If you were to give a name to the one thing that defines business success in the 21st century, what would it be? Great customer service will always be essential to a successful, thriving business, and high quality, easily available products will be equally important. That said, it’s something that helps improve upon both of those things that will define whether or not a business will survive or die in 2015: technology.
Technology plays a number of crucial roles in today’s interconnected world. According to eMarketer, more than $1.5 trillion will be spent on goods and services purchased online in 2015. Without taking advantage of the latest technology and offering an easy to use website, your business won’t see a penny from that potentially monstrous revenue source. SecurityWeek reports that the average cost of a cyber incursion — an ever more common event — has risen to $12.7 million in the last year. The right technology could serve as a potent shield against would be cyber criminals.
Whether it’s cyber security or eCommerce, taking advantage of new IT systems could make all the difference for your business. Here are three technologies you need to stop ignoring to help ensure your business is around a year from now.
Three New IT Systems and Technologies Your Business Needs to Thrive in 2015
- Mobile Devices Revolutionize Business Agility
- Bringing Manufacturing in-House with 3D Printers
- Smarter Data Collection Software
As the online guide to business information technologies IT Business Edge details, smart businesses are increasingly taking advantage of mobile technologies. By equipping employees with tablets and smartphones, businesses can keep doing business, whether their employees are traveling from New York to Hong Kong for business or they’re in the office. If you’re thinking of equipping your company with the latest mobile technology, you’ll also need to think about top of the line security, but the rewards of such a move will be well worth any sort of growing pains.
Manufacturing represents one of the biggest costs to any business looking to provide customers with high quality goods. As Forbes details, however, tech savvy businesses are taking full advantage of increasingly affordable 3D technology to drastically reduce their manufacturing costs. 3D printers require a much smaller workforce than traditional production methods, and they can complete fully polished products at a fraction of the time. If your business isn’t at least thinking about a switch to 3D printing, what exactly are you waiting for?
Google’s success in using data to draw attention to its marketing partners completely revolutionized the world of business. As the research firm Gartner suggests, smart data collection and analytics is a must for any business looking to succeed in 2015. By utilizing the best analytics software, you can get a firm idea of what your market likes and what they don’t, streamlining your marketing approach and products to better suit their desires. The potential effects on your bottom line should be obvious.
Whether it’s high end camera systems or VoIP phone systems, what are some of the new IT systems your company relies on to thrive? Let us know in the comments below.