Digital transformation of businesses is now vital in order to keep up with the demands of an increasingly digitally oriented consumer base. Learn more!
Over the last few decades, computers have become increasingly prevalent in our daily lives. While once we may have had a computer in our homes to use as a word processor and play games on, now, the digital world has become intrinsically linked to just about everything we do. With mobile devices, we’re never far away from a computer, and thanks to the Internet, we’re always connected. Connected to each other, and to opportunities to buy products, book holidays, pay our bills and so much more. This digital transformation started off slowly, but has grown exponentially over the years as we all become ever-reliant on technology and the benefits it can bring.
Over the last year, this growth has accelerated, as we’ve all had to adapt to a low-contact world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses have been thrust into a different regime. Remote working became the norm, and offering services to customers online was the only option. A transition that may have taken some businesses years to achieve simply happened in days because it had to, in order to keep the world up and running.
This new-found need for increased online interactivity has ensured that developments in digital technologies are advancing at a great pace, and so it’s interesting to take a look to the coming year to see what may be next, and ensure our businesses take full advantage of all the benefits this could offer, in order to remain competitive and offer the service customers demand.
Contactless Solutions are key
Never before has our contact with each other and the world been so scrutinised. In an era of heightened awareness of hygiene and the risks of interaction with both objects and other people, any innovations that limit contact are obviously going to be at the forefront. From video conferencing, to virtual changing-rooms for clothes stores, we’re going to be seeing some developments that help bring traditionally in-person business dealings into the virtual world.
Consumer-led changes will push more business online
Even before the Covid pandemic, online shopping was a rapidly growing market. With the recent shop closures and lockdowns, even more people have opted to conduct their business online from their homes. As this was an ongoing trend anyway, it’s likely that digital sales are going to keep expanding, with more traditional ‘brick and mortar’ businesses finding their place in an increasingly online world.
Cloud technologies will become ever more important
Flexibility has to be key, and with cloud-based technologies, it becomes easier for people to work from different locations. From the office, their home, a client location or on the move. The more distributed the workforce, the more flexible technologies need to be, and of course we’ve learnt over the last year that we need to be able to adapt rapidly to unforeseen events that could change the way we work.
Supply chain technologies will advance
It’s likely that more work will be put into ensuring that supply chains are increasingly robust, and ready to buffer any eventualities that the world may throw at them. From diversifying supply of raw materials, to having full transparency of stock levels held and predicting future demand.
Focus on data quality and advanced analysis techniques will become paramount
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the next year will be an increased focus on capturing accurate and relevant data and making the very best use of it. Good data analysis can and does transform businesses, but you need the data to be reliable and the analysis to be accurate and easily understood.
Where will digital technology take your business in 2021?
Through difficult times, the world has innovated and adapted. Digital transformation of businesses is now vital in order to keep up with the demands of an increasingly digitally oriented consumer base.
Here at NetU, we can help you realize the potential of cloud technologies, the right use of your data and how to digitally transform your organization to keep up to the new demanding era. For more information, get in touch today.