Understanding your customers: The iPhone user

Providing services to iPhone usersThe iPhone holds the high-ground in data and application usage and iPhone users share a lot in common: appetite for bandwidth, need for responsive websites, charging points, electronic calendars and PayPal payments.

Bearing in mind that millions of hours are spent every year trying to understand customer behaviour, motivations and needs, it strikes me that there are some basics we can get right if our customers are iPhone users.

It’s nothing revolutionary, but if your business is a destination (i.e. a physical place your customers go to) then providing these items will increase loyalty and also drive your customer down the sales funnel.

Some examples:

  • Be responsive: In transit, your customers could well visit your website so make sure it works really well, and that means it must be responsive.
  • If you are a hotel: Good FREE wi-fi that works in the room – not just the bar, USB ports/docking stations on the bedside and take PayPal for in-room charges (food, drinks, movies)
  • If you are a shop: Wi-Fi everywhere, clearly labelled products to allow comparison, break-out area with charging points.
  • If you are a clinic: Booking via email address, payment via PayPal, a YouTube channel to watch whilst waiting, great Wi-Fi, soft-seating to relax
  • If you are B2B: A place for customers to work, hot-desks, coffee, Wi-Fi, access to a printer

In each case, publicise the features available and make sure you deliver on that promise. Clear links to social networks also help as frequently iPhone users will take the opportunity to check-in and share when they arrive at a destination that has Wi-Fi. Note: Try to make the arrival space photogenic, it may get shared on Facebook or Twitter.

Lots more people now work independent of an office and if you can provide that facilities for your customers to carry-on their normal lives whilst they spend time at your premises they are more likely to turn-up, come back, positively review you and ultimately – spend money with you.

By Penny Driscoll