With an immediate necessity to adapt to the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and shutdowns worldwide, many older technologies have been improved, and many new technologies have emerged. There have been several technological trends that have been observed across numerous industries, with many of these trends continuing to take place in 2021. There are several trends that are important for how the world will move forward with technology.
Self-Service
Customers of utility companies have been able to pay their bills more conveniently and access customer service more quickly due to new digital self-service tools. To ensure that the services that their customers need are readily available, helping customers to avoid late payments, many utility companies are developing their self-service technologies to provide what customers use the most.
E-Commerce Growth
E-commerce is a form of shopping that was already popular before the pandemic. However, with the immediate shut down of most physical shopping locations in 2020, e-commerce became one of the only ways for consumers to purchase the goods they wanted and needed. The shopping patterns of customers on many e-commerce platforms have been following trends as well.
Remote Work
Many businesses and employees have adopted a “remote work first” mindset, where finding ways to keep common work practices remote is placed as a priority. These remote work opportunities have made work more efficient and convenient for both employers and employees. While many physical business locations have opened back up, businesses are still balancing remote work with in-house work.
Cashless Purchases
Online shopping platforms have made using cards to purchase items normal. Whereas many consumers used to use cash for their purchases, there has been a growing trend towards making purchases with cards. Additionally, items that used to previously be purchased primarily in stores are now being purchased online.
Telehealth
Telehealth became one of the only ways for patients to communicate with their healthcare providers during the pandemic. As an effective way for many patients to receive diagnoses and healthcare information, telehealth has quickly become a popular healthcare service. Telehealth also provides easy and convenient access to patients who cannot make it to healthcare clinics and hospitals.