How is BYOD changing the Experience Economy?

MUMBAI, INDIA: In the wake of new trends such as BYOD and enterprise mobility, the term Experience Economy, which was coined by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore in 1999, has taken a new definition.

The concept has taken a leap over the previous version of goods and services for consumers; to the solutions that businesses must create to provide memorable events and experiences to capture their audience, and thereby, re-transform their brand value.

Addressing the challenge of connectivity everywhere

The greatest challenge for IT, also presents the greatest opportunity. Meeting and exceeding customers expectations in the Experience Economy must be top of mind for innovative CIOs and IT.

There is much to gain, yet so much to lose if failure strikes. If Wi-Fi fails to deliver an excellent experience in a hotel, for instance, customers are likely to choose another hotel next time. The Wi-Fi service has become an expectation, and gaps or variability in service result in an extremely negative impact on quality of experience.

Most companies spend time and money building brand awareness and consumer loyalty, but a single criterion, such as a poor Wi-Fi signal, can tarnish those efforts beyond repair–the opportunity cost cannot be overlooked.

In today’s Experience Economy, user expectations for fast and seamless access are not confined to indoor spaces. As users continually demand more in the scale and scope of their mobile connectivity, Wi-Fi networks must evolve to address much higher capacity and ease-of-use required by IT and mobile users, both indoors and outdoors.

Mobile devices are allowing users to share their lives and more widely to communicate in real-time by using virtual networks. With over 750 million photos digitally shared daily globally, people expect to be able to access Wi-Fi everywhere, be it at home, the office, shopping malls or even outdoors.

Mobile devices are everywhere

Mobile devices, specifically smart phones and tablets, tend to become an extension of people’s being.

Without question, mobile devices would not be a transformative mega trend if they offered limited use. Indeed, the BYOD trend is gaining popularity in Asia Pacific, with the region expected to continue witnessing strong growth, driven by burgeoning consumer demand for smart phones and tablets.

According to IDC, in 2013, mobile devices under the BYOD model accounted for 22.5 percent of all consumer smart phone sales, followed by notebook PCs (11.7 percent) and tablets (4.9 percent).

Exceeding user expectations

As BYOD continues to evolve, the number of mobile devices attached to the Wi-Fi network will also grow. This digital world is metered against personal expectations.

When leaving home, personal expectations stay with the user. During daily rides to work, on the street, or at school, people expect the same instant experience as they do at home, no matter the bandwidth and related challenges.

This digital world has been evolving into an economy of experiences in which mobile users expect technology to support their desire for instant connectivity everywhere.

The article is authored by Mike Leibovitz, Director, Mobility Solutions, Extreme Networks, and the views expressed are his own