The future is bright for NFC technology

I read Michael Barnett’s article ‘M-commerce moves into the mainstream’ (mwlinks.co.uk/mcommerce) with interest. While I was unsurprised that only 4% of consumers had used their mobile to pay for something at the checkout to date, I agree with Paul Griffiths that the future for near field communication and the mobile wallet is bright. NFC technology offers both consumers and marketers a wealth of opportunities over and above just quicker payment options.

The integration of NFC into mobiles allows consumers to easily opt-in to receive information from brands – for example by passing their phone over an NFC touchpoint to provide their email address and instantly receive more details on the product or service advertised. For brands, this new technology can also provide numerous benefits.

Previously, email address collection required users to sign up using either an online or paper form. With NFC, the need for a paper form is removed, allowing brands to do without a labour intensive stage in building a relationship with a consumer. NFC technology also allows the brand to collect valuable data, giving them solid insight into which advertisements resonate with consumers in particular, allowing them to target their campaigns more effectively.

This technology can remove pain points for both the consumer and the brand, with the consumer getting an instant response while the brand obtains email addresses in a far more efficient manner, and gains good insight into consumer likes and dislikes.

NFC is a technology that is here to stay, and one that will bear fruit for the brands that invest in it.

Grant Sidwell, mobile director, Experian CheetahMail

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