In 2016, approximately 301,000,000 online travel bookings worldwide were made via mobile devices, and the share of mobile payments grew by 131,000,000. As trust in technology grows, more and more consumers are using smartphones and tablets for more than just searching. travel options, but also directly purchasing travel. This suggests that mobile is becoming an increasingly valuable sales channel, appealing to new target audiences.
This trend is evident both in the West and in Russia, with mobile technology penetration in our country having made a huge leap over the past five years. The rapid and widespread adoption of smartphones indicates that functional mobile devices have become accessible to a large portion of the population. People have realized that using them is convenient and secure.
While the share of mobile purchases in the US currently stands at 30% and is steadily growing, in Russia, this figure ranges from 10% (Hermes Group) to 20% (Criteo), according to various experts. A PayPal study showed that in Russia, mobile devices are used for purchases an average of 2.6 times per month. By comparison, in Western Europe, this figure is three times. Thus, our country holds a strong position in the global mobile commerce rankings, and this segment has significant potential for both increasing the share of mobile purchases and expanding the range of goods and services.
"Mobile has become one of the major innovations that has fundamentally changed our behavior over the past 20 years, and one of its key impacts is speed. We want information at the click of a button; we want to book a hotel, buy a plane ticket, and anything else at the click of a button. The volume of Google search queries from mobile devices has already exceeded that from desktops. Today, almost every business receives half or more of its traffic from mobile devices. We are becoming mobile-first," he noted. Yuri Berchenko, head of Google's retail client department.
According to ROMIR research, approximately one-fifth of internet users in Russia already use mobile devices to search for and purchase travel products. Of these, 38% use apps, and 92% access websites through a mobile browser.
"Evaluating the size of the international mobile booking market, Russia still has potential for growth in this segment. Given our specific circumstances and the faster pace of technology adoption compared to the West, this trend is worth paying close attention to. The mobile space is still relatively open, and there are already a wealth of technologies and solutions. Moreover, the mobile commerce market offers opportunities not only for online agencies but for all other types of agencies as well," she noted. Anastasia Lavrenyuk, head of the Sabre representative office in Russia.
According to Google, launching a mobile version of a website can increase conversion rates by up to 44%, but the question is how fast it is. The tool Google Test My Site A study showed that the average loading speed of a Russian online travel agency's mobile website is 8-13 seconds. By comparison, according to Double Click, users become annoyed if a site takes longer than 3 seconds to load, and Amazon estimates that every second of loading time impacts conversion rates by almost three times.
"People quickly become accustomed to speed, so we need to accelerate. We're moving toward businesses that utilize artificial intelligence. A robot will be able to process the vast amount of data generated by each person and quickly extract the necessary data to personalize services. But when developing mobile, online, or other sales channels, it's important to remember that people want the same service no matter how they interact with a company—we need to be closer to the consumer," emphasized Yuriy Berchenko.
Anastasia Lavrenyuk also emphasized that mobile should be viewed not only as a sales channel but also as an effective way for agencies to interact with travelers: "High-quality in-trip support using mobile technologies, whether apps, automated SMS notifications, or chatbots, helps increase loyalty and boost repeat customer engagement."
One solution that agencies can adopt is Sabre's mobile travel management service - TripCaseIt allows travel companies to stay in touch with their customers, sending them helpful notifications, reminders, and travel experience recommendations, acting as a reliable and attentive personal assistant.
"Today, consumers want to be recognized whenever they interact with a company. It's only been 10 years since SMS became a chatbot, and the landscape continues to change before our eyes—we're already moving away from voice and toward social media and messaging apps... As a new generation of consumers, literally born with a mobile phone in their hands, grows up, service companies will sooner or later have to adapt, and we need to prepare for that," he noted. Sergey Sinyagin, General Director of the Telecom-Express contact center.
To avoid being left behind, agencies should pay attention to the mobile channel and the technologies needed to effectively develop it. "The more solutions and projects we implement in the mobile segment today, the more personalized and intimate our interactions with consumers will become. Striving to help agencies and suppliers address this challenge, Sabre is actively investing in the development of innovative technologies. By applying them correctly and consciously, market players can find their golden opportunity, winning the trust of tech-savvy consumers," emphasized Anastasia Lavrenyuk.
Source: trn-news.ru