Top 6 Tech Trends That Shift the Business World
In this day and age, technology advances at a breakneck speed, which is both a great challenge and an incredible opportunity. While some business owners make good use of emerging trends, others struggle to keep up the pace. It is clear that one has to adapt and implement tools and strategies with minimal friction. There are multifarious trends on the horizon and anticipating their impact is a good way to allocate your resources accordingly and get the most bang for your buck.
Automation
Business automation is the driving force behind the dynamic transformation of numerous enterprises. It enables businessmen to save an incredible amount of both time and money. They can finally streamline daily operations and let technology do the heavy lifting instead of humans. Some of the examples are email correspondence, data collection, marketing analysis and campaigns, etc. In the future, automation will engulf even larger areas of the business world and likely render some human workers obsolete.
Internet of Things (IoT)
The advent of omnipresent, all-encompassing phenomenon of the IoT is a true game changer. Products such as Nest already empower people to manipulate the environment with a tap of their finger via smart devices. In 2017 and beyond, we will witness new leaps towards a connected world. Entrepreneurs should thus keep an eye on advancements in sensor technology and software tools. They can also benefit from using smart devices in their offices to conserve energy and trim utility bills.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
AI tech improves by leaps and bounds and brings forth a wide array of possible applications. Most notably, the bots have entered the spotlight and changed the way business organizations handle routine and time-consuming tasks. Note that chatbots are perhaps the most utilized form of AI technology today. For now, they are able to engage people in conversations, solve simple problems, and answer a variety of queries. As machine learning advances, though, they will acquire more advanced capabilities.
Big data and analytics
Nowadays, business organizations have a mind-boggling amount of data at their disposal. Big corporations are leading the way with cutting-edge tools for gathering, processing and analyzing vast sets of data. Of course, they tend to focus on customer data in order to uncover consumers’ buying patterns, preferences, wants and needs. In case you want to achieve accurate measurements and obtain actionable information, you have to make good use of top-notch business intelligence software and other essential tools. For those who worry about not being decisive enough, it might be a good idea to look for a BI tools comparison and use its complex BI evaluation matrix in order to make the right call.
Virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR)
VR and AR are both fairly new concepts, but they are already making a big splash in the business world, across all industry sectors. For example, in the real estate sector, companies now offer digital tours that allow buyers and renters to virtually “visit” the properties. And in general, the benefits can be reaped in the areas of education, training and productivity. It helps that the consumers have been introduced to these concepts via products such as Oculus and seem to love them.
Intelligent apps
The app market is booming at an unprecedented rate and many developers have managed to come from rags to riches. What is more, the apps are becoming more intelligent with each passing day. The proliferation of virtual private assistants (VPAs) has already changed the priority list of many companies and optimized their business processes. And since internet users like to spend time in digital environment, it is clear that businesses should let this trend play out to their advantage.
The future is upon us
In the modern business world, technology is what makes a difference between dazzling success and miserable fizzle. It works miracles for the productivity and efficiency, which is to say that those who want to stay ahead of the pack must stay on top of the most prominent trends. So, focus on technologies that will shape enterprises in 2017 and the years to come. You have the chance to deliver top-notch customer service, shape killer products and services, and execute stellar marketing strategies.
Dan Radak is a marketing professional with eleven years of experience. He is a coauthor on several websites and regular contributor to BizzMark Blog. Currently, he is working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies.