Mobile service study - What's wrong with this?
Just published results from a survey called the 2004 Asia Telecom Index by TNS show that current and future wireless subscribers look for mobile phones with coloured screens, integrated digital cameras and MMS.
Naturally, there are differences between the various countries in the region based on their development status.
The regional manager of TNS says that it is important for companies in the market to understand the "hot buttons" of the consumers.
The study is build on the responses from 9,942 adults derived from 12 countries across the Asian region, and it sounds interesting.
However, what is wrong with this study?
Well, for one, cameras with a black and white screen are hardly available in the market place and there will be out, pretty soon, may be with the exception of some models that address the lowest need in the market.
Another point could be made that consumers in general respond to questions provided - and they respond based on their experience.
Which, again, is historical experience - "I like what I know already. I respond to the features that are mentioned in the study." When the study says that so and so many want to have these kind of features in their handphone, than this is not revolutionary, doesn't provide any major input for companies operating in the market place - in short, the disruptive input is missing. The disruptive input is coming from the edges of the survey findings and they will most likely be ignored, because this is not where the current market is.
The responses of the consumers will not favour those handphones that are currently coming up in Korea - phones for the elderly (we wrote about it just last week) or phones for the very young.
It is interesting to note that The Feature is just providing a great inside article on the assumption why Mobile Services are bound to fail. The are quoting designer Jenson who interestingly states that WAP and MMS are going to fail as they look at past success instead of looking forward to new and untried ways to use mobile services.
The Feature writes: "WAP and MMS failed to meet expectations because services were designed by what Jenson calls "default thinking," a clichéd and unquestioned mindset that combines "a weak collection of axioms of design, broad market visions, or rules of execution that aren't clearly articulated. This collection exists in the background, much like the assumption that gravity exists." The companies who assumed that the coolness of sending photos would automatically make MMS an even bigger hit than the accidental success of SMS were victims of default thinking: "While indeed, there appears to be an intuitive value to 'sending a photo,' additional questions such as 'Do people really need this?' and 'What are they doing in their lives where this is a large value?' need to be asked."
The study by TNS surely provides an important guideline to companies. But data alone don't help companies to succeed in the market place. Strategic knowledge is needed and to look at more input in addition to considering the input from consumers only.
(By Asia Business Consulting)
Naturally, there are differences between the various countries in the region based on their development status.
The regional manager of TNS says that it is important for companies in the market to understand the "hot buttons" of the consumers.
The study is build on the responses from 9,942 adults derived from 12 countries across the Asian region, and it sounds interesting.
However, what is wrong with this study?
Well, for one, cameras with a black and white screen are hardly available in the market place and there will be out, pretty soon, may be with the exception of some models that address the lowest need in the market.
Another point could be made that consumers in general respond to questions provided - and they respond based on their experience.
Which, again, is historical experience - "I like what I know already. I respond to the features that are mentioned in the study." When the study says that so and so many want to have these kind of features in their handphone, than this is not revolutionary, doesn't provide any major input for companies operating in the market place - in short, the disruptive input is missing. The disruptive input is coming from the edges of the survey findings and they will most likely be ignored, because this is not where the current market is.
The responses of the consumers will not favour those handphones that are currently coming up in Korea - phones for the elderly (we wrote about it just last week) or phones for the very young.
It is interesting to note that The Feature is just providing a great inside article on the assumption why Mobile Services are bound to fail. The are quoting designer Jenson who interestingly states that WAP and MMS are going to fail as they look at past success instead of looking forward to new and untried ways to use mobile services.
The Feature writes: "WAP and MMS failed to meet expectations because services were designed by what Jenson calls "default thinking," a clichéd and unquestioned mindset that combines "a weak collection of axioms of design, broad market visions, or rules of execution that aren't clearly articulated. This collection exists in the background, much like the assumption that gravity exists." The companies who assumed that the coolness of sending photos would automatically make MMS an even bigger hit than the accidental success of SMS were victims of default thinking: "While indeed, there appears to be an intuitive value to 'sending a photo,' additional questions such as 'Do people really need this?' and 'What are they doing in their lives where this is a large value?' need to be asked."
The study by TNS surely provides an important guideline to companies. But data alone don't help companies to succeed in the market place. Strategic knowledge is needed and to look at more input in addition to considering the input from consumers only.
(By Asia Business Consulting)
posted by Andreas @ 1:17 pm
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