Mobile-first is critical because if there’s a signature technology that defines this generation, it’s tough to argue against the smartphone. The device has changed the way individuals communicate, consume information, and yes, interact with their preferred brands.
When it comes to building a differentiating customer experience, having a mobile-first or device strategy is more than a feature—it’s a requirement.
Know thy customer: Mobile-first matters
Innovative marketers are jumping on this opportunity, leveraging mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IOT) while raising the bar in delivering customer conveniences.
These efforts makes finding information easier and purchasing experiences more convenient. It saves the customer time and helps to build trust, which increases customer loyalty and product stickiness.
Palladium Hotel Group is a great example of how a brand is leveraging connected IoT devices to deliver convenience for their customers while collecting valuable consumer behavior information with consent.
An internationally renowned Spanish hotel chain, Palladium is currently present in six countries, and consists of 50 different hotels. The company serves the high-end market through the concept of “bringing paradise within reach,” offering travelers amazing experiences. Its business goal is to convert customers into lifelong patrons.
Using the analytical capabilities of a marketing cloud to gain deeper insights into customer traits and demographics, they are enabled to understand who its customers are, and how to engage with them. Gathering customers’ behavior information during their visits also helps accomplish this goal.
The company makes the customer experience more convenient by providing its guests with RFID-tagged bracelets when they check in. The bracelets are keyed to the guests and their rooms, serving as authenticators for room access and purchases throughout the resort.
For example, if a guest has young children, that guest can drop them off at a youth program and pay for the program using the bracelet.
The company can then access information through the marketing cloud and send the guest follow-up offers or promotional emails on other activities for kids. This is just one of the ways a brand can deliver convenience to customers with personalized messages and offers.
Without these sort of customer-first approaches, brands simply cannot succeed in the digital marketplace.
