Tech Predictions: How will it affect businesses in 2021?

January 27, 2021

A digitalised business world was always inevitable – all the pandemic did was speed up the process and highlight the importance of adapting and embracing technology. With the new year fast approaching, here are our predictions for the top three tech trends that your business will benefit from.

2021 Tech Predictions

Virtual & Hybrid Events

Never has the power of virtual connectivity been tested as much as in 2020. As the ambiguity of live events hangs by a thread, businesses must come to terms with the new norm and adapt to change.

One certain constant is that communication is the key to good marketing, a statement which should remain true regardless of the medium by which it is presented.

And what better alternative to live events than virtual ones?

Virtual and hybrid events hold an array of benefits, from generating brand awareness, to motivating your employees and, most importantly, ensuring your message is communicated effectively and efficiently.  

Sure, the transition from live to virtual hasn’t always been easy: unreliable connections, and the reality that some events don’t translate well online have made some wary of its adoption.

But more and more businesses are embracing this trend.

On the tech side, custom tools can grant full control of analytics, payments and content management both on-demand and live-streamed, which is what A Team, a financial PR and publishing company, asked us to build.

Virtual events can also come in a variety of “models”, each one created to best suit the scenario and objective (e.g. specific targeting strategies, to generate long-term engagement, etc.).Even when restrictions ease and live events become possible again, lower costs, a greater reach, and more control over analytics make us predict that hybrid events will lead the marketing way in the coming year.

Marketplace Platforms

Shoppers are increasingly favouring online shopping, and unsurprisingly. The U.K. is the world’s third-largest online retail market and the top market in Europe. But now that we are leaving the European Digital Single Market, the future of e-commerce, and the effect of Brexit on trades and sales, are at the forefront of our minds.

So, what does the future of e-commerce hold?

Both sides have finally reached a deal, which means we will finally get clear instructions on the change of regulations and how it will affect our businesses.

Frustratingly to all, though, the time between now and when those new terms take effect is very, very short.

An agile platform will allow you to build, innovate, grow your business, and keep your clientele informed about any changes.

Custom-built customer service platforms, such as the one the team at Purr created for Materials Market,  can be useful in allowing demonstrations to potential suppliers and investors, especially if you have an MVP you want to showcase.

Even with a looming deadline, remember to make sure your customer remains your top priority, and it is important they know it. This means choosing your e-commerce platform carefully.

Replacing Office Paper Processes

(And Refining Quick-Fix Digital Processes That Came In 2020 With Custom-Developed Tech)

These changes improved their SEO and the team has complete autonomy to publish new updates on both versions simultaneously as well as control to showcase different content in different regions.

This year has been a testament to change and adjustment, but what about the future? For how much longer will businesses have to play it by ear?

The traditional “office workspace model” is no longer – in fact, many businesses have turned the once remote-work experiment into a permanent reality.  

“We encourage organisations to start to develop a remote-working policy if they don’t have one,” said Claire McCartney, resourcing and inclusion policy adviser at the UK-based Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

While the challenges of performance, timekeeping, and supervision (not to mention all the other administrative burdens) can pose seemingly convincing arguments against the remote-work scheme, many businesses are starting to realise the positives it can bring to the future

For one, it’s become clear that many jobs we previously assumed had to be done on-site can be done remotely. This cuts down the costs of hiring office space and saves a lot of time. “Instead of spending three hours driving to and from a client’s site for one meeting, I can have five meetings and probably make five times the sales impact.”

Two, remote work exponentially expands your talent pool beyond the local circle and can help you attract and retain competitive talent.

Three, the adoption of technology is inevitable, and for the best. Working from home makes it necessary to be digitally optimising for a post-Covid world. It also simultaneously forces you to reinforce your company with the infrastructure to thrive in a digitised world.

A final thought

Technology continues to thrive, pandemic or not, and it’s an exciting time for the digital world. Changes in the way we promote our business, the way we sell (and buy), and how we work will dominate 2021, but they will make the way we do business more efficient, and much stronger. 

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