The business landscape has undergone plenty of drastic changes over the past few months. Many businesses have had to modify their operations to adjust to preventive measures that stop the further spread of the disease. At the heart of these adjustments is the increasing reliance on technology.
Digital tools are becoming a fundamental part of every type of business, from retail to commerce. If you want your business to keep up with the rapidly changing circumstances of the world, here are some essential technologies you’ll need under the new normal.
Digital Point of Sale Systems
One technological advancement that was already gaining traction in various countries is the use of touch-screen kiosks or tablets in food establishments. The initial goal of this kind of system was to increase productivity and lower operation costs, but in this current global situation, it’s taking on a new significance. Rather than having customers interact with servers or waitstaff, they can place their orders and pay through an automated point of sale system. The only expenses you can expect to cover are the price of the machines, the cost of periodically disinfecting them, and tablet repair or maintenance.
Cloud Infrastructures
The Cloud has revolutionized the way businesses store, exchange, and access their data. A cloud infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, a combination of software, servers, various storage resources, and network devices.
As it’s becoming more convenient and more necessary to store everything digitally, your business will need a reliable cloud infrastructure that utilizes a combination of public and private cloud services. A hybrid cloud infrastructure can provide you with the security of a private cloud as well as the efficiency of a public one.
Collaboration and Communication Platforms
As face-to-face interactions are severely limited, there’s an increasing reliance on online communication and collaboration platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Team, Slack, and more. A robust communication and collaboration platform should be able to help you optimize your remote operations to make sure that your staff can communicate effectively without having to be in the same physical space.
Chatbots and AI Assistants
As more traditional retailers are shifting to e-commerce, customer service is now becoming more of a remote operation. Your business will need to rely on chatbots and AI assistants to reduce operating expenses, streamline customer service relations, and aid your technical support team. This has the added benefit of boosting your sales and strengthening relationships with your customers.
Reliable High-Speed Internet
This is a bit of a no-brainer, but slow and unreliable internet connections will make your team’s overall performance suffer. Not everyone in your team will have access to a fast and dependable internet connection, so you’ll have to set aside a budget for purchasing mobile hot spots, modems, and data plans for those who need it. Similarly, you’ll also need to invest in hardware and devices, such as a webcam, a headset, and a laptop. You can choose to supply these only to employees who don’t yet have them, or you could purchase it for every member of your team for added security.
It can be hard for your business to keep up with the rapid changes that seem to happen almost every single day. Thankfully, the advancement of technology has made it easier to overcome these hurdles. These technologies will help you adjust and successfully navigate the challenges brought on by the new normal.
