Want to get customers on your side? Then help them in the nick of time just when they need you the most. In today’s fast world, everyone is constantly on the go and they rely on their mobile devices to provide quick information and fast answers. Are you ready for when your customer uses their phone to find out the information they need from you?

In a recent report, Pew Internet Research quantified some of those top reasons we turn to mobile phones for “just in time” information/ help.

Pew found that in the last 30 days, 86% of smartphone owners have used their phones in one of the following ways:

• 41% coordinated a meeting / get-together.
• 35% solved an unexpected problem that they or someone else had encountered.
• 30% decided whether to visit a business, such as a restaurant.
• 23% looked up a score of a sporting event.
• 20% looked for updates on traffic or public transit information to find the fastest way to get somewhere.
• 19% got help in an emergency situation via mobile phone.

In fact, Pew found that about 62% of the entire US adult population used their phone for “just-in-time” activities. (View more of the report here. )

Delta Airlines has done something novel.  They’ve rolled out a boarding pass travelers can actually understand.

The airline boarding pass is one of those classic examples of customer communications gone wrong.  It’s something used by every traveler on every trip, yet airlines seem to be in a competition to create the most cryptic, perplexing boarding document.

As is the case with most customer communications, complexity comes with a cost.  When travelers (particularly novice ones) can’t easily and correctly interpret boarding pass information, bad things happen.  They go to the wrong gate.  They arrive late for boarding.  They misplace their second-leg boarding pass.  In short, this complexity triggers frustration for the consumer and cost for the company.

So Delta decided to do something about it, rolling out a simplified boarding pass.  And while this airline isn’t yet a poster child for customer experience excellence, they do deserve credit for making this particular touchpoint a little less confusing for their customers.

Why do I roll my eyes every time I need to call customer service? I’ve noticed this a lot ever since we introduced the VHT Conversation Bridge.  You may do it too. It happened again this past weekend when I wanted to know if I could buy a refurbished iPhone 4 for my wife.  Hers is starting to flake out a bit and instead of buying a new 4S, I wondered if it would be cheaper and easier to get a refurbed 4 that could get us through until the next iPhone came out this fall (hopefully).  Like anybody, I looked online first for information. I saw something about refurb iPhones on the website for $49, but it required a new two year contract. This wouldn’t work because it would screw up her upgrade when the new 5 came out. So I thought of calling the store to see if they had any before heading over there.  When I called, there wasn’t a menu option that properly suited my request, so I pressed ‘zero’ three times like any normal person would.  Fortunately, there wasn't any hold time. A woman answered the phone and I explained to her what I was looking to do.  She kindly indicated that they did not sell any refurbished phones at the store and that I would need to call the customer service center.  In that moment I found myself rolling my eyes while letting out a sigh of exasperation. I kindly thanked the woman and hung up.  Why did I roll my eyes?

I rolled my eyes for the following 5 reasons:

1. I was going to have to snake my way through a menu system, listening and wondering when to press what.

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