Author: Rebecca

New B2X research reveals considerable insight regarding the behaviors of smartphone based consumers.

The mobile commerce landscape is becoming increasingly prevalent in American society and recent data from B2X and Motorola has now been released to help to show companies how they might be able to increase a customer’s inclination to shop with them.

When all was said and done, the primary point that this study underscored was that customer service is vital.

The survey showed that American mobile commerce shoppers prioritize customer care and service and are more likely to shop with the companies that provide for them in this way. It is not just a matter of pre-sale service that matters. In fact, post-sales service and customer support were deemed the most critical in the minds of mobile shoppers.

This helps to put an important spotlight on a vital component of mobile commerce and the experience as a whole.

Consumers who were considering an m-commerce purchase found that those two elements were the ones that had the most sway over their final decisions. According to Raul Sfat of B2X, “This survey further proves our belief that customer care should be the top priority for all device manufacturers, insurance providers and wireless carriers in the mobile industry.” He went on to say that “Therefore, we believe that enabling our clients to provide the most efficient, unprecedented customer care allows them to attract and maintain loyal consumers.”

Additional data collected within the report showed that:

• 86 percent of Americans said that the main use that they have for their smartphones is texting.
• 70 percent of Americans believe that if their device should need repairs, they should be completed within the same day.
• 30 percent of Americans do not know where to go about obtaining mobile device problem assistance.
• 25 percent said that they experience problems with their devices one time every year.

This knowledge could make a considerable difference to device manufacturers and retailers who are hoping to maximize the potential of their mobile commerce and to give consumers every reason to shop with them and to purchase their products.

A watchdog group has pointed out that wearables will need to adhere to the same regulations as other gadgets.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the United Kingdom has now confirmed that the collection and use of personal data that is obtained through wearable technology devices is subject to the data protection laws that are in place in the country.

The watchdog has stated that everything from smartwatches to Google Glass will be required to comply.

All forms of wearable technology will need to adhere to the regulations as laid out in the Data Protection Act (DPA) in the United Kingdom, said the group in its recent announcement. It explained its statement within a blog post, where it specified that people who are using wearables on their own person and who are using the data collected for their own purposes are not likely to be in conflict with the rules in the DPA.

Wearable technology used for domestic and personal purposes is exempt from the DPA regulations.

Andrew Paterson, the senior technology from the ICO went on to explain that “if you were to one day decide that you’d like to start using this information for other purposes outside of your personal use, for example to support a local campaign or to start a business, then this exemption would no longer apply.”

Organizations who have been – or who intend to – use wearables for the collection and processing of personal information will nearly always need to have to look to the Act to ensure that they are in compliance. It means that they will need to ensure that they are processing the information that they have collected through the use of those devices is in compliance with the DPA.

Among the regulations outlined for the use of information gleaned through wearable technology use is that the individuals affected must be informed about the way in which their personal data is being collected, as well as how it is being used. It must be made certain that only the data that is adequate, relevant, and not excessive is taken, and that it is stored in a secure location from which it is deleted once there is no more requirement to use it, said Paterson’s post.