[Written By External Partner]
It is a fact of life that owners of small or independent companies need to make certain compromises – particularly when they remain relatively new to the world, and are still finding their feet – in every aspect of doing business. This fact could translate into how many staff you take on (versus how daunting the workload), the amount of stock you can hold onto at any given time (versus how high or erratic demand from customers is), or the size of the investment you can make into those public-facing aspects of your business (versus how central they are to your ability to thrive). In all likelihood, of course, it translates into all of the above, to varying degrees.
Still, there inevitably comes a time in any business owner’s journey when those compromises require, for lack of a better word, their own compromises. In essence, small businesses can rarely aspire to invest the same level of time, attention and resources into potentially lucrative avenues, but, at the same time, that does not mean that they can afford to sacrifice them completely.
Mobile solutions, for instance, will require a certain amount of your time and, of course, your money. But, is it worth that considerable investment? Read more below.
No Industry is Exempt from the Mobile’s Ascendency
In the realm of B2C models, the mere fact that, in 2019, more than 60% of traffic and more than 50% of sales occurred via mobile demonstrates quite how much companies that do not invest in mobile solutions could be missing out. Yes, cell phone users can access sites via their browser, but if these sites have not been created using adaptive design, the mobile user will have a subpar experience – and it is not an unlikely scenario that they simply go elsewhere.
The situation is not limited to sales, either. Gaming represents a significant pastime for many of us, and one of the leading platforms is – you guessed it – the cell phone. Some of the most competitive industries within the umbrella of the gaming sector, such as online casinos, are led by those who can capture both markets – desktop and cell phone users – at once. Anyone who has ever wondered how to cheat a slot machine with a cell phone has done so because these devices offer a unique experience – and, as a result, place unique requirements on the user.
In the realm of B2B models, the story is the same. Selling products and services to other businesses to your full potential means approaching from both sides. Desktop browsing cannot be forgotten, but it should be treated as an equal partner to mobile browsing.
In short, it is no secret that our cell phones are, by and large, an extension of our minds and bodies – one which offers strong potential for ROI for anyone who understands how to wield its power. Whether you are operating in the field of e-commerce, or providing digital services and content, ensuring that you are optimised for cell phones is the only way to capture what is, inarguably, the strongest global market imaginable.
Its Significance Will Only Continue to Grow
Some trends were never designed to last. Particularly when it comes to business owners, that shrewd, discerning eye is used to pinpointing phenomena which, while lucrative for a time, will inevitably be replaced by other fads, trends, habits and behaviours. This is, of course, particularly true in our digital age, where the collective interests of millions of internet users naturally give rise to a more-or-less rhythmic cycle of passing trends.
There are, however, some constants – and in the realm of cell phone usage, the only constant is our rising dependence on these devices. Particularly as 5G promises to transform the ways in which we access and utilise the internet on the go – and as the most fundamental design features of our devices evolve into something entirely new, as with this initial influx of folding phones – we can rest assured that any investment into mobile solutions will not only change the face of our businesses now, but prepare them for some of the strongest certainties of the future.
At face value, then, mobile solutions tailored to your business represent yet another cost that your small business has to grapple with. Beyond that, however, it represents an investment into a future which none of us can afford to overlook, downplay, or assume is not wholly relevant to the ways in which we do business online. For that reason, mobile solutions should be considered integral to any business – whatever the size.
