Every New Year is accompanied by emerging products that will, ultimately, shape the landscape for future technologies and businesses. The speed at which technology is evolving is causing companies and professionals to get ahead of the trends rather than onboard with them, requiring much forethought, ingenuity and research. Looking into 2020 — there are many disruptive technologies infiltrating various industries, creating new markets to thrive in, and replacing traditional products and processes.
Technologies will be transforming the way companies collect and measure data, creating more automation and less human responsibility. These digital updates will be altering and, hopefully, improving customer retention, company culture and employee efficiencies across industries. Here, are 4 disruptive technologies making a name for themselves in 2020.
Platforms
In recent years, the creation and implementation of platform technologies have taken the world by storm and completely restructured conventional businesses. For example — Uber has transformed the way people utilize ride share opportunities, making taxis, in many markets, obsolete. Through the growing success of these companies, new platforms are being frequently introduced into various industries.
Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) is truly everything that is connected to the Internet — smartphones, apps and wearables are all examples of this. As of today, only a very small percentage of companies are leveraging IoT to their full potential, but that is projected to change drastically. As more intelligent devices are enabled, the more we will see consumers move away from individual products and adapt systems that collaborate together — significantly transforming processes and creating efficiencies.
5G
5G represents the fifth generation of wireless data networks. This technology is ushering in a revolution to the digital world with the introduction of the fastest and most advanced network yet. While it has not been fully released, its promise is forcing organizations to revamp their currently processes to allow for the 5G integration and the compatibility with further new machineries. In other words, this technology is driving the implementation of other cutting edge products to make their way into the hands of consumers and businesses.
Chatbots
Chatbots are a faster and easier solution for rapid online communication while having the ability to do more than what is feasible through direct human interaction. Chatbots are able to act as a personal concierge by making and confirming appointments, complete digital tasks and respond to users with relevant information or knowledge. Businesses of all sizes, from scrappy start-ups to established organizations, are incorporating Chatbots in their day-to-day operations. This integration of AI allows companies to use developed software to target and communicate with customers during all hours of the day while offering improved customer service, eliminating the dreaded hold music, and drastically improving response rates between businesses and buyers.
These important developments will become fundamental to businesses around the globe in this coming year. While most have already begun making their introductions, the complexity of each will only heighten as features and strategies are created and best practices are formed. Which trend will be the most significant to you?