Mobile web disappoints consumers in Singapore and Malaysia

By SMBWorld Asia Editors | Nov 3, 2011

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Consumers’ expectations for mobile and application performance are not being met in Singapore and Malaysia, respectively.

Two new surveys released by Compuware Corporation show that today’s mobile users demand exceptional web experiences and highly satisfying, convenient, on-the-go mobile site speeds regardless of their mode of access. The independent surveys of 200 mobile users in Singapore and Malaysia were conducted to understand consumers’ mobile web and application expectations and experiences.

The surveys entitled “What Users Want from Mobile” in Malaysia and Singapore, revealed similar findings that mobile users’ expectations in both countries are not being met, with a majority of users experiencing slow or unreliable mobile and application performance. As the findings from both surveys illustrate, although mobile users expect quick, anytime transactions that work flawlessly every time, that’s not what they’re getting.

Mobile users’ expectations for mobile websites are high with 70% of Malaysian and 72% of Singaporean mobile web users expecting websites to load as quickly or faster on their mobile phone compared to the computer they use at home. However, more than half (63% in Malaysia and 58% in Singapore) said websites load more slowly on their phone.

In Singapore, 82% of mobile web users are willing to wait 5 seconds or less for a single web page to load. While in Malaysia, 87% of users are willing to wait for the same period of time before leaving the page.

There are more users in Malaysia who have had problems accessing a mobile website in the past year (96%), than in Singapore (91%). While this is the case, more than 86% of Malaysian mobile web users would access websites more often from their phone if the experience was fast and reliable, 6% more than Singapore users.

Mobile users do not have much patience for retrying a website or application that is not functioning initially – 58% of Malaysian users and 44% of Singaporean users will go to a competitor’s site instead. Majority of mobile web users are only willing to retry a website (90% Malaysia, 83% Singapore) or application (66% Malaysia, 87% Singapore) two times or less if it does not work initially.

A bad experience on a mobile website leaves mobile web users much less likely to return to, or recommend, a particular website. 55% of Malaysia users and 45% of Singapore users are unlikely to return to a website that they had trouble accessing from their phone. 58% Malaysian and 67% are unlikely to recommend the site.

“We conducted the studies as a follow up to our global study that showed mobile users had high expectations, but the majority experienced poor mobile performance. It provides insight into Malaysian and Singaporean mobile web users’ expectations and experiences,” said Shum Mew Toong, Regional Director, Compuware ASEAN.

“Mobile users want fast and reliable mobile web and application experiences, however based on findings from the survey, that’s not what they’re receiving with the majority experiencing issues when accessing mobile websites or application in the past year. Poor performance is preventing many companies from taking advantage of the opportunities being provided by increased mobile access.”