Technology permeates every aspect of our lives. We have whatever we want at our fingertips, instantly accessible and often purchasable. Sadly technology doesn’t always deliver on the hassle-free experience that it promises, slowing us down and making us change how we work or do things to fit in with the way that the software or solution works. Put simply, the technology is getting in the way and creating barriers to getting stuff done in both our professional and personal lives. As a result, the need for what I call ‘frictionless technology’ has never been greater.
Making marketing easy
As a marketer I want to be able to do my job - create appealing, interesting content and drive customer engagement without technology dictating how I should do it. Frictionless technology should automate the process-driven and clunky procedures that eat into my valuable ‘creative’ time.
Emerging tools that allow the automatic and constant testing of variables on a website or campaign are invaluable. We can see where our traffic is coming from, what is inspiring customer engagement, which content works and where we are missing the mark. Previously, the analysis would have been long, fragmented and frustrating, with the systems and data available not giving us the holistic and granular answers we wanted. Now, we can measure the results automatically and ascertain the success rate of campaigns at a glance. This is a huge help for marketers in building a business case for future budgets.
For marketers, frictionless technology means appropriate automation, easy creation and effective measurement. In a highly competitive, digital world these capabilities will give businesses a real advantage.
Giving customers what they want
As a consumer I don’t just want to browse a website. The concept of browsing is dated and assumes that I want online versions of traditional catalogues. They are structured in very formal and restricted categories that aren’t personalised or relevant to me. I want a website where I can find things in a hurry, that educates me on the brand and products of interest, but also enables me to take the appropriate action. There are so many websites that fail at the first hurdle, such as flash-based sites that can’t be viewed via phones or tablets, or sites with ineffective searches that bring up everything except the article I really want or that I don’t yet know I want. My experiences on the ‘other side of the fence’ help me to always keep in mind what will work best for customers. This is why websites should always be created from the customer’s point of view, not from a technological one. Websites should be frictionless by ensuring they are device agnostic, intuitive, personalised and simple to navigate.
Sell me a lifestyle
As a consumer, if I’m going to spend time online I want a ‘better than in-store’ experience from my favourite brands. I want to be sold a lifestyle online, something I can aspire to and immerse myself in. There are so many times when I think my online experience could have been so much better. Selling sunglasses? Allow your customers to upload their photos, try different pairs on virtually and then share those images with friends to get their opinion. It’s really not rocket science.
Using technology to help customers with buying decisions is already possible and available to be taken advantage of by forward-thinking organisations. House of Fraser’s ‘find your true fit’ service allows me to provide my vital statistics and get advice on which size to order for each individual item – as we know a size in one brand often bears no relation to the same size offered by a different label! House of Fraser saves my information in order to make recommendations on any item I browse. Taking the guesswork out of which size to buy means fewer returns and a more successful purchasing experience - a great result for brand and customer alike.
Marketers should deliver websites that take the hard work out of shopping. Brands have to keep the online buying experience fresh and effective, constantly. At the moment recommendations based on previous browsing history, showcasing ensembles of how clothes might look together, allowing sharing with friends and better images to show how products look and feel are all essential elements within a digital retail environment. Retailers must keep in touch with the way consumers use technology and develop online tools and functionality to support the customer experience. But in this fast moving world, this will change again and brands need to be prepared to deliver the experience that future users will want.
Adopting the frictionless technology concept will enable brands to deliver fantastic customer experiences, from the inside out, creating the seamless digital experience that we all expect, whether at work or play.
By Maria McCann, Field Marketing Manager at Acquia.com.
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