THE FACT: everyone personalizes their mobile
According to the operator studies to which we have had access, the vast majority of mobile phone customers have almost all the same ritual the first time they use the phone they just bought: choose their ringtone, choose their wallpaper, download their favourite applications and arrange them as they wish. Of course it is necessary to distinguish Smartphone and Feature Phone since the latter offer fewer possibilities of personalization but the fact is that each customer tries to make his mobile unique and in his image.
TRENDS: personalization is essential
Whatever the market, personalization is a real trend in consumption and meets real needs for the customer:
- Make your phone unique in accordance with your personality and values
- Respond to the need to stand out with a visible but light singularity
- Create an emotional link with the object
Two other trends, such as the growing consumer demand and the “do-it-yourself”, contribute to amplify this need for personalization.
Brands are quickly grasping these trends, since personalization represents a major growth driver for brands, according to Henri Foucaud (Hapticmedia) in an interview with France TV Info (to be found here), where he says in particular that “the additional prices that consumers are willing to pay in addition (for personalization, editor’s note) oscillate between + 20% and + 50% of the initial product price“.
All this to say that personalization is a concrete trend that helps to enhance the customer and offer him a unique experience with a product that reflects his image. Operators can take advantage of this opportunity to bring value to their customers as soon as their phone is switched on for the first time.
THE QUESTION: What levers does the operator have at his disposal to insert himself into these first steps?
As we have already mentioned, the operator has a privileged relationship with the customer since it is through him that he will be able to use the network that allows him to be in contact with others. Sometimes, the operator sells the device directly to the customer (in France, it is about every other sale) which then offers him an even more privileged link. The operator can then offer different ways to personalize his mobile to the customer at different times during his first use of the mobile.
Once the customer has passed the basic ignition and configuration stage of his device, the operator can intervene on the following contact points:
- The home page of the mobile (homescreen): when the mobile is sold by the operator, he has the possibility to customize the ROM of the device with the manufacturer. This means being able to highlight partner applications in order to monetize application-specific locations. Thus, when the customer turns on his mobile for the first time, he will be able to find applications specific to the operator or his partners, services that he would not be able to find elsewhere. At The Mobile Concept, we offer a white label solution that allows the operator to pre-embed these applications in his devices.
- The wallpaper: by default, the operator can impose a standard wallpaper on the devices he sells, but the customer quickly changes it, either by downloading it via an application or by selecting those proposed by the manufacturer.
- The choice of ringtone: by default, the operator can also offer his ringtone as a distinctive sign of other operators but he can also offer other ringtones for sale, whatever they are humorous or the hits of the moment.
- The personalization of the answering machine: this is a unique element of personalization specific to the operator that only he can control via his VMS (Voice Messaging System) platform. It offers the customer the possibility to configure his own answering machine message or to propose standard messages, or even humorous messages. It is natural to configure your message by calling the operator’s answering machine service or another service that, when integrated into the operator’s VMS, allows you to assign a customized answering machine message.
- Mobile-related products (accessories, insurance): again, this is a huge playground for operators who can offer their own personalised insurance offers or offer mobile accessories for sale.
- Customization of the network name: instead of displaying the name of the operator’s network to which the customer is connected, the customer can display the word he wants, as is the case with RED’s “Pimp My Network” offer (SFR)
All its customization options can be offered by operators, and some can be configured directly by voice, including customizing the answering machine, choosing the ring tone or wallpaper. At The Mobile Concept, we offer services that can help you improve the customer experience with voice personalization of all these points.
