To a considerable degree, Caribbean organisations view mobile/cellular devices as providing marketing and promotion access, such as via social media. But mobile has become considerably more powerful and has become a crucial channel through which complete sales and do business.

 

We all know and appreciate the ubiquity and importance of mobile/cellular phones, and the odds are that you have at least one portable device, which has become an extension of yourself. However, across the Caribbean region, in particular, there still seems to be a disconnect between how businesses are engaging consumers and the role mobile/cellular technology plays in that engagement.

For example, although more Caribbean businesses might be on social media or using WhatApp, typically, these platforms are being used to promote the business, but not necessarily to complete sales. Frequently, and having attracted their attention, consumers would be expected to engage the business through traditional routes, such as calling the business or visiting its premises to make enquires or place an order.

It could thus be argued that although we are enjoying many technological advances, very little has changed in how Caribbean businesses interact with consumers. In this article, we outline five reasons why businesses should be adopting a more mobile-forward approach.

 

1.  Mobile first, mobile only

For the majority of Caribbean consumers, a smartphone or tablet computer is the only electronic device to which they have ready access, and so it is the medium through which all of their digital interactions occur. It, therefore, suggests that to successfully engage with a fair cross-section of their customers, businesses ought to consider a mobile-forward marketing and sales strategy.

Critical in that approach would be to ensure that the business has a mobile-friendly online presence, which would include having platforms that are, among other things, easy to navigate, responsive to portable devices, and optimised for speed. However, more importantly, it may require the organisation to comprehensively revisit its business model and approach, to ensure it is more closely aligned with today’s consumers and how they interact with the world.

 

2.  Consumer convenience

As mobile/cellular devices continue to become more powerful and feature-rich, there will be fewer reasons why consumers should not use their smartphones and tablet computers for almost everything that they want or need to do. It thus means that businesses that are able to more comprehensively interact with consumers on their mobile/cellular devices, the higher the chances are that they will be successful in whatever their call to action might be.

For example, if a customer is thinking of making a purchase but cannot do so at that time but must call or visit the business to do so, the customer now has the opportunity to talk themselves out of the purchase. Similarly, those of us who shop on Amazon would be aware of the “Buy Now” feature, which bypasses the shopping cart and the traditional payment process and immediately completes the purchase. Hence, offering more streamlined and convenient ways for customers to do business with your organisation, the greater the chances are that they will spend their hard-earned money with you.

 

3. Mobile money is on the rise

Without a doubt, digital payments have been on the rise globally and have been increasing exponentially across the Caribbean region over the past few years. Credit cards, for example, have been gaining market share, as the inconvenience, expense and vulnerabilities of cash become increasingly evident. Additionally, thanks to the launch of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in many Caribbean countries, the stage is being set for the comprehensive adoption of mobile money.

CBDCs are being heralded as a means through which greater financial inclusion can be achieved for the unbanked and underbanked segments in Caribbean societies, which are a significant portion of the population. As these CBDCs continue to gain traction, and other mobile money and mobile wallet-related services become more established across the region, it will become increasingly important that consumers will be able to conduct a broad range of transactions with mobile money. Hence, businesses are advised to be proactive and adjust their operations to also permit transactions with mobile money.

 

4.  Mobile commerce is also on the rise

As digital payment options become more established across the region, mobile commerce continues to gain traction. In our still cash-based societies, there had been questions of trust with respect to electronic forms of transaction and payment. However, Caribbean consumers are becoming more comfortable paying for goods and services online, especially since during the height of the pandemic when it was necessary to do so.

Further, as previously highlighted, consumers want convenience. And so having a mobile-friendly website that also allows for mobile shopping and payments to be done seamlessly is likely to give businesses a competitive edge – which is not just limited to their local counterparts but within the global marketplace of which they are also a part.  

 

5.  Improved SEO

Finally, the power of search engines should not be underestimated. Websites that feature highly in search results can experience a significant bump in traffic. Google, which still is the largest search engine, having around 85% of the desktop market and 94% of the mobile market,  has recommended Responsive Web Design for mobile devices. To that end, it prioritised a mobile-first approach in its ranking of online platforms.

However, many Caribbean businesses may not fully appreciate the importance of search engine optimisation (SEO). For example, Google processes an average of 40,000 search queries every second worldwide, or 3.5 billion searches daily (Source: Cloud Wards), and although advertising and word of mouth may still be important ways in which businesses get new customers, people are also increasingly likely to search Google and rely on its top-ranked results to decide how best to proceed.

 

 

Image credit:  Paul Hanaoka (Unsplash)