by mid-2014. The study, published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, also found that 4.37 million adults in Australia possess a tablet device. The adoption of smartphones has created an unparalleled opportunity for retailers, marketers, and technology companies to increase their customer engagement and experiences. As the retail market becomes more diversified, finding innovative avenues to increase brand awareness and customer personalisation can only be seen as clear differentiators. The fundamental change in technology has also seen challenges, including the release of more efficient processing and customer engagement programs. Take for example the digital wallet. In Australia this is one technology advancement that is yet to become mainstream compared to our American cousins, where nearly 57 per cent of adults expect digital wallets to replace physical money. Roughly 27 per cent of smartphone users in the US have used their device for purchasing retail merchandise in the last year. The study goes on to reveal that ease of payment via a single payment gateway is the key to widespread adoption. Last year might just be the year where harmony is achieved between Near Field Communication (NFC) and payment gateways. This is becoming a reality, with payment gateway vendors projecting a 25 per cent increase in 2014 of the rollout of contactless payment enabled Eftpos terminals into the market. This is a two-fold increase compared to 2013 and is driven by a number of factors, with the most compelling reason being that certain Merchant Category Codes (MCC) have been mandated by the banks to have the contactless readers in place by 2014. Another trend that is predicted to surge in 2014 is the reach of retailers to their customers via unique mobile benefit programs driving brand messages and generating advocates. For example, Lorna Jane has increased its mobile customer experience, with a trend indicating that 40 per cent of its customers arrive on its website via a mobile device. The fitness clothing retailer now provides a free workout monitoring app, which enables the individual to record their exercise routine and keep track of their progress. In a subliminal way it promotes the brand’s value proposition and drives clients to engage with the company. Lorna Jane understands that the future is providing value beyond the physical item to clients, and mobility has been the enabler of that experience. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, 2012 mobile advertising budgets increased by 220 per cent and companies spent in excess of $86.2 million on the platform alone. This translates into what might be a race for retailers to find new and innovative methods to attract customers and enhance engagements via mobility. With Australians now spending an average of 100 minutes per day on their mobile devices ,the channel is now open for business, and messaging and campaigns need to reflect this. 2014 will hopefully see an increase in customer sentiment where spending will return to more optimistic levels. The challenge for retailers and their technology partners is to find innovative opportunities to streamline operations, increase brand awareness, and provide differentiation to their customers. Mobility is one of the channels that provides this and 2014 might just be the turning point where innovation and adoption are finally in harmony. Stephen Duncan is product marketing manager, retail and SCM at Pronto Software. He can be reached at stephen. duncan@pronto.net or (02)8875 3033. This article was first published in Inside Retail Magazine’s December/January 2014 issue. To subscribe, click here.