WAP pages are pretty crowded and clunky places with little personalisation so it presents me with a lot of things that i’m not really interested in. Unless  buying a game or ringtone I find the experience quite underwhelming not to mention chaotic.

But, back to the beginning of my story about using apps and accessing info but not via WAP. And, wait for it, I don’t have an i-phone.  I’m using an app to access my apps! I have a dedicated icon on my mobile screen that contains a host of daily apps, such as news, twitter, facebook and maps. When it’s open, my mobile actually looks uncannily like an i-phone and is much, much faster, easier and intuitive to navigate than WAP. All of the applications are cached so I’m using less data, which makes it faster and cheaper to use plus, as it’s server based with just a thin client on my phone, it offers greater computing power to run more complex applications. I can also play games on the tube, as it works in offline mode too.

You may not be surprised to learn that what I am using is a hot new application from Retalika. WAP (sometimes nicknamed “Wait And Pay”) has been around since 1997 so it’s not surprising that a new generation technology has come along at last.

On top of the speed and usability benefits of the Retalika solution, a big advantage is that the application is integrated with my mobile operating system so for example is able to reuse my contacts and send me alerts. This makes it very easy and seamless. The old slow standalone WAP solution seems like a dinosaur.

So, will your WAP habits change?

Mobile app downloads across all types of handset are expected to increase from over 7 billion downloads in 2009 to almost 50 billion in 2012 – a year on year growth rate of 92%.

The revenue opportunities in Europe are set to soar from $1.5billion in 2009 to $8.5billion in 2012, while in North America the figure will rise from around $2.1billion to around $6.7billion in 2012.

By 2012, off-deck paid-for apps will be the biggest revenue generator, accounting for almost 50 per cent of all apps revenue. By comparison, in 2009, on-deck apps available from mobile operators accounted for over 60% of all apps revenue, but this will fall significantly to just under 23% by 2012.

This seems like the kind of market opportunity that retailers should be interested in? Especially as they account for over half of all mobile handset sales, and have familiar, trusted and personal brands that appeal to the mass market.

The revenue opportunity is impressive, but also the potential to differentiate and add value, and create a sticky ongoing consumer relationship.

Of course it is not an easy business to get started in…..
What do consumers want?
Who to choose as suppliers?
How to validate?
How to test?
How to integrate?
How to bill?
How to take to market?

Creating a mobile services and content portfolio and platform, which can be quickly, easily, economically and consistently offered and managed through multiple online and offline channels, is a daunting, time consuming and expensive task.

Knowing this, and that Retailers need to concentrate on what they do best…selling…..at Retalika we have created an end to end solution which enables retailers to quickly (in weeks) and at low cost start selling mobile content and services. Contact us to learn more.

Of course they are right. The whole business of mobile apps’, content and services is developing fast. Early adopters have shown a strong appetitite for the first offerings from the technology brands, notably Apple. But achieving mass market adoption will take more. For example the various app stores are getting too big and full of poor quality and irrelevant content. The average consumer is not going to wade through all that, its a bit like surfing through 100+ cable TV channels, you get bored and give up when you don’t quickly find something of interest to you. Consumers want to be presented with relevant content, and are prepared to pay for it.

At the end of last year we completed a survey which indicated that 75% of consumers were interested in buying mobile content and services from a retailer. Retailers are familiar, trusted and personal brands for mass market consumers. There is a long history of retailers “crossing the chasm” for new technologies from early adopters to the mass market majority. Think of mobile itself. Originally sold through specialist dealers because of the complexity and only became a mainstream consumer product when retailers entered and validated the market.

The business case for retailers to sell mobile content and services is also compelling. A new, fast growing, high margin revenue stream with great potential to add value and differentiate, and pull through other purchases. To build an ongoing consumer relationship, create a services business, and develop a recurring revenue stream.

We have spent three years developing a patent pending end to end solution which enables retailers to quickly, easily and economically start selling mobile content and services. A single platform for multiple retailer sales channels, in store, online, and on the mobile.

So RCR are right, keep watching!

“What used to be a fairly linear world, one with ladders to climb rank, and lines to wait in for limited resources, are now built of vast and flexible networks, some loose and some rigid. Our social networks, both the old-fashioned type in real life, as well as the new constructs created by social software, give us the ability to do amazing things for ourselves and for others.”

Chris Brogan, Author of Trust Agents and Social Media Expert

So why am I telling you this?

To answer the question in one word, Mobility.

Yes we have the tools and to be more connected then ever before. But we also have the mobile technology and the expectation to be connected anywhere anytime.

The solution – Social media applications for mobile phones – Obviously.

My personal favorite is following and contributing to the twitter streams at live events. It is a great way to hear different perspectives in real-time and connect with new peeps.

What’s your favorite social media application on the go?

To me, these numbers indicate the imbalance between choice and relevancy.

On the one hand, we have a huge selection of services and applications available, free and otherwise. On the other hand, we are challenged to find the ones that we want, we need, we like. A few trail blazers face the challenge and succeed. Most of us (myself included) give up and end up with a less-than-satisfactory or even annoying consumption experience.

Is there another way?

I think there is. (Mind you I work for Retalika so I am prejudiced.)

While there are a zillion different services and applications, I would be content with 10-20 applications that I use on a regular basis. However, I don’t want to waste time wondering through unknown websites, trying to determine if they provide what I need, if I trust them and if their application actually works. What I want is a single, trusted source that will provide me the applications I need.

Here are a few packages that vendors should offer:

• Social media – tools such as facebook, skype, twitter etc have become a common channel of communications. I always want to connect.
• Consolidated view – an even better idea to simply extending social media tools to the phone is a single view of my conversations across all touch points. I want to see my chats with my pal Dave on skype, twitter, email and LinkeIn in one place. That would really organize my life.
• Personal storage – I change my phone when I see a newer one that I like. I often change my SIM when I travel. I don’t change my contacts, calendar, business information etc. So what I need is a simple way that lets me keep my information in tact during changes.
• Anti-Spam – I get so many spam messages from companies that have my phone number. It’s really annoying and, unlike email, there is no easy way to get off the lists. Please let me block them.
• GPS – As a business traveler, I would like to find a close-by restaurant or the nearest gym (which I really should use more now that I have an international pass). Since my phone is with me at all times, it is the most convenient device for me to use.

So, what do you want? What are the top 5 things that would make your mobile device much more useful (aside from making coffee)?

photo credit svilen001.

Today the mobile content and services market is driven by tech-savvy early adopters who have bought expensive smart phones, fuelling double-digit growth expected to be worth $344* billion by 2013. However, although retailers account for over 50% of mobile handset sales they have very little presence in this new market. Retalika is now bringing mobile content and services to the mass-market through retailers using its patent pending platform technology. This allows retailers to easily and quickly select, sell and deploy a range of compelling mobile applications and services to their customers.

Results from retailers with the Retalika solution have shown 

• 70% of new handsets sold with content and services
• Increased market share
• Incremental revenue streams
• Reduced risk of churn

“There is an explosion of new content and services available for the rapidly growing number of internet enabled mobile phones. Our results indicate that many retailers, operators and mvno’s can take advantage of this market opportunity to increase their differentiation, provide more value to their customers, and grow their revenues,” explains Andy Lockwood, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Retalika.

Some of the key applications and services that are now available to retailers are mobile entertainment including music, games and graphics, safe and secure data backup, phone-to-phone content migration, and mobile navigation. Also a retailer-branded mini portal that sits on a customer’s mobile phone providing an easy way to access social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter, instant messaging, links to news and weather etc. This also gives retailers CRM capabilities so that they can communicate directly to their customers.

“The fast growing mobile content and services market is an important strategic opportunity for retailers”, says Noam Guzman Co-Founder of Retalika, “Retalika’s end to end solution now provides the means to enter the market quickly and easily, and provide better value to everyone.”

*Source Informa Telecoms and Media

Good question…

We have a process at Retalika for selecting mobile content and services.

The corporate part

First of all, we work with our clients to understand their customer base and what kind of content and services will work for them. We make sure it aligns with their brand and strategy. Next we do QA to make sure the content and services work technically and across devices and models. We also negotiate commercial and contract terms.

It’s really about people

But, more than anything else we are looking for a great user experience.

Here is an example

A great example of this is the Back Up application that we provide. No, it’s not the most glamorous of applications.

But, was your phone stolen lately?

Or did it break down?

Can you imagine the pain and frustration of trying to reconstruct your contacts, calendar, photos and your entire life (if you are anything like me)?

That is exactly what we want to spare you and that is the reason why we put Back Up at the top of our list.

Do you have any other examples that you wish to share with us?

Photo credit Shi Yali

I love new beginnings.

There is a sense of excitement that comes from the promise of great things to come.

That is what I would like to share with you here. This blog marks a new phase for Retalika, and one that we want you to be an important part of.

Retalika enables retailers, operators and MVNO’s to sell mobile content and services, in store, online, and on the mobile. Until now, we have operated very quietly. Working hard to create a foundation on all fronts; technology base, application portfolio and customer experience. Now, having proven our solution with great results at Allo telecom, we are ready to share with you what we have learned, and more importantly, to hear what you think.

We are always on the lookout for new ideas, opportunities and feedback, so don’t be shy…..

Please join me on this amazing journey.

Andy Lockwood

image courtesy of sanja gjenero