As mobile technology takes off, the demand for ‘m-commerce’ managers is rising. Puregenie boss Ian Brooks says it’s exciting times.
Comment: M-commerce experts in demand, particularly in London
The ubiquitous phrase ‘year of the mobile’ probably reached its zenith in 2011, but it’s looking like 2012 could turn out to be the year of mobile recruitment.
It’s rare that a job description passes my desk these days without a prominent feature for mobile marketing or the latest buzzword ‘m-commerce’.
Google recently reported that mobile search was up 131% year on year, but last year, one of its surveys revealed 79% of its largest advertisers didn’t have a mobile-friendly site. So now it’s time to do something about this, and this includes travel companies.
Much of the technical work is usually contracted out to agencies who have a specialism for developing mobile-enabled websites and apps.
Businesses still need managers to oversee this work, so m-commerce managers with experience of developing mobile sites are very much sought after right now.
The smarter travel companies with recognisable brands also realise that to gain the commercial advantage with apps, you need to get them preloaded on mobile phones. This requires skilled people who are well connected in the mobile world. And if you have these skills, you can expect to be in demand.
There is rarely sufficient talent readily available, so we have been bringing in people from outside of travel who have the experience.
Some of our more high profile travel brands are perceived as exciting and interesting companies among mobile-savvy candidates, so it’s not too difficult to entice them in to the travel sector.
Apps are a great way for travel companies to make their product accessible to customers in resort or away on business, and the managers with the relevant skills and experience in this field recognise this about travel.
M-commerce jobs are also global in their reach. With almost 90% of the world’s population now owning a mobile phone, it’s the most effective way to tap in to emerging markets such as China and India.
It’s also encouraging to see that many of these global m-commerce focused roles are based in London. Another trend among some businesses is to be open as to where the job can be located. It’s all about securing the best talent, whether that’s in London, San Francisco, Hong Kong or Singapore.
It’s an exciting time for anyone working in m-commerce, just as it is working in digital recruitment, searching for the best talent out there.
Ian Brooks is director and co-founder of Puregenie.com. For more on the issue of importance of innovation in travel, check out the Travolution Innovation Report, out this month.
