New Survey Finds 'Mobile Etiquette' Mishaps are Running Rampant

Texting or typing while driving. Sending emails while walking. Using mobile devices while on a honeymoon. These are among the top pet peeves cited by U.S. adults in a recent survey conducted by Ipsos and sponsored by Intel Corporation to uncover the current state of mobile etiquette in the United States.

Nine out of ten American adults claim they have seen people misuse mobile technology, and 75 percent say mobile manners are becoming worse compared to just 1 year ago, according to the survey.

As the number of Internet-connected mobile devices continues to grow, awareness of how people use mobile devices around others is on the rise. A 2011 report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project states that 85 percent of U.S. adults own a cell phone, 52 percent own a laptop computer, 4 percent own a tablet, and only 9 percent do not own any of these or other devices covered in the study. As the innovator behind the processors, or "brains," and complementary technologies that power many of today's mobile devices, Intel taps its team of social scientists, anthropologists, psychologists and industrial designers to provide a glimpse into how people use, will use or would like to use technology, including mobile devices, well into the future, across different cultures.

Key Survey Findings

While connectivity at one's fingertips has enabled people be more productive, how people use technology in the presence of others can lead to frustration. The majority of U.S. adults surveyed (92 percent) agree that they wish people practiced better etiquette when it comes to using their mobile devices in public areas. Roughly one in five adults (19 percent) admits to poor mobile behavior but continues the behavior because everyone else is doing it.

The desire to be more connected to family, friends and co-workers, combined with devices that are "always on," contributes to an innate need to have mobile devices available all day, every day, from early morning to late night. In fact, one in five adults admits to checking their mobile device before they get out of bed in the morning.

With a choice of sleek, small and powerful mobile devices on the market, people can easily take mobile devices with them wherever they go, making it easy to commit "public displays of technology." The survey revealed that U.S. adults see an average of five mobile offenses every day and top mobile pet peeves remain unchanged from Intel's first examination of the state of mobile etiquette in 2009. The top mobile etiquette gripes continue to be the use of mobile devices while driving (73 percent), talking on a device loudly in public places (65 percent), and using a mobile device while walking on the street (28 percent).

As mobile etiquette guidelines continue to evolve, Post offers these tips to those who use a variety of mobile devices on a daily basis:

-- Practice what you preach: If you don't like others' bad behavior, don't engage in it.

-- Be present: Give your full attention to those you are with, such as when in a meeting or on a date. No matter how well you think you multi-task, you'll make a better impression.

-- The small moments matter. Before making a call, texting or emailing in public, consider if your actions will impact others. If they will, reconsider, wait or move away first.

-- Talk with your family, friends and colleagues about ground rules for mobile device usage during personal time.

-- Some places should stay private: Don't use a mobile device while using a restroom.

More information can be found at www.CRMindustry.com.

Survey Shows CRM Software Spending Is Expected to See the Largest Increase of all Application Software Markets

Spending on customer relationship management (CRM) software is expected to see the largest increase of all the application software markets worldwide in 2011, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. Overall, 31 percent of respondents expect an increase in application software spending in 2011.

In comparing their 2011 fiscal budgets with 2010, 42 percent of survey respondents indicated that they expect to increase spending on CRM in 2011, compared to 39 percent on office suites and 36 percent on enterprise resource planning (ERP), which ranked second and third, respectively.

Gartner conducted an expansive primary research survey of more than 1,500 IT leaders of organizations in 40 countries, which concluded in July 2010. The goal was to determine software spending allocations for IT budgets in 2010 and predictions for 2011.

Gartner added that buyers of CRM continue to focus on investments that promote customer retention and enhance the customer experience, and they are increasingly interested in technologies that encourage development of customer communities and social networks. SaaS adoption continues to be a key driver. SaaS within the CRM industry is expected to exceed $4 billion in total software revenue in 2014, representing more than 32 percent of the overall CRM market. Marketing automation remains the market segment with the strongest growth, with the greatest demand coming from campaign and lead management and analytics.

Worldwide application software spending is expected to increase 31 percent in 2011, up 9 percent from last year, and emerging markets are planning for higher budget growth. Asia/Pacific is expected to have the largest increase, at 37 percent in 2011, up from 14 percent growth last year, followed by Latin America and EMEA showing an increase of 35 and 27 percent in 2011, respectively.

More information on CRM can be found at www.CRMindustry.com.

Customer Satisfaction with E-Commerce Stalls According to American Customer Satisfaction Index

The American Customer Satisfaction Index's annual E-Commerce Report, produced in partnership with ForeSee Results, shows that customer satisfaction with e-commerce websites is down 2.6% to 79.3 on the ACSI's 100-point scale, its lowest score since 2004. Falling satisfaction with online retail pulls down aggregate satisfaction with the e-commerce sector overall, which also includes online brokerage and online travel.

Online retail dips 3.6% to 80, as customer satisfaction with smaller e-retailers suffers a major drop. The "all others" category, which is an aggregate of smaller e-retailers and other companies not individually measured, plunges 6% to 78. But some of the most notable names in e-retail continue to dominate. Amazon (+1% to 87) and Netflix (-1% to 86) switch places at the top of the industry, and eBay gains 3% to 81. Amazon may have had smaller profits than predicted, but it grew its market share and is in position to continue to lead the industry in sales. Netflix may prove to be ahead of the online entertainment curve by offering less expensive streaming-only accounts. Its satisfaction barely slipped despite a shift in business strategy, which is an indication it is doing the right thing.

Customer satisfaction with online brokerage remains flat at 78, but Charles Schwab overtakes Fidelity at the top for the first time ever. Charles Schwab gains a point to 80, while Fidelity moves in the opposite direction, slipping one point to tie the industry aggregate of 78. But the biggest mover is E*TRADE, which gains 3% to 76 and has improved 10 points since it was first measured in 2000. ForeSee Results research shows that E*TRADE's customers tend to be younger and more likely to interact with the company through newer media like Facebook and mobile apps.

Customer satisfaction with online travel jumps 1.3% to a new all-time high of 78 and an increase of 4% since 2008. Expedia scores 79 to lead the industry, and it has led or held a share of the industry lead since 2000. The "all others" aggregate of smaller online travel sites like Kayak.com gains a point to 79. Travelocity climbs 3% to 77 and Orbitz slips 1% to 75. Priceline drops 4% to 73, losing most of what it had gained last year. Even though Priceline has high revenues, it trails other sites when it comes to brand familiarity and loyalty.

ForeSee Results applied ACSI methodology to measure customer satisfaction with the online experience of these measured companies when accessed via mobile phone. Aggregate satisfaction for e-commerce mobile commerce scores 75, but the results are not even across the board. Brokerage company mobile commerce websites and applications scored significantly better at 81. The retail and travel sectors of e-commerce scored 75. 

More information on customer satisfaction with e-commerce can be found at www.CRMindustry.com.

Spending on Social Software to Support Sales, Marketing and Customer Service Processes Will Exceed $1 Billion Worldwide By 2013

The customer relations management (CRM) market will enter a three year shake up in 2011, as a number of key trends take hold, according to Gartner, Inc. Sales, marketing and customer service technologies, projects and implementations will all see rapid changes over the next few years.

In order to offer sales, marketing, service and other business line managers, as well as C-level executives’ guidance with their CRM investments, Gartner has detailed its predictions for CRM in 2011 and beyond.

By 2013, spending on social software to support sales, marketing and customer service processes will exceed $1 billion worldwide.

The $1 billion prediction for spending on social CRM compares with Gartner’s forecast of more than $12 billion for overall spending on CRM software in 2012, means that social CRM will encompass approximately 8 percent of all CRM spending in 2012, up from approximate 4 percent in 2010.

Gartner recommends that buyers of social CRM should take a three-step approach to enable them to develop a social CRM strategy over the next 12 months:

1. Determine if there are any social CRM projects already under way; look in the marketing or customer service departments first.

2. Calculate the likelihood that you will be forced to start something in 2011 -- your industry and culture are the best indicators.

3. Find case studies specific to your industry that can provide examples of what is possible, and share them with other decision makers in your organization.

By 2015, one-third of spending on new CRM software will be SaaS.

In 2009, 24 percent of the CRM software market was delivered by SaaS, and this rose to more than 26 percent in 2010, up from virtually zero in 1999. By 2015, Gartner forecasts that 32 percent of the CRM software market will be delivered by SaaS.

Gartner said that buyers of CRM applications should resist the temptation to bypass the IT organization in the short term. Instead, involve IT in purchase decisions early on to avoid the most-frequently cited downstream issue of data integration, and to address potential concerns about inadequate security, scalability and privacy. IT organizations should focus on integration skills. The other limitations of SaaS remain, but are eroding over time, whereas integration skills remain problematic.

By 2015, all Tier 1 CRM ESPs will invest in their own bolt-on CRM application software.

In 2010, all Tier 1 CRM external service providers (ESPs) custom-built application functionality on projects; developed configurations or industry templates for major independent software vendors (ISVs); packaged CRM applications, such as SAP and Oracle's Siebel; and productized work done on projects for use on later bids. However, less than half of the Tier 1 ESPs developed additive stand-alone CRM applications that coexist with ISV packaged applications.

Gartner recommends that consultants and system integrators should carefully select areas of investment, start with their industry and process strengths, and avoid overinvesting in the short term. Buyers should watch for further declines in independent advice on the selection process from ESPs and take appropriate caution when evaluating ESP applications. Above all, they should avoid letting existing brand and reputation cloud their perceptions of the applications.

More information on CRM can be found at www.CRMindustry.com.

Do Social Media Results Justify Investment?

ForeSee Results, a provider of technology-driven customer satisfaction analytics, released its annual report on the state of social media effectiveness for retailers in the United States. The report shows that social media interactions are a primary influence for only about 5% of visitors to retail websites. The research indicates that, in fact, more traditional marketing techniques like promotional emails, search engine results, and even advertising influence far more visits to retail websites.

Other highlights of the report include:

-- Traditional marketing techniques like promotional emails influence not only more traffic; they deliver better-quality traffic. Some of the most satisfied site visitors arrived at the site because of previous familiarity with a brand, promotional emails, word-of-mouth, and product review websites.

-- Most customers are eager to engage with retailers, but prefer to do so via email or on retail websites, rather than on social sites. In fact, only 8% of online shoppers said that’s social media was their preferred way to interact with a retailer.

-- People are more satisfied with retailers’ presence on Facebook than they are with Facebook itself.

More information on social media can be found at www.CRMindustry.com.

Survey Reveals Key Business Benefits from Social Business Adoption

A new survey by Jive Software revealed three key findings: 1) customers are deriving quantifiable business benefits from their Social Business investments, 2) 2011 is the year of accelerated enterprise-wide adoption across most industries; and 3) Social Business is a mission-critical application.

The survey was based on responses from 500 individuals, representing more than 300 companies worldwide. A large percentage of the participating companies have more than 10,000 employees.

Key Finding #1: Social Business Drives Breakthrough Business Results

The first key finding revealed that customers are adopting social in the enterprise to change the way they do business and generate material breakthroughs in revenue, cost-savings and innovation. The business benefits from Social Business adoption extend across three key audiences: employees, customers and the social web.

Top Employee Engagement Benefits:

-- 39 percent increase in employee connectedness;

-- 32 percent more ideas generated and captured;

-- 30 percent increase in employee satisfaction;

-- 27 percent less email;

-- 32 percent reduction in time to find answers; and

-- 37 percent increase in project collaboration and productivity.

Top Customer Engagement Benefits:

-- 42 percent more communication with customers;

-- 31 percent increase in customer retention;

-- 34 percent higher brand awareness;

-- 28 percent decrease in support call volume;

-- 34 percent more feedback and ideas from customers; and

-- 27 percent increase in new customer sales.

Key Finding #2: Social Business Software Adoption is Pervasive

The survey also found that Social Business software is being adopted at a large scale across a broad range of industries. Eighty-three percent of participants reported that they are implementing enterprise-wide Social Business initiatives. This is indicative of the pervasive use of Social Business software to fundamentally change different business processes, from the way employees collaborate to the way companies engage with their customers.

The survey further showed that Social Business is adopted across many industries. From the respondents surveyed, over 35 industries were represented. The top ten industries are:

1. High tech (software/hardware, computer services);

2. Financial services;

3. Communications / Telecommunications;

4. Healthcare;

5. Media / Marketing / Advertising;

6. Retail / Wholesale;

7. Education;

8. Consumer goods;

9. Government; and

10. Insurance.

Key Finding #3: Social Business is Mission-Critical

The last finding showed that Social Business is a mission-critical initiative that requires a tight partnership between IT and business to be successful. IT needs to be closely involved to ensure that the Social Business system has the right scalability, security and corporate governance standards required by the enterprise. 

More information on Social Media can be found at www.CRMindustry.com.