Tag: business technology trends
The strategic significance of advanced technologies as a critical business component is recognized by enterprises like never before. Besides business modernization and cost reduction, advanced technologies allow you to compensate for labor shortages, improve brand value and competency, and expedite research and innovation processes. However, several companies jump onto the bandwagon without properly understanding the practical applications and benefits of advanced technologies. The World Economic Forum indicates that only 23% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide can invest in and grow with new digital tools. This data proves why businesses should crucially analyze advanced technologies before adopting digital tools.
To streamline things, here’s a quick rundown of five advanced technologies we believe will help you cope with the new business and economic environment.
- Simplifying Workflows With Cloud
- Low-code Applications
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Document Data Extraction
- AI Assistants
As these technologies become more affordable and handy, businesses are ardently pursuing them to automate customer service, streamline workflows, differentiate products and services, and reach new markets. Depending on your budget, implementation timeline, priorities, and unique business requirements, our team at Fingent helps you build the roadmap for technology adoption.
Read more: How to gain maximum value from your technology investments?
Let’s take a closer look at the five inevitable technologies for business transformation today:
1. Simplifying Workflows with Cloud
Workflow management is a highly overlooked enterprise strategy that directly impacts productivity. Managing different stakeholders, heaps of confidential data, and a series of preset and conditional tasks manually can lead to several errors, such as employees missing key steps, policy violations, compliance issues, and monetary losses. By taking your workflows online, cloud-based workflow management applications increase your productivity.
Cloud-powered workflows or workflow management tools:
- Are scalable, centralized, customizable to your needs, easy to integrate, secure, reliable, and hassle-free.
- Offer a seamless and unified collaboration interface by preventing users from toggling between different messaging apps or communication channels.
- Reduce your dependency on the in-house IT team by passing on the software maintenance responsibilities to the third-party software vendor.
- Can be accessed via any authorized network (with approved access credentials), on any device, from anywhere, 24/7. This has been a huge game-changer for several companies that switched to remote operations during the pandemic.
Example of a Cloud-based Workflow Tool
Finding a cloud workflow management tool that can be customized to your company’s requirements is daunting. The platform should integrate well with your organizational processes without disrupting your workflow. This is where digital workplace applications like InfinCE make the difference.
With InfinCE Digital Workplace, Fingent has improved its productivity by 20% through real-time, effective, and easy collaboration. Data-powered dashboards, dedicated servers, collaboration apps, productivity tools, virtual desktops, private mobile apps, and a host of exceptional business management features enabled us to achieve a significant operational breakthrough in streamlining workflows.
Read the full case study here.
2. Low-code Applications
Gartner estimates that by 2025, 70% of enterprise applications will use low-code or no-code technologies. Digital business transformation requires pushing custom software solutions to the market at lightning speed. This demand has given rise to low-code applications that will break the technological and organizational silos of application development, automation, integration, and governance. Low-code development enables business users to bring innovative ideas to life by dragging and dropping low-code elements through a graphical user interface.
Simply put, low-code development enables “citizen” developers or non-tech users (such as business analysts or marketers) to build dashboards and survey or contact forms faster. On the other hand, professional developers can leverage low-code techniques to perform more efficient tasks, such as legacy application modernization or back-end integrations, with improved agility and velocity.
Use Cases for Low-code Applications
- Customer engagement applications and portals
- Mission-critical applications such as ERP software, payments manager, etc.
- Data analysis applications, BI dashboards, and data management software
- Mobile apps for customer engagement
- Order processing, inventory, order fulfillment, supply chain, and accounting apps
Salesforce Lightning, Microsoft Power Apps, and Zoho Creator are some of the leading low-code applications today. SAP users can leverage the unified low-code/no-code (LCNC) solutions on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) to rapidly build and extend applications and automate tasks and processes.
Read more: Low Code/No Code Development with SAP BTP: How It Is Turning the Future of Enterprise Resilience
3. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Robotic Process Automation (RPA), often called software robotics, is an easy-to-use software technology that allows anyone to automate digital tasks within their business processes. RPA allows users to create software robots or “bots” to learn, emulate, and execute rules-based business processes. According to Forrester Research, RPA software revenue is expected to reach $6.5 billion by 2025, while RPA-related services revenue could hit $16 billion in the same year.
Potential Use Cases for RPA
We offer free proof of concepts to help you understand how RPA can improve your business efficiency and customer experience. Some of our top use cases include:
- Automating discharge protocols and data management to increase HR productivity in healthcare.
- Daily retail processes automation, such as order processing, inventory and warehouse management, etc., to save time and resources.
- Reducing customer wait times through RPA-enabled chatbots that answer customer queries in real time.
- Error-free, automated billing and invoices to keep your financial systems and reports up-to-date.
- HR teams can automate personnel data and records maintenance, streamline onboarding, and seamlessly manage payroll.
4. Document Data Extraction
Extracting quality data from unstructured or poorly structured data sources and documents for further processing, migration, and storing has been the biggest obstacle in automating back-office operations. If you enter structured invoices into a robust ERP tool like SAP, your payments can be automated, and system records can be generated automatically. Due to the high costs of data extraction, several businesses extract only critical information fields, for example, the payment field within an invoice. Businesses are compelled to manually extract data from other important fields, such as validating the invoice’s compliance with VAT.
AI-integrated OCR Software for Document Extraction
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is an affordable, game-changing technology that automatically extracts data from the digital images (photos) of large files, scanned documents, and sub-titles or captions superimposed on an image. It reduces the time spent in manual data entry and extraction by automatically converting typed, handwritten, or printed text into machine-readable text. AI-powered automated data extraction tools like DocuSign, Docsumo, Kofax Capture, and Amazon Textract leverage OCR technology to reduce the chaos involved in document data extraction and enable businesses to create an efficient workplace.
Our team helps customize document data extraction software that can save you time and money by eliminating transcription and transposing mistakes.
5. AI Assistants
One of the most common examples of small business automation today is using AI-powered virtual assistants. They can save your employees’ productivity by automating the most repeatable customer interactions, such as technical support, appointment scheduling, lead qualification, and order management. AI virtual assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa can understand and act according to your voice commands and customize responses to your queries. Understanding customer intent through natural language processing and recognition allows AI assistants to maintain a human-like conversation.
Chatbots are a popular category of AI assistants designed specifically for text-based channels like SMS, email, and live chat. Recent years have witnessed a rise in chatbot adoption among several business verticals, product and service lines, websites, mobile apps, customer portals, etc. Data shows that 58% of B2B companies and 42% of B2C websites use chatbots to make their websites and mobile apps more interactive. More than 56% of businesses believe chatbots to be driving digital disruption in their industry.
Case Study: AI Virtual Assistant for HR
Fingent’s HR team was pressed to transform their service delivery model as routine, transactional tasks affected their performance and efficiency. To solve their struggle, Fingent developed MUSA, an AI-powered virtual assistant (a chatbot), and integrated it with Fingent Hub, Fingent’s internal employee management system. MUSA is short for Multi Utility Assistant. Employees can ask MUSA any queries related to HR and IT DevOps processes at Fingent, and they’ll get answered instantly. MUSA has improved our HR team’s response time by minimizing their workload and allowing them to focus on areas requiring more attention.
Business and Technology Are Inseparable!
Gartner writes that businesses with technology employ advanced tech to boost customer experience and revenue growth, clearly understand their priorities, goals, and strategies, and invest in solutions tailored to their needs. Technology allows businesses to lower the walls within and between their organizations, customers, providers, suppliers, etc. Organizations perceiving technology as a key business consideration will be able to match the pace of business change and stay relevant and competitive.
How can your business embrace growth in a new era of transformation and technology trends?
If you’re getting caught in the technology maze, take a quick break to contact us. Our consultants can simplify your technology adoption strategy based on your priorities, customer needs, financial resources, and technical requirements.
Technology is not a choice but a fundamental business strategy in the current world. Enterprises will need to accelerate their digital initiatives to support emerging technologies. To remain competitive in 2022 and beyond, businesses MUST invest in new technologies to ensure future innovation and growth. Business opportunities wait for those who successfully tackle their technology challenges. Efficiently dealing with these challenges can set a business apart from its competition.
This blog will assist you in facing the biggest technology challenges of 2022. It outlines how different technologies can help your business. And how you can ensure successful digital transformation.
How Technologies Help Businesses Achieve Success?
Digital transformation is one of the driving forces behind the growth and success of any business. It can enable better collaboration within and between organizations. Today’s business leaders must focus on projects that prepare their organizations for the future. Here are a few ways technologies help businesses stay ahead of the competition.
- Online collaboration: With a big upturn in remote working, it is fortunate that we no longer have to try to make do with cobbled-together services. Collaboration is key to efficiency and productivity. Remote workers need tools that can help them collaborate in real-time allowing them to go on with their projects rather than battling with those tools.
- Automated inventory system: The biggest benefit of an inventory system is automation. It can automate manual tasks and increase efficiency and productivity. It can also reduce overhead costs and increase customer satisfaction.
- Mobile apps: Mobile apps or customer-facing business apps improve how a business interacts with its customers.
- Digital data storage: Digital data storage has reduced common data management tasks to mere seconds. It can store or retrieve data at any time from almost anywhere.
- Project management software: This software enables project managers to assign specific tasks to their employees. Also, it enables them to monitor the workflow to see if employees can accomplish their tasks on time.
Watch more: Should your business invest in custom-built software or off-the-shelf software?
Biggest Technology Challenges Companies Face In 2022
Businesses can benefit more from emerging technologies when they successfully tackle technology challenges. Here are some of those challenges:
1. Data security
Data security threats are causing havoc in organizations. Attackers constantly develop new techniques and vulnerabilities. Some of the most significant information security challenges include:
- Surface attack vulnerabilities
- Cloud threats
- Misuse of credentials
- Digital supply chain risk
- Vertical specialized threats
- Conventional attacks
Preparedness is the key to stopping attacks before they stop you. Security leaders must look beyond traditional approaches to monitor, detect, and respond to manage a wider set of risks. In the case of supply chain risk, security leaders need to partner with other departments to prioritize digital supply chain risk. Businesses often choose to hire outsourced cybersecurity firms to help them strengthen their security and ward off any data security threats.
2. Automation
Automation has become a necessity in the digital world. Effective automation can boost productivity. It is an overall system quality enhancer in the long run. With proper automation, businesses can reduce maintenance costs. Manufacturers can also use automation to reduce manufacturing costs and increase the speed of time to market.
But, finding the right automation tools and introducing them into the business workflow can create complications. Hence, a business must prepare for all the hurdles and mitigate the risk of automation failure. The success of automation largely depends on the execution of the test strategy.
3. Remote work support or hybrid workforce
2022 is an important year for the hybrid workforce model. Integration between cloud-based solutions and mobile apps is crucial to ensure consistent hybrid or remote work engagement. The key is finding the best way to care for the needs of each user and department. Plus, an enterprise must find ways to optimize its IT support to assist remote employees with their computer problems.
4. Digital transformation
Digital transformation paves the way towards more efficiency, resiliency, and sustainability. However, implementing these technologies into business is a challenging process. These challenges are:
- Talent shortage
- Employee pushback
- Limited funds
- Challenge of agile transformation
Enterprises with limited resources can assign projects to third-party organizations. A business can reduce pushback when implementing high-code or no-code solutions based on employees’ requirements. Taking a more mindful approach to digital transformation is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition.
5. Focus on mobility
The usage of mobile apps worldwide has greatly increased in the past decade. Business owners use mobile apps to deliver services and goods to their customers. They also use these apps to boost their Return on Investment. These apps allow employers to give their employees tools that help them collaborate efficiently even when they work remotely.
However, providing a consistent mobile app experience can be challenging.
6. Integrations
There are three major integration challenges enterprises face today.
- First challenge: Enterprises may have mission-critical systems and applications that they wish to transform and modernize to future-proof their business.
- Second challenge: Connecting information from mission-critical systems to new applications. How to integrate information from point A to point B to bring everything together.
- Third challenge: Providing low code and no code tools to combat the shortage of skill and labor.
An effective IT management plan can help minimize or even cut the risk factors associated with integration.
7. AI & ML
Businesses are often pursuing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for their business problems. Another major focus of enterprises is learning how to complete specific tasks without human intervention.
Each company is different, so it takes a unique algorithm for a particular business process. Finding the right AI and ML algorithm can be challenging.
Connect With Future Technologies and Stay Ahead
There is no end to the ever-changing trends businesses must adapt to, to thrive in this highly competitive market. Hence, businesses must forge ahead to connect with future technologies, or they may find competing with other businesses in their sector harder. Whereas businesses that adapt to digital transformation are much more successful in the market. However, analyzing tech opportunities or deciding which technology best fits your business operations is not always easy. That is why Fingent top custom software development company helps companies realize tech capabilities and build, implement and adapt to the right digital tools.
It is the best time to move the digital transformation from your priority checklist to the “right now” list. Connect with our experts to know how we can help your company transform digitally!
How to gain maximum value from technology investments for your business?
The slow economy stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing organizations to identify and cut all unnecessary costs. Unfortunately, technology investments also fall prey to these budget cuts. It happens when businesses invest in technology without adequate planning.
According to a survey, 29.2% of respondents holistically examine their technology usage while searching for efficiencies. It may mean canceling or delaying new projects and purchases or reducing or canceling maintenance and support contracts for existing investments.
Research by Accenture reveals that while 47% of the companies are building their future growth strategies on mobility and technology, considering inefficient technology as one of the top hindrances to their growth. It is clear that IT-led innovation is the need of the hour, and 82% of companies are investing specifically in technology for improved growth.
Simply put, now, it is crucial to improve the return on investment of resources, optimize costs, and select the right solution when making sourcing decisions.
Read more: Navigate The Business Impact Of COVID-19 With These Hot Technologies
Here, we share a few tips to help you gain full value from your technology investments.
Ways to optimize costs
Gartner reveals that optimizing costs is essential for businesses and is one of the best ways to control spending and attain cost reduction while maximizing business value.
Optimizing costs should take into account:
- Automating and digitizing business operations
- Simplifying and standardizing applications, platforms, processes, and services
- Obtaining the best terms and pricing for business purchases
While this means ensuring that technology investments generate the maximum possible value, it also means cutting costs and considering how each technology investment drives business value.
Some technology may be expensive, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t providing value to the organization. Expensive technology may already be optimized because of the value it generates, while inexpensive technology may be unused and wasted. Therefore, it is important to make the right decisions regarding purchasing hardware, software licenses, or cloud services contracts.
Once you have identified and mitigated what you do not need and what you need, there are no more costs to reduce. It is time to look at how to optimize technology assets.
Ways to get the most out of your tech investments
Despite the cutbacks and search for savings, many organizations continue to invest in technology projects and accelerate their digital transformation initiatives. However, even with the economic slowdown coupled with pandemic-related uncertainties, organizations that have performed well during 2020 are looking to increase resilience by reducing risks and demanding shorter ROI periods on investments.
That said, the key to maximize ROI is preparation. It is essential to know that you’ve selected the right solution and are ready for implementation. Several surveys done in the past suggest that the software chosen is rarely the reason for any IT project’s failure. And a few leaders even agree with this, revealing a lack of investment in preparation, project management, and implementation. Even the simplest of IT systems require some amount of work to install and configure. So, the more complex your environment is, the more careful you will have to be.
Read more: 11 Practices Followed by Leaders to Build Resilience and Ensure Rapid Business Recovery
Key factors to consider while developing a technology strategy to improve corporate performance are:
Investment profile: Your management team must identify your IT investment percentage (allocated to build significant capabilities) versus the foundational investment. Ideally, foundational investments should not be more than 40% of the total annual investments.
Organization focus: You must identify whether a significant portion of your internal resources aims to drive innovation or growth. Also, find out if you have the proper operating processes in place to drive these investments.
Tenure: You will have to figure out if your workforce has the right experience and skills to achieve the target.
Investment economics: Move over traditional measures and instead identify newer ways to evaluate your projects and investments.
A few technologies worth investing
Following are some of the technologies worth investing in the present business scenario:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Blockchain
- Internet-of-Things (IoT)
- Cloud
- Cybersecurity
- Self-driving technology
- Streaming media
Tips for getting maximum value from technology investments
To get maximum value from your technology investments, you should:
- Be prepared with clear objectives and outcomes. You must ensure that your vision aligns with that of the new technology vendor.
- Ensure that you have people, processes, and governance for leveraging the technology when deployed, reducing the time to both value and ROI.
- Identify and assess your data sources’ quality to develop appropriate metrics for accuracy and completeness of data and check for any improvements.
- Invest in the implementation and system or process integrations to make sure they are carried out successfully. If you are using any third-party service provider for the implementation, ensure that you hire a reliable and trained team like Fingent.
- Identify users and key stakeholders and invest in their time to maintain the system.
- To reap benefits early in the project and demonstrate the value of initial investments, take a phased approach. Phasing could be by business unit, geography, or environment depending on the organizational structure and business goals. This will ensure that the project is manageable.
- Provide both initial and ongoing training in phases to allow end-users to familiarize themselves with the features and functionalities they have learned about before undergoing further training. That said, make sure the new users are also appropriately trained.
- Ensure that third-party consultants have completed their vendor training or certification programs before allowing them to use your tools. Also, check if you are using the latest version of the tool. If needed, arrange for additional training.
Read more: Fingent Speaks: What it Takes to Build a Successful Digital Transformation Strategy
Be smart with your tech investments
With technology and digital transformation becoming more pervasive across all industries, technology investment can make a huge difference in winning or losing a business. By focusing on the tips discussed in this article, companies can maximize value from their technology investments.
Technology wins only if it can appease users. A bad customer experience forces the customer to switch from vendor A to vendor B. Not only should you identify and invest in the right technology, but make an emotional connection to craft human experiences that drive customer satisfaction and differentiate you from your rivals.
Fingent top software development company helps you make a fortune out of tech investments by helping you leverage the latest technology trends. Our business technology consulting services focus on helping businesses tackle technology problems, attain business objectives, and derive value from tech and IT investments. Chat with an expert to learn more.
How CEOs can prepare their business for 2024?
The unexpected entry of COVID-19 and its consequences blew away the year 2020. Technology rose to the occasion and helped businesses cope with these changes to a certain degree. However, the “new normal” has proven that we can adapt and come through any mishap. A fresh surge in innovation and new technologies promise to help us deal with the new normal of 2024 and beyond. However, with future business technology trends shifting in real-time by consumer behavior, volatile markets have become a daily reality. As businesses emerge from a chaotic year, CEOs need to begin a rebuilding phase in 2024. It is not just a restoration because the rebuilding must form the foundation of a new era. Are you prepared for it?
Fingent supports customers to ensure business continuity during COVID and enables employees to engage effectively during the current pandemic. Our business technology consulting solutions are tailored to address the unique requirements of various industries.
Read more: 11 Practices Followed by Leaders to Build Resilience and Ensure Rapid Business Recovery
This blog explores five such business technology trends CEOs need to follow in the coming year.
1. Transformation of workplace and work culture
Work from home (WFH) has become a growing trend in today’s work environment. While some businesses already practice a regular remote working option, COVID-19 has made WFH mandatory.
As coronavirus’s terror continues, most businesses have already considered the work from home set up as a permanent feature. Some companies have announced work from home for their employees till the middle of 2021. Few others went a step ahead and allowed their employees to work from home forever! According to an estimate by Global Workplace Analytics, 25-30% of the workforce will be working from home multiple days a week by the end of 2021.
This trend may worry CEOs as it involves a massive element of trust. Laying down work-from-home policies and metrics to ensure productivity will help.
2. Bridge gaps and renew relationships
“That unplanned kind of interaction that contributes so much to how we build relationships with people and how we build culture, those things are what are missing,” says Andi Owen, CEO of Herman Miller Inc.
Both CEOs and employees can empathize with Andi Owen’s sentiments. Perhaps one day in the future, face-to-face meetings will return to normal. However, right now is the time to shift strategies toward the digital realm to improve relationships.
Whatever the circumstances may be, businesses must ensure they have a defined work from home policy. For this concept to be practical, CEOs must ensure that the need for inspiration, connection, and a sense of purpose are met in the workspace. Though remote working makes it practically impossible to have in-person meetings, CEOs must ensure that their employees have newer ways to work – where they feel connected and enjoy a sense of purpose, though isolated.
Additionally, businesses will need to adjust their marketing plans. This could include strengthening their online presence to gain and retain customers while keeping their employees engaged and happy. The most successful CEOs will find ways to improve their network even in the most challenging times.
Read more: 6 Ways to Ensure Business Success Through Strong Digital Presence
3. Embrace innovation and a creative approach
In the past, a CEO could be successful by specializing in certain areas while delegating other responsibilities. Some CEOs may shy away from embracing new ideas and technologies because they do not have the resources to commit to significant innovations. However, the pandemic has completely changed the business landscape. If a CEO is not prepared to accept new ideas and practices, it may turn into a business disaster.
A successful business will always have data and technology at its core, but a successful CEO will encourage creativity in his employees and welcome new ideas and practices. He must have a hands-on approach to every sector of the business and communicate with employees, partners, and customers.
Read more: Prepare for the Future of Digital Innovation with these 10 Services From Fingent
4. Better online presence
All the trends mentioned before this – accommodating a work from home culture, strengthening the network, and embracing innovation – require businesses to improve their online presence and digital profile. It means that CEOs should revamp their online presence by following these tips:
- Business websites must become more interactive yet easy to use.
- Improved customer service should be a top priority on your radar.
- In addition to product launches, continue to update your social content on social media.
- To build your audience, look at the suggestions in their feed.
- Include images and short video clips.
- Look for tools to increase time and bandwidth.
Read more: How Custom Website Development Services Can Increase Sales for Your Business
5. Flexibility is the key
As the new year approaches, every business makes some long-term and short-term plans. However, 2020 taught us that the world could change suddenly and dramatically. Upheaval will continue as the pandemic persists, and we must contend with social and economic collateral damage. Businesses thus need to assess their ability to be flexible.
“The supply and demand for office space may change significantly. Many people have learned that they can work at home or that there are other methods of conducting their business than they might have thought from what they were doing a couple of years ago. When change happens in the world, you adjust to it.” – Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The best thing a business can opt for during these historically tumultuous times is to remain flexible.
Retooling for tomorrow
The coronavirus brought in an unprecedented whirlwind of changes. Technology has been so helpful to businesses in coping with a global economic crisis. The pandemic has been the catalyst for new tech trends, and it will continue to drive innovation to the new normal.
CEOs who leverage these technologies born out of today’s crises to their advantage have an opportunity to elevate their business. Though no CEO can predict what will transpire in future, you can get ready for the new year by focusing on these business technology trends. Talk to us and let us make your business equipped for a better tomorrow.