by Jessica Oaks
It’s no secret that technology plays a pivotal role in how businesses conduct daily operations and market themselves. The most successful companies are leveraging technological advancements to their advantage by interpreting data to strategically build a customer’s purchasing experience, improving life with innovation, and increasing brand visibility via digital platforms.
Cloud Computing & Synced Device Technology.
A large movement towards cloud computing and synced-device technology is well underway. As the world becomes increasingly mobile, businesses that stay competitive understand they need to provide a means for mobility and accessibility to their personnel. Cloud storage allows companies to not only cut on IT costs normally spent maintaining a physical server, it also lets employees to access data from anywhere.
On top of this cloud-enabled ability to work remotely, synced-device technology makes it possible to work from any internet-capable device. Schedules, presentations, emails and documents automatically synchronize across laptops, tablets, smartphones and office desktops, eliminating breaks in continuity and permitting workflow to move at a positive momentum. And with syncing and cloud computing, software updates and improvements are implemented virtually and way quicker than ever before so companies can conduct business using the latest and greatest. Furthermore, synced devices and cloud data usage have started emerging on shop floors like restaurants, letting patrons place food orders via tablet. The order then gets uploaded in the cloud, projected on the kitchen monitor, and cooked immediately. This is customer service at its finest – a fast, efficient transaction that translates to more dollars.
Digital Technology – Social Media & Analytics.
Understanding consumer behavior is crucial for organizations to improve and cater accordingly to the needs of their customers. Analytics on website traffic, email opens, click-through rates, page views – all should be taken into consideration and the smartest businesses have learned to adapt their promotional efforts to address insightful dips or spikes based on this readily available information. For instance, retailers can measure the effectiveness of a time-sensitive promotion by looking at how many people opened the distributed email, quantity of website clicks and amount of users who “checked out” their shopping carts. If results were favorable, similar promotions will likely run in the future because the original formula is now known generates sales – the truth is in the numbers.
In terms of marketing, analytics and information paired with the multitude of social media outlets we have today is a recipe for bringing in the big bucks. It is now easier than ever for a company to target their ads towards an audience that has a high potential of buying their product. Moreover, brands can now truly build their personality and voice on social media. Little actions such as sharing a picture of something that aligns with the company’s principles goes a long way – these messages are subconsciously ingrained into the minds of consumers, developing a relationship and trust.
Selling Innovation.
Aside from the actual act of integrating the latest technology to improve business efficiencies, companies that sell technology and pride themselves on having the most innovative products do very well in the market. People appreciate creativity and anything that make their lives a little easier which is why giants like Apple, Google and Samsung have become some of the most successful. They are inventing technology once thought to be exclusive to a handful of individuals and giving this astute privilege to the public. The fact that almost anyone can type in a search on Google and receive results instantly is something that gives power to the people. It’s the concept of everyone being able to participate in technological innovation genius that businesses are in the position to coordinate – and the best establishments do just that.
Whether companies use technology to streamline their day-do-day practices, market their brand effectively or sell the best technology to increase sales and better the lives of their consumers, it’s safe to say utilizing technology is vital for any business to succeed. Technology provides the option, possibility and freedom to execute ideas the way thought leaders envision them thus producing more efficiency, more effectiveness and more prominence in the marketplace.
Sources:
http://www.inc.com/jill-krasny/how-small-businesses-are-using-technology.html
http://sloanreview.mit.edu/projects/embracing-digital-technology/
http://fortune.com/2013/02/28/10-most-admired-tech-companies/
http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/partner-zone-microsoft/why-businesses-switching-cloud-computing
http://socialdriver.com/2013/11/18/4-examples-companies-using-social-technology-increase-sales/
http://www.samsung.com/us/showcase/all-in-one-pcs-tablet-and-laptop-computers/
http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/7-technologies-companies-are-using-increase-their-profits
Jessica Oaks is a freelance journalist who loves to cover technology news and the ways that technology makes life easier. She also blogs at FreshlyTechy.com. Check her out on Twitter @TechyJessy.
