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Retailers have to be ready for mobile in 2013

Cindy Cheng, ​Sr. Director of Marketing Communications, EMEA, Appian
December 31, 2012

To say that 2012 was a year in which smartphone and tablet penetration became prominent would be an understatement. Mobile devices are gaining a prominent role in a variety of sectors, creating an environment in which retailers have to consider how they address the specific challenges mobile users create. According to a recent Marketing Pilgrim report, retailers have to seriously consider developing mobile strategies for 2013 or risk falling behind competition next holiday season.

Business process management software can play a major role in enabling retailers to address the challenges brought on by mobile challenges because the technology plays a key role in improving the employees' day-to-day operations.

Considering how mobile has developed

The news source explained that mobile shopping is something that every retailer has to take seriously. To understand just how important the technology is, organizations need look no further than holiday trends.

According to the report, the holidays are often a period that either make or break retailers for the year, as sales volumes increase so much that it becomes a major contributor to annual revenues. As a result, capitalizing on consumer shopping preferences is key during this period. While the 2012 holiday season was likely a difficult one for most retailers, the time indicated that mobile is becoming prominent.

Citing multiple industry studies, the news source explained that mobile is emerging as a prime solution among shoppers, as it is often used during the purchasing process, even if users do not actually buy more when using mobile devices. While smartphones and tablets may not contribute to more sales, they are becoming a more popular avenue to sales. As a result, retailers have to consider how they can capitalize on the mobile trend to give shoppers the experience they want instead of forcing a specific shopping method on them.

Using BPM to improve mobile functionality in retail

BPM software can enable retail companies to respond to mobile shopping tendencies by giving employees the tools they need to improve day-to-day functionality. Things generally happen faster in a mobile world. As a result, retail workers have to respond to customers, make strategic decisions and perform operations at an accelerated pace as mobile use increases. BPM solutions can enable this process acceleration by integrating diverse technological systems and putting relevant data in the hands of workers when they need it.

Cindy Cheng

Director of Product Marketing

Cindy Cheng