TMCnet News
Cogent Reports: Advisor Mobile Apps on the Brink of Going MainstreamMobile apps are close to having almost as much traction as provider websites and are at the tipping point of becoming a routine part of advisors' professional routines. In fact, provider mobile apps deemed best-in-class spawn an average of 5.8 advisor visits each month, while the comparable and more traditional provider websites garner an average of 7.1 advisor visits per month. These and other findings are included in the 2014 annual Advisor Touchpoints™ study from Cogent Reports™, a division of Market Strategies International. According to this year's report, advisors are seeking similar types of information from the two sources-including product information, client-ready marketing, economic information, portfolio analysis tools and thought leadership. "These results show provider mobile apps and websites are on the brink of becoming interchangeable," says Sonia Sharigian, senior product manager at Market Strategies and author of the report. "For providers allocating resource needs for 2015, mobile apps are no longer a nice-to-have but are an essential part of an integrated communications suite advisors value." In addition, Cogent Reports found reliance on mobile apps is positioned to grow, with one-fifth (19%) of advisors using mobile apps as frequently as or more often than websites. However,the best-in-class mobile app has yet to be developed. "Nearly half (45%) of advisors who use apps struggle to name a leading provider," adds Meredith Lloyd Rice, senior director at Cogent Reports. "The good news for providers is the field is wide open to become industry leaders in mobile-app content and innovation." About the Advisor Touchpoints Report The Advisor Touchpoints™ report explores the impact of both push and pull marketing on key metrics including loyalty, purchase intent and share of assets. The report identifies best-in-class providers on key touchpoint elements and recommends optimal touchpoint, communication and distribution strategies to optimize marketing reach. Cogent Reports set quota targets and weighted the data to be representative of the overall advisor universe using the Discovery Data Financial Services Industry database as a sample source. Market Strategies will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request. About Market Strategies International Market Strategies International is a market research consultancy with deep expertise in consumer/retail, energy, financial services, healthcare, technology and telecommunications. The firm is ISO 20252 certified, reflecting its commitment to providing intelligent research, designed to the highest levels of accuracy, with meaningful results that help companies make confident business decisions. Market Strategies conducts qualitative and quantitative research in 75 countries, and its specialties include brand, communications, CX, product development, segmentation and syndicated. Its syndicated products, known as Cogent Reports, help clients understand the market environment, explore industry trends and monitor their brand and products within the competitive landscape. Founded in 1989, Market Strategies is one of the largest market research firms in the world, with offices in the US, Canada and China. Read Market Strategies' blog at FreshMR, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20141216006473/en/ |
