The Importance of Smartphone Self-Care Mobile Apps: An Interview with nTelos
I had the opportunity to work with Nathan King, nTelos Strategic Marketing Planner and Product Manager for FRAWG Wireless, to design the MyFRAWG Wireless smartphone mobile application. Recently I posed some questions to Nathan about how their subscribers use the app as well as how FRAWG sees the application evolving to communicate with their customers.
Why is it important to offer a smartphone self-care mobile application for myFRAWG customers?
A: We needed a way to make the most repeated task that our customers perform such as checking their balance and making a payment as easy as possible. With over 50% of our FRAWG Wireless customer base on Androids and iPhones; creating a self-care mobile application was one way to enhance the level of service we provide to them. With myFRAWG, we not only made it easier to make a payment and check their balance, but we also decreased the time it takes to perform these task by 40% compared to taking a payment online through our website. Since launching the self-care app a few months ago, we have seen our payments increase 6X over the previous mobile web (WAP) payment gateway.
Describe the features and promotions that subscribers can use.
A: With the myFRAWG self-care app our customers can make a payment, check their balance, and find a store. We also created promotional banners on the home screen for an easy way for us to promote features such as Mobile Hotspot and Unlimited International Long Distance. Under “Find a Store” we even included a map icon for customers to click to launch Google Maps and get real time directions using their current location to our retail stores.
Discuss the process of working with Telespree and implementing your business and customer requirements.
A: Telespree was able to deliver the app faster than I had expected. Within a few months we went from concept to completion and our finished product was posted on the Google’s Play store and Apple’s App store.
What other type of communications do you envision FRAWG using integrated into the mobile application?
A: Our next phase of the mobile self-care app will include a way to communicate to customers individually or as a group. Today, most wireless carriers use text messaging to communicate with their customers and if you’re lucky enough to have a valid email address you can send them a more impactful message that includes graphics. With myFRAWG, we will be able to send CRM-based messages and promotions directly to individuals or groups in a way that doesn’t limit you to 160 characters like text messages and bypasses the need for an email address.
