The last two years of the pandemic have significantly affected our lives and especially our economic systems. An ever-increasing digitalization, an exponential increase in the e-commerce and online shopping sector and the undisputed power of mobile are among the main trends that are consolidating also for 2022, becoming essential starting points for companies.
Digitalization
More and more brands are expanding their digital channels to better meet the needs of increasingly online consumers.
In 2022, according to Il Sole24Ore, almost half of large Italian companies and SMEs will increase the budget allocated to Information and communications technology and will focus on the development of digital skills for their communication channels, but also to improve internal organizational processes, which are increasingly moved online.
E-commerce
In the first quarter of 2021global e-commercegrew by 58%year-on-year, compared to 17% in the first quarter of 2020. But Italy manages to do “better” with a growth of 78%, thus positioning itself in fourth place among the countries with the greatest percentage increase after Canada, Holland and the United Kingdom.
It emerges from the data relating to the first quarter of 2021 of the Shopping Index, the quarterly report of Salesforce, according to which growth in our country is above the growth rate of the first quarter of 2020, which stood at 26%.
Mobile-oriented consumers
Also for 2022 the undisputed power of mobile is confirmed as the preferred device for consumers to make purchases or obtain information on brands.
Source: WeAreSocial
Only in Italy, 97% of the population is in possession of a smartphone, a device on which each of us spends an average of about six and a half hours a day.
Moreover, in Europe more than half of online purchases are made from mobile, and in Italy two out of three consumers use their smartphone to shop online.
Digital security and phishing
If on the one hand the growth of these phenomena represents an advantage for brands that can get closer to the new purchasing habits of consumers, they become a potential danger for users, increasingly exposed targets of online scams.
According to data from the State Police for 2021, there has been a substantial increase in phenomena such as phishing, and online scams in general, of about 27% compared to the previous year.
In most cases these are attempts to steal sensitive personal data, financial data and above all access codes to payment platforms, with the aim of accessing and stealing money from users’ private accounts.
A possible answer to counter phishing phenomena and the increasingly growing ones of online scams are certainly OTP SMS.
What are OTP SMS
OTP SMS are particular types of messages that fall into the broader category of A2P SMS, and allow users to receive so-called “One Time Passwords” or temporary security codes valid only for a single login session or transaction.
OTP can be used as a single authentication factor or associated with other elements; In this case we will talk about two-factor authentication a system widely used in recent years that minimizes the risk of data fraud. Even if a hacker were to intercept the password, in fact, that will not be valid beyond the single session, and will not allow you to access a second time to the targeted circuit.
OTPs have the form of an alphanumeric code and are generated by applying a cryptographic function to a unique set of values.The algorithms used to encrypt passwords are quite different from each other to avoid the risk that a hacker can easily predict the future OTP after analyzing the previous ones.
What are the advantages of using SMS OTP
OTP SMS are valid allies of your business as well as your customers, here’s why:
1. Improve brand authority
Ensuring reliable and authoritative communications becomes a distinctive advantage in a context like the one we have just presented, characterized by a great risk for the communication channels through which users make their payments or in which they place their data.
2. Improve user experience
Your customers will feel comfortable buying through your company’s touchpoints and this will improve their lifetime value, as well as loyalty. A customer who trusts your platforms will certainly be more likely to buy again in the future.
3. They are delivered in seconds
The rdcom Gateway and APIscan send between 400 and 500 SMS per second and get high delivery rates. The speed of delivery is very important within the OTP service because it is the SMS must be received at the exact moment in which a user is making the payment or registration procedure.
4. They are convenien
Compared to other communication channels, SMS are more convenient and offer high returns on investment. In addition, rdcom’s twenty years of experience with mobile network operators and international aggregators ensures you the best price levels on the market.
Now that you know what SMS OTP are and that you have discovered the advantages they could represent for your business, you just have to choose a reliable market operator to implement them in your business. Would you like more information? Contact us at 045 8841199 or write to us at support@rdcom.com.
