When the confetti, the hangovers, and the empty champagne bottles are swept away on January 1st, businesses are faced with the prospect of incorporating hot new technological trends in 2015. The companies that embrace innovation will grow and thrive, outdistancing their competitors. Those that don’t won’t be around to see another New Year’s Eve.
But which of these innovations should a business leverage into a plan for success in 2015? After all, some may be more obvious than others. For instance, according to the article “Making Technology Work for Your Business In 2015”, communication “will always be an integral part of what every business needs to succeed”.
Here are some technological trends to keep an eye out for, elements which may be used to turn your business into a powerhouse in 2015 if applied properly.
The Internet Of Things
The Internet of Things, or IoT for short, is a catch-all term for objects, living or otherwise, having their own unique IP address and Internet access independent of any human involvement. Your car, your tablet, your cat, or even your bathroom scale, are all now able to have their own web connection where they can be interacted with and provide data. In fact, the Internet of Things goes a long way towards making Big Data even bigger! With the data gleaned from the Internet of Things, businesses can get a better idea of customer habits, the popularity of certain items, or even when to notify customers about when their products are due for maintenance. As more items are brought into the world of IoT, businesses will have increasingly better means for improving customer relations and engagement. For instance, picture having a mobile inkjet printer telling you that the customer needs to order more ink cartridges; there you have an opportunity to reach out to the printer owner with an awesome ink cartridge promotion.
The Wireless Revolution
Smart phones have done a fairly thorough job of driving the old cell phones into the shadows of obscurity and near-extinction. Mobile computing technology continues to improve, and wireless networks are everywhere. You can even buy a new car that has its own wireless network hub! What’s more, people increasingly prefer to text instead of making calls. Wireless computing is everywhere and businesses must adapt and shift their emphasis in order to better reach today’s consumers.
In addition, the rise in mobile use and the continuing gradual retirement of baby boomers from the work force mean that there are more professionals out there that have grown up with and increasingly rely on mobile computing. This results in more employees expecting to working off-site, which means a greater demand for better security measures and improved IP phone systems. It’s getting to the point where, in order to lure more young professionals, businesses need to address the matter of off-site production, and make it easier to implement sound policies for working at home.
The Cloud
The increasing popularity of the cloud, used in conjunction with the above-mentioned mobile computing, requires more centrally coordinated applications that can be used on any sort of device. There will also be increased demand for data synchronization across increased types and quantities of mobile devices.
Businesses and consumers alike are turning to the cloud to serve as a data storage medium as well as a platform for software-as-a-service applications. Improving the cloud’s security and ease of connectivity will mean more people than ever using it for their computing needs.
The cloud provides businesses with a means of saving money while having access to data storage and software apps that would normally only be affordable by the bigger companies. Continued innovations in cloud-based apps and storage will mean even more opportunities for smaller companies to be competitive with the big dogs.
3-D Printing
Finally, we wrap up with a recent technological wonder that’s starting to become more common. Worldwide shipments of 3D printers are expected to increase by a whopping 98% next year, and as the technology improves, there will be a greater number of affordable printers out there. This means that more businesses will be able to afford to take advantage of 3D printing’s cost-effective means of saving money.
There are other exciting technological advances out there, and any business that takes advantage of these innovations and incorporates them into their business plan will certainly have a healthy and prosperous 2015. Now that you’ve been made aware of some of the technological innovations of 2015, read “Possibilities In Digital Marketing For The Year, 2015” to get some inspiration for marketing in this brave new world.