Mobile

Analyst speak - Mobile phone buyers need lots of online help

Article Type: Comment | Author: Adam Goodvach, Director of Global Reviews UK | Source: NMA magazine | Published: 27.03.08

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Despite having an alleged habit for complaining, 75% of Britons are happy with their mobile phone providers. Global Reviews asked over 1,000 customers about their attitudes and considerations. There was a particular focus on their online behaviour and how the website played a role in the purchase process.

Respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with their mobile provider on a scale from 0 (extremely unhappy) to 10 (extremely happy). According to this scale, only 10% of respondents...

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... were unhappy whereas 75% were happy, 49% rating their provider 8 or higher.

The fact that 83% of respondents had been to the website of their mobile provider shows how important the web is. The most common reasons for the visit related to decisions about the phone or plan they wanted.

The top reason for visiting a website, as stated by 40% of respondents, was to see what handsets were available. For 20% it was to research the provider, while 17% went there to sign up. Given that many website visitors are in the process of making a decision, companies should give them fast and easy access to the tools and information they want.

According to the Global Reviews Website Customer Experience Benchmark, companies also differ in terms of the quality of the information they provide. BT Mobile and T-Mobile lead the category relating to Phone & Plan search, with 82% and 78% respectively. However, the average for this central tool is only 55%.

A tool to compare different phones is essential given the variety and complexity of modern mobile handsets. The leaders here were T-mobile (73%) and O2 (65%), but only four of the nine major companies benchmarked had any comparison tool at all.

Mobile phones have an unusually deep penetration across all demographic groups, so providers' websites need to appeal to all segments of the population. Tools that help people find handsets with specific functionality or compare the different phones on offer will help those who purchase based on specific needs.

Some people will buy phones based on their attitude to the brand and the popularity of the products on offer. Those with a more needs-based approach are currently not helped by many providers.

Adam Goodvach is director of Global Reviews UK