David Erasmus

There are many businesses that still do not have a website, or are not currently trading through it .

This happens predominantly where the PC penetration is low like Africa, or where there is a high level of physical presence needed like a wedding dress fitting shop.  Also some businesses feel they  are too small and feel that a web provision would not make sense for them like ice cream vans and street sellers.

The advance of the “on the go” mobile users will help plug some of these gaps and we will see some businesses only web expression being in the mobile space.

They will primarily be interested in helping users who are out and about getting the web to view and purchase their products and services.

It will be heavily dependent on timing, emotional responses and advertising messages as the mobile platform lends itself well to the impulse buy.

Example:  At the pub, fancy a dirty kebab, my local is called Ali’s. Don’t have any cash and don’t like queuing. Hit his mobile site from your iPhone and click large doner and can – £4.75, pay via paypal. The order arrives instantly to his mobile phone via SMS alert and 10 minutes later you arrive, Hey presto.

The only problem I can foresee is me buying more more kebabs than I should and getting the meat sweats!

The internet has severely affected the bricks and mortar shop industry over the last 5 years.

The Mobile web revolution on the other hand is set to change all that.

The difference with a mobile web user is that they are on the go in the “real world” but still wanting to take action!

The Mobile Web is the perfect accomplice to analogue, print or bricks and mortar businesses. Because it is an interactive platform and infrastructure independent it can compliment an existing business better than the large screen web ever could.

Through the use of image recognition, Geo Location, Audio recognition, QR codes, Barcode Readers and the rest we will see an awful lot more augmented experiences between old the old and mobile.

Example in case you are confused : Christmas shopping in Topman – The queue is so long it finishes in Macdonalds across the street.Why not scan the barcode of item you like and buy it through their mobile web site. 1 click like amazon. For the user there is no queue, no stress, but all the satisfaction of real shopping, For Topman, less basket abandonment,  lower costs, higher customer satisfaction.

Expect to see a rapid increase in mobile web provision that helps you interact with your surroundings and make easier purchases.

PS. Topman – I can sort this for you if you want.

I have long since known that I am not the most ingenious inventor.

I am not likely to come up with ground breaking technology or invent a life altering service.

I decided long ago that I would “hook myself on” to the biggest best technology companies and pick up their scraps.  See they are so big that they struggle to provide decent customer service to the long tail of small businesses. Convenient as it is my favourite market.

Its a mutually beneficial relationship, they appreciate us and support us and we get all the benefits of their their huge research and development budgets to make sure we are at the front of the game.

I have enjoyed doing this for years with Google in the UK, South Africa and Brazil and now I am really enjoying my working relationships with PayPal and eBay with regards to mobile web innovation.

If the train is already leaving the station then hook yourself ont0 the back.

Don’t reinvent the wheel if there is already a multi-billion pound one in your space.

“A Magical and Revolutionary Product at an Unbelievable price.”

.

Magical NO

Revolutionary YES

Unbelievable price NO

.

I queued at 6.15AM like a proper Apple Geek to get my iPad on the 28th May 2010, its was a great experience I recommend it, the Apple guys are great at the hype!

I found myself asking another guy in the queue a question I have never asked someone about a computer before “What are you going to use yours for?” It’s so versatile that everyone from a kid to a business big shot to grannies will find a use for it.

Like any revolution the first is always going to be crap compared to its followers but the leap towards a genuinely intuitive interface is incredible and I am submerging myself in it, trying desperately to get rid of my MacBook completely.

Henry Ford played his part in the automobile revolution and he said in 1909……..

Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.

Its  a bit like Apple saying now – You can have as many apps open as you want so long as you just want one.

The iPad is the beginning of something potentially magical but it is a means and not an end in itself.

We are in a paradigm shift from typey & clicky to touchy & voicey. Whilst this is happening there will be friction and compatibility issues.

Tablets are great 2 people devices, sharing 1-2-1 presentations, a game of chess or a couple of people cooking in the Kitchen. Because my work consists mainly of 1-2-1 interactions I am in love!

Most of my issues revolve around multitasking and lack of shortcuts so hopefully with the OS update later in 2010 they will be resolved and I will be rid of my MacBook for the most part.

Now if you will excuse me I have some mincing round the office with my iPad to do.

I will be releasing a short series of videos highlighting the current state of play of the Mobile Touch Web space. The growth and expansion is phenomenal and very exciting.

In the mean time this presentation from Taptu explains a little about the way stuff is moving in a very fun way, enjoy.