Hotels have begun to think about SMS marketing and mobile devices, but most have not jumped on the bandwagon. You might be thinking—“thank goodness” that isn’t true, but the reality check this month came in the form of a recent Hipcricket survey of mobile users that indicates 57 percent said they would be interested in opting in to a brand’s SMS (Short Message Service, aka text messaging) loyalty program, referenced by Hospitality Net. Yet, 80 percent claim they have not been marketed to via SMS by their favorite brands.
In the New York City-based HeBS Digital’s 5th Annual Benchmark Survey on Hotel Digital Marketing Budget Planning, 25% of hoteliers indicated that SMS marketing was an initiative they planned to leverage in 2011 with most looking at a mobile app or a mobile site at least.
Red e App was developed with these metrics in mind, and has begun to have open dialogue with enterprises, such as hotels, about mobile best practices, rich customer experience and how to dial in their clients – without frustrating them and by the way – without SMS!
The Red e App approach allows for a less-intrusive push approach to engagement via the mobile device, with a graphical experience that can say “enterprise” without screaming “car salesman,” (not that we don’t love car salesmen, mind you.)
HeBS’ blogger Margaret Mastrogiacomo explains the Top 20 best practices that include finding a trusted partner for mobile application development. Red E App allows for a software-as-a-service approach, without heavy development costs, and ties in web tactics already underway. Before embarking on mobile development, enterprises could determine that a monthly subscription model approach will get the job done on time and on budget.
Mastrogiacomo states her case well regarding engagement. As an enterprise, you want to speak to the customers that care, and not upset those that are more infrequent in their travels. Red E App will give choice to the consumer in 2012 and allow for interactions that seek value and service.
Gartner expects mobile ad revenue to hit $3.3 billion by the end of 2011, more than double revenue in 2010 — and to hockey-stick to $20.6 billion by 2015. Red e App’s approach will provide a new path that impacts those bottom line dollars.
Dawn Yankeelov
President of Aspectx, on behalf of Red e App
