As the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the global economy, businesses need to work twice as hard to stay afloat. Owners and managers need to steady their nerves and refocus on how to rise above the situation. One thing that can help them is technology. With most people staying home, technology and the internet have helped consumers work, be entertained, and get supplies and services to survive this crisis.
If you’re an entrepreneur or manager who doesn’t know where to start with leveraging technology, look at the trends. These emerging technology trends can redefine your brand and business operations today.
Shift to e-commerce
As people minimize social contact, it is no surprise that we see accelerated growth in e-commerce. Online retailing isn’t a new trend but a collective response to this pandemic. Watch out for changes in consumer behaviors. For instance, the older generation who were hesitant to embrace online shopping before now have tried it and enjoyed its benefits. They will unlikely revert to their old patterns. But how can you sustain their interest? How can you make their shopping experience even more convenient?
Data collaboration
To continue to solve the global health crisis, scientists from different parts of the world share data, samples, and discoveries. But data sharing goes way beyond the health field. It can help you collaborate with your outsourced or remote teams better. Now’s the time to embrace apps like Trello, Zoho Projects, and Google Keep. Online survey software can also help you gather customer feedback and data to share with your team. It will be easier for you to understand the current market and boost customer service.
Touchless tech
The pandemic spurs demand for touchless technology, such as touchless taps, motion-activated doors, and voice-activated virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa. These tech products have long been available in the market. All you have to do is pick products that will best suit your workplace environment, especially if your workers need to be on-site. And if you’re a brand that wants to develop new products for today’s market, you can’t go wrong with touchless tech aimed for personal use.
Health apps
By this time, most people know that those with comorbidities are at high risk of contracting COVID-19. More and more consumers become conscious about their health, downloading exercise and nutrition apps. Even meditation and mindfulness app downloads surged in the past months. If your restaurant is open for deliveries, you might want to introduce healthier options on the menu. Can’t open your gym business? Offer personalized sessions via Zoom and sell equipment your clients can use at home.
Growing cyber threats
As more people buy and transact online, e-commerce and other retail sites get extra attention from cybercriminals. Protect your business by boosting cybersecurity. Employ SSL certificate and multi-factor authentication for user logins on your website. Train your employees on how to be wary of digital communications and protect their company-issued devices and home networks against hackers.
As the world continues to battle against COVID-19, we still haven’t seen the full picture of the pandemic’s economic impact. But as business owners, you need to anticipate losses, adapt to current and possible changes in consumer behaviors, and even leverage the unstable situation to help reshape the economy.
