When buying a mobile phone, only in 7 percent of cases the brand of the terminal is the determining factor. On the contrary, the most important criterion that consumers take into account is price, 49 percent of the time. This is what emerges from a recent study carried out by the British consultancy WDSGlobal. It also highlights the difficulties of users to use the most common services, such as configuring the terminal to connect to the Internet or to work with e-mail.
The design of the terminals is becoming more homogeneous. In fact, as soon as an attractive model triumphs in the market, the rest of the manufacturers quickly release very similar versions. It is a very competitive business, in which it is difficult to differentiate. This, coupled with the terminal subsidy policies carried out by operators, is having a negative impact on the value that consumers place on the design of a phone.
According to the WDSGlobal report, only 10 percent of consumers choose a mobile phone based on the design of the device. On the contrary, the applications and functions of the terminal are much more appreciated by users. This means that the aspect of the mobile phone is relegated - after all, almost all of them seem the same - and what the phone allows to do is particularly relevant. In fact, 34 percent of those surveyed mentioned that functionality was the determining factor when buying a mobile.
The difficulties of use lead to the abandonment of the service (e-mail, Internet connection ”¦); in 8 percent of the cases without trying to find a solution. In addition, 29 percent of those interviewed considered that customer service services are ineffective in solving technical problems.
The consultant WDSGlobal concludes by explaining that the key to achieving brand loyalty is to control the entire experience of the consumer: from the stage of the initial desire, through experience in the POS and the ease of configuration of mobile once straight out of the box, right down to the accessibility of mobile services and after-sales service. And this is the task of both terminal manufacturers and mobile operators.
Via: WDSGlobal
Top photo: Kapungo
Bottom photo: Mourner
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