A new survey shows that more than one-third (36 percent) of mobile users have a cruddy customer experience. And that's not the customers talking – those are the companies that provide the service admitting that they're doing a lousy job.
While that statistic is disturbing, the survey from Econsultancy – in association with Tealeaf – does have some reasons for optimism.
It revealed that companies are increasingly using a range of methods to understand the online customer experience, with a focus on understanding why things are happening rather than just what is happening. And the proportion of companies with formal structures and processes in place to improve the customer experience has increased from 40 percent to 49 percent since last year's report.
Just over half of companies (52 percent) say that more than 10 percent of their traffic is via mobile devices. Seventeen percent say that mobile accounts for more than 20 percent of Web visitors, while 6 percent attribute more than 30 percent of traffic to mobile.
Information contained in customer emails (43 percent), calls to the customer service teams (45 percent), online feedback tools (35 percent), usability/heat maps (40 percent) and digital experience (session) replay (57 percent) are the methods seen as most effective for identifying issues with the online experience.
Just under one-fifth (18 percent) of respondents describe their understanding of the mobile-user experience as "excellent" (3 percent) or "good" (15 percent), compared to an equivalent combined figure of 45 percent for the overall online experience.
Almost 500 business professionals working for companies involved in e-commerce and e-business were polled online for the study.
“Brands must prioritize mobile customer experiences because the mobile experience is a killer touch point for businesses," said Yankee Group Research Director Sheryl Kingstone. "It provides unique insight on customers, which can help businesses differentiate themselves. With 61 percent of companies creating mobile Web sites and 57 percent building native mobile apps, brands must think strategically by creating an experience that leverages customer behavior and location for a more personalized mobile experience. If user experience is poor, it may take awhile to get them engaged again for Round 2."
