2013 Readers' Choice: Mobility

CGT’s readers rank the top five technology companies that provide software, hardware and/or services for managing “mobility” for both internal and external communications.

Download the full Mobility Report

Consumer goods manufacturers ranked mobility as the second most important new technology today (Source: 2012 Shared Strategy Report). It is a technology that will both drive and be driven by a host of breakthrough thinking and other technology yet to be conceived. Two experts from Capgemini Consulting — Michael Forhez, principal for the Consumer Markets, and Devin Voorsanger, managing consultant for Mobility Solutions — reveal where mobility makes the most sense in consumer goods.

Like the Social Media category before it, this is the first time we’ve polled the consumer goods audience about technology providers in Mobility. Is the outcome what you would expect?

Forhez/Voorsanger: This is the outcome we would expect from enterprises looking to mobilize their work and sales forces within the past five years. However, it is not the list we would expect from forward-leaning consumer goods companies looking to enhance collaboration with retailers while deepening relationships with their consumers, both of which are becoming more necessary in a mobile-driven world. Consumer goods firms who want to make the transformation from a product marketing economy to being appreciated in a “brand-as-service” economy will need solutions backed by companies that connect them with nimbler front-end Internet infrastructure plays, like those from Google, Facebook, Amazon, Soap.com, etc. These hybrid solutions will enable trading partner and consumer connections with bleeding-edge technologies that can provide such things as real-time intervention, next day deliveries and augmented reality, just several of the many new innovations driving an always connected world. 


The bottom line is that mobile is not an isolated technology, but one which will both drive and be driven by a host of breakthrough thinking and other technology yet to be conceived.


How are consumer goods companies primarily using mobility in their businesses?

Forhez/Voorsanger: At present, consumer goods companies are primarily using mobile for general branding or as sales force support mechanisms. However, some early adopters are partnering with external loyalty companies, like coupons.com, to supplement 1:1 marketing efforts. Such a move is not in and of itself surprising, but the real near-term winners will, again, be the ones who move from a brand-as-product to a brand-as-service strategy with the mobile interface being the primary connection for improving relationship management, targeted marketing and sales. Technology enabled providers that assist in this service transformation with data collection and interpretation will also be big winners in an always-wired world. For example, watch for players offering geo fencing as well as more intuitive interfaces for augmented reality (think Google Glasses) to come into ascendance as data input, both from and to the consumer, enable action from the insight in real time.


Are there other key trends to keep an eye on?

Forhez/Voorsanger:

• One view of the consumer across all channels (online, mobile, retail) with the tight integration of Big Data into customer-facing platforms and independent service offerings.
• NFC and mobile payment solutions (think Square and Starbucks) for easy payment via mobile device and CG firm trackable payment systems.
• Augmented reality user interfaces, which will move us away from the mobile phone screen as the primary visual aide.
• Gamification integrating all aspects of consumer relationship with brand.

BREAKOUT FAVORITES


Customer Experience Leader: Quofore

2012 brought the release of Quofore Mojo, a new cloud-based, device agnostic mobility platform that enables CPG companies to deploy applications for field sales, merchandising, in-store marketing, DSD/van sales, including powerful business intelligence/dashboards and more.



SMB Market Leader: AT&T

AT&T offers a broad portfolio of mobile marketing products and services to reach wireless users on any network, including AT&T Messaging Toolkit and AT&T Global Smart Messaging Suite. New products brought to market in 2012 include AT&T Enhanced Push-to-Talk.