Consumers Losing Patience With Mobile Operators

Consumers trust mobile operators and brands even less than they did three years ago, a new survey commissioned by Syniverse shows.

Looking at consumer attitudes about mobile privacy, in eight countries around the world, the report says that more than 50 per cent of people trust mobile operators and brands less than they did three years ago. Moreover, 70 per cent don’t trust them with safeguarding their data.

The report surveyed 8,000 people and highlights several key objections: security, transparency and control. Twenty-five per cent don’t believe their data will be kept safe, 21 per cent worry about how the data will be used in the future and 19 per cent worry their data might be sold off to third parties.

In terms of realising who has authority over that data, users are most inclined towards brands. Fifty-five per cent believe brands are responsible for keeping data safe, 30 per cent would place the responsibility on mobile operators, and 15 per cent on regulatory bodies.

“Using big-data elements – like demographics, location and interaction history – to personalize services and target promotions is critical to emerging mobile business models and sophisticated brand engagement strategies,” said Mary Clark, Chief Marketing Officer, Syniverse.

“Success assumes consumers will willingly share personal data in return for more personalized services and more relevant offers along their mobile journey. This assumption is wrong: Consumers are far from ‘willing.’ The research contains many rich and fascinating data points from which much can be concluded. What is clear above all else is that brands and mobile operators face a ‘privacy predicament’ that must be overcome for mobile to continue to flourish.”

Author: Sead Fadilpašic
View the original article here.
Published under license from ITProPortal.com