Manic Monday | One Ringy Dingy.....two Ringy Dingy....
If you remember those words it will likely conjure up a picture in your mind of Lily Tomlin as the telephone operator "Ernestine" which she brought to life on Rowan and Martin's break out comedy show Laugh-In.
Well we have definitely come a long way Ernestine! From party lines to land lines to mobile devices; from operator overseas calls to direct international dialing to the world of Skype quickly followed by FaceTime. A lot has changed in the world of communication and the "phone" or "mobile" has taken on a spectrum of roles that few could have ever foreseen.
For someone who considers himself an early adopter and fairly techno savvy the past couple of weeks have definitely left me feeling more than just slightly overwhelmed.
While some people may be resisting the facts there is no question the world has not only gone digital but mobile is definitely ruling and running our lives. In 2015 online mobile usage eclipsed laptop and desktop and by all indications there will be no turning back. Ensuring your business is mobile friendly is no longer just important... it is imperative.
Our consumers are streaming, searching, buying, banking, texting and yes sometimes we are even still talking on mobile devices. Studies from 2015 indicate that the average mobile usage was over 2.8 hours per day representing 51% of our total online activities and that was 2 years ago.....
We are referencing mobile devices on average between 100 to 250 times per day depending on which studies you read and for the majority of us our mobile is the first thing we look at in the morning and the last thing we check at night. The mobile world has even coined a new phrase, no-mo-phobia; "the irrational fear of either not having your mobile with you or being unable to access it due to battery life or signal issues".
There is however one area where mobile is still lagging behind; conversion and purchase rates. Due largely to a poor user experience on mobile platforms this important stage of the buying cycle still sends consumers running to their laptop or desktop; a fact that provides business owners with both risk and an opportunity.
When mobile users change devices to make their purchase, companies risk customers being served up other online options prior to the sale and ultimately buying from the competition. Those businesses that recognize and understand this and are able to adapt their mobile experience to make purchasing easy and seamless will find themselves realizing significant rewards.
Today we really do have "the whole world in our hands" and it appears it is going to stay there for a very long time.....but if you are feeling a bit nostalgic you can always keep the memory of Ernestine alive by downloading her Ringy Dingy voice as your mobile ring tone!
Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO
