By Dan Beca, Digital Analyst
R.I.P., loyalty cards, credit cards, debit cards, QR codes, key fobs, airline tickets, any other kind of tickets, and maybe the driver’s license and passports. NFC is about to replace you all. No, I’m not talking about the National Football Conference, but rather near field communication.
As a consumer, I’m pretty excited to finally ditch that wallet that’s been sitting in my back pocket slowly giving me back problems from all the receipts, credit cards, business cards, and even the occasional two or three dollars of cash (I know, it’s so 1990s of me). And it’ll be nice to have one less fob on my keychain (did I mention it’s got the potential to replace the keys to your car at some point as well?).
But as a marketer, I’m also pretty excited about NFC. Sure, the ability to pay for things with your phone will be nifty, but it’s actually the other experiences that I’m thrilled about. See an ad on the wall for a new movie, put your phone next to the poster, and bam—you’re watching the movie trailer. No need to download and futz around with a QR reader for your phone…with NFC it just happens. Want to sign up to get new offers at your favorite clothing shop, boom—you tap your phone on the counter as you check out and you’re signed up. No need to visit a mobile site or type in your email address, it just happens.
So why is this improvement in experience important? Loyalty. How does a brand get loyal customers? It’s all about engagement. NFC is going to vastly improve the consumer experience, which will ultimately lead to more engagement by customers. A more engaged customer translates to a more loyal customer. NFC is going to be the marketer’s new best friend.
So when are we going to actually start seeing NFC in mobile phones? Soon! Very soon! Google® (Google Wallet) and PayPal™ (NFC payments) already have payment solutions in the works. These are small steps toward a fully digital wallet, but it’s sure to motivate a few other players to kick it into gear and get their NFC offerings into consumers’ hands.
And while some consumers may not be ready to ditch that wallet just yet (see: George Costanza), I think most are going to get pretty excited about the possibilities. And as a marketer, I’m already thinking about all the cool things I can do for my clients with NFC.
