Tag: mobile tech

Mobile technology continues to expand in Africa

| July 22, 2015

The latest tech is becoming increasingly promising throughout the continent as other infrastructures lag.

The majority of Africa is faced with considerable struggles in terms of its internet coverage, electricity, governance, and even poverty, but when it comes to mobile technology, most of the continent is experiencing massive growth.

The latest types of mobile tech have proven to be extremely promising for the current African environment.

The whole region is proving to be a location that is offering a tremendous amount of opportunity for mobile technology innovation. This is particularly true when it comes to categories such as m-commerce and mobile payments. Entrepreneurs, particularly those in younger age brackets – are discovering new ways to be able to benefit from this type of tech, as they help others and make a profit at the same time.

The lives of millions of people in Africa are being changed in a meaningful way due to mobile technology.

Mobile Technology - AfricaIn the category of mobile payments and banking, the number of players in the market is starting to grow, as companies start to recognize that there is a massive population that has previously be unbanked and that can be effectively served through their mobile phones.

Some of the largest success stories in the mobile sector in Africa include payment systems organizations such as Cellulant, as well as others like M-Pesa. These have made it possible for Africans to skip over the traditional shortfalls of their internet and electricity infrastructure in order to dive right into accounts that are based on the devices that the majority of them already have – cell phones.

The impact has been a large and measurable one. The economies of many countries – such as Kenya, for example – have continued to be mainly cash focused, but now include a sizeable participation in mobile payments, as well. Previously, credit and debit cards had been used by only the smallest sliver of people, leaving only cash. Now, cash is losing ground to mobile technology at an ever increasing rate. This has been helpful not only to consumers, but also to businesses, education systems, and other organizations of virtually every size.

Mobile technology and fast food chains go hand in hand

| July 14, 2015

This type of tech is proving to be very appealing to customers at quick service restaurants.

A pilot program is currently underway at McDonald’s, called “Create Your Taste”, which provides ordering stations that are somewhat like tablets, for guests, so that the familiar mobile technology feel can be tested out in the ordering process.

The program lets people use the tablets to customize the burger toppings that they want in their meals.

This mobile technology is available to customers inside the restaurants and it gives them the chance to try any of dozens of toppings that are not available to the customers who make their orders at the counter or at the drive-thru. Once the customized meals have been prepared for the customers, they are brought to them in fancier packaging.

Customers find that the mobile technology that is used feels very familiar, like their own tablets at home.

Mobile Technology - McDonald'sThroughout the pilot program, customers can either use the mobile tech on their own or they can take advantage of the assistance of employees. The test program has employees on hand to make sure that customers who are interested in giving it a try will be able to be guided through the process if they need the added help. Even the customers who were not able to figure it all out on their own still appeared to be quite happy with the experience.

This represents only the latest in a number of moves that McDonald’s has been making to appeal to the love that people have of technology and the personalized experience. There have been a number of mobile marketing campaigns that have already been run, as well as some added entertainment pilot programs that have been run that used augmented reality.

Other fast food chains have been jumping on board with mobile technology trends, as well, as they have used QR codes, run mobile advertising campaigns and have included smartphone ordering features as a part of their mobile apps. It is clear that the quick service industry is seeing tremendous opportunity in the fact that consumers are bringing smartphones with them everywhere they go.