Improve QoL | Smart Watch
Anno Domini 2014: the year of the smart watch. While this technology is not a recent invention, 2014 will be surely remembered as the year business got serious about it. Once again, the main buzz was created by Apple with the launch of the Apple Watch, even though Samsung was already selling its Galaxy Gear. As the market grows, companies will need to adjust their marketing strategies to engage customers with this new shiny object intended to improve our customer experience. Long time has passed since David Hasselhoff talked to his supercar KITT using a watch, and a watch that has become smart is not a dream anymore. “Apple Watch represents a new chapter in the relationship people have with technology�: with these words Apple presents
the new object of desire on its website. It is not a distortion of reality, because the smart watch is now on the front line of the wearable revolution. Certainly it is attracting the attention of marketers, even more than activity trackers and futuristic objects like Oculus Rift and Google Glass. Smart watches aim at something more than just self-tracking or 'immersive' games. Apple Watch, Samsung Gear S, Microsoft Band, HP Chronowing, Moto 360, LG G Watch R: behind these fancy names lies a digital transformation ready to reshape the way we live and work with a possible impact comparable to that of the mobile phone. Your digital customer experience will need to change accordingly. How? There are at least 10 ways to improve customer experience using a device that is forcing the door into your marketing mix to become inspirational for all engagement strategies. 1. Apps: the hardware is just the beginning of the story. Marketers are already exploring opportunities (NFC, sensors) and limitations (small screen, no keyboard) of this little big game-changer, to use apps for lead generation, customer engagement and service purposes. 2. Mobile connection: the watch user experience has limitations. That is the reason why it is designed to work in connection with a smart phone or tablet. Great news: you can add a new - and inexpensive - weapon to your marketing armory. 3. Health: healthy living has become a key paradigm of many companies (think Apple’s HealthKit). All models have built-in sensors that measure activity, heart rate or walking distance. You can use them to enhance your gamification actions. 4. Payments: the mobile mind-shift has already changed the way we shop; with the growth of mobile commerce. NFC is the second step in this path, with Apple Payas a good example of how near field communication and one touch payments will change retailing. 5. Social Media: maybe smart watches will not increase social media consumption but they surely change how we interact with Facebook, Twitter & Co. Having social networks always active on your customers’ wrist is a great opportunity if you are able to create tailored content for small screens and engage users with this new type of conversations. 6. Geofencing: thanks to location tracking, new devices know exactly where you are. To take advantage of this information, companies have to connect their watch
apps to smart objects at the point of sale, such as beacons. Geofencing is perfect to connect with customers in the point of sale. 7. Push notifications: strictly linked with geofencing and beacons, push notifications allow to propagate small messages to trigger actions when the customer is ready to connect with your products or brand. The smartwatch is the perfect companion for your loyalty and engagement programs. 8. Gamification: despite the small screen, ‘watchables’ are already used as gaming platforms. Their sensors and the capability to connect with other devices are more than useful for your company if you want to deeply engage customers with gamification (i.e. influence, status or progression dynamic). 9. Email marketing: a smartwatch could hardly manage a full email client, but the Apple Watch will show new incoming emails and even allow users to respond directly on the small screen. This will open a wide range of opportunities for DEM campaigns and location-based content emails. 10. Internet-of-Things: as already said, the most intriguing feature - fitness and health tracking apart - is the interconnection between devices made possible bythe Internet-of-Things. It will ensure to your clients a compelling journey across all devices and touchpoints. In other words: the amazing digital customer experience you have been looking for.
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Written by
Dario Melpignano