will not function properly on a mobile device. To illustrate this point, attempt to access www.nike.com (a site which uses flash) on a mobile device. The site does not resolve and the user is offered a blank screen with a link to “home,” which recycles back to the same page when clicked.
Beyond just optimizing a site to resolve in a useful manner, corporations must consider the reasons why a Mobile Web user will access their site from a mobile device. The reason will be different for each company, but that reason should drive the type of content that is served.
A good example of a company offering an optimal experience to users accessing the Web via a mobile device is www.bofa.com (Bank of America). On a mobile device, this site resolves to one screen of text with four links:
- Sign In
- Locations
- What is Mobile Banking?
- About Bank of America
Not only does Bank of America realize when users enter its site from mobile devices, but it provides them with mobile content that is different than that which is displayed at www.bofa.com on the traditional Internet and the information is targeted to the specific needs of a customer on the go.
[4] (ICrossing, 2)
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