It’s a New Year for growth, and businesses have already started to focus on business trends which are dying, as well as trends which will define their growth throughout the year. With 2018, various new trends have also sprouted up.
If you are thinking of growing your business, or just want to know which business trends are going to make major changes, following are a few that you should keep an eye on.
Cyber Security
As technology has grown more advanced, cybersecurity has become a bigger issue, which needs to be invested in properly. Data-stealing has become almost an art, and with many people linking their online accounts and online payment information together, it poses a risk for the user to conduct a transaction with businesses online.
Luckily, more measures are being taken by the online business community to ensure that their users have a secure platform where their data is not compromised in any manner. Unfortunately, businesses have been targets of hackers such as HBO getting threatened for ransom, for their popular GOT – Game Throne series. However, measures have been taken to rectify such scenarios from happening in the future.
AI – Artificial Intelligence
The use of AI- Artificial Intelligence has really begun to be taken seriously by consumers and businesses alike. Uber and Lyft are investing in self-driving cars whereas Pizza Hut is also working on a delivery system which is going to be completely driverless and will also rely on AI.
Smaller businesses have also started to embrace the use of AI in their businesses since it optimizes their data utilization, allows for proper usage of resources and allows them to experience growth in a more intelligent and healthy manner. Moreover, AI is actively being introduced into the lives of consumers in the form of applications and tools such as Siri, Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa and even Netflix’s recommended series and movies based on the user’s likes.
AR – Augmented Reality
Augmented reality has slowly started to make the same impact that VR- Virtual reality has been making. On the other hand, whereas virtual reality has still largely been limited in usability, AR has shown more promise in usability.
Again, it has infiltrated into the customer’s life in the form of various apps that allow one to use AR. Apps such as Snapchat make the most usage of AR through their filters and businesses have also followed suit by introducing AR tours of homes for real estate, cosmetic surgeries which show results before the procedure is done and more.
Customer-Centric Approach
More businesses have started to have a more customer-centric approach, ensuring that their business focuses more on the customer. Happy customers naturally translate into bigger profits for any business, regardless of the industry they are in.
While businesses have been slow to embrace this feature, more and more are becoming aware of this factor. The success and growth of many businesses hinge on this tiny little aspect which is quickly becoming the differentiating factor for a business in a marketplace which is extremely saturated.
