Consumer Habit Change - Evolutionary or Revolutionary?

Mobile commerce is the latest technology trend. Will the user adoption be evolutionary or revolutionary?

Legacy Behavior Change

Traditionally, change evolves through multiple phases. Customer learning time, small changes in user-interface, and account set-up times become barriers to adoption.

More recently, customers have dropped mice in favor of touch screens; eliminated the need for floppy disks and hard drives; and integrated their cameras, music box, game players, and cell phone into one smartphone. Sea-change has occurred at an unbelievable pace.

Which pattern applies for mobile commerce?

Phone In Takeout Orders

Today, some customers make a phone call to request takeout orders. With foreign workers handling the phone line, ordering by voice can be difficult to get the exact order correct. Further, customers usually call when the restaurant is busy - thus, resulting in slower services.

We believe many of these customers have switched to online ordering. For pizza, over 32% is already via online sources. It's a small habit change to switch from online to mobile ordering. These customers will lead the wave to mobile commerce adoption.

Wait, Wait, Wait

Most customers like to wait in lines: wait to get the menu, wait to order, wait to pay, and wait to receive foods.

The cool pattern is to find a seat, order/pay via an app, and relax with their meal and conversatin. Surprisingly, this has been a tough habit to overcome.

Some customers complain that this is jumping the line. Doesn't the phone-in order jump the line as well?

Some customers like the interaction with the owner. Ironically, if the owner takes fewer orders, won't they have more time to socialize with their customers?

Most customers simply admit that it's cool, but they forgot.

Mobile commerce improves the restaurant ambiance - as cashiers and waitresses become less hasseled, and more service friendly.

Conclusion

MoAppo is early in the adoption curve. We believe that we need to be prepared for rapid adoption. Only time will tell.