In recent years, we’ve seen major digital and technological trends in the world of business. These trends have changed the way we do business in various industries. They have made business processes and applications more accurate, efficient, and productive. At the same time, they have made the workforce’s lives a lot easier and more convenient.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has disrupted several businesses from various industries. But if anything, it has compelled businesses to go digital and utilize modern technology. That is when we’ve seen digital transformation and technological innovation in various industries.
Let’s study some global industries and see how digitalization and technology are reshaping the business landscape.
1. Retail Industry
The e-commerce industry has long been booming before the pandemic. Many entrepreneurs have used digital platforms for their online stores, whether personal websites, social media channels, or even e-commerce platforms. You can also consider some of the best e-commerce platforms like BigCommerce (for businesses of all sizes), Wix (for small businesses), Shopify (for dropshipping), Squarespace (for startups), and Magento (for large companies).
The internet has allowed both sellers and consumers to converge in digital platforms and conduct business transactions. But during this pandemic, we’ve seen the rise of online shopping and online groceries. It’s great that retail businesses have used extended realities (ERs) to enhance the online shopping experience.
2. Manufacturing Sector
The manufacturing industry has surprisingly thrived during this pandemic. The 2021 Manufacturing and Distribution Pulse Survey report can prove this claim. The survey aimed to measure the status of the businesses in the manufacturing industry. The result shows significant or modest business growth and profitability among several businesses amid the pandemic.
Such growth and success can be attributed to the use of digitalization and technology. One perfect example is the use of additive manufacturing (3D printing technology). You can also venture into localized production (due to disruption in the global supply chain) and focus on sustainability (recycling waste products and repurposing raw materials).
3. Construction Industry
The construction industry has thrived during the pandemic. As many homeowners stay indoors, they have considered pursuing home improvement projects. In fact, 2020 was tagged as the “year of the home,” while 2021 is considered the “year of the yard.” As such, both residential and commercial contractors have further spruced their digital tools and technologies used in building processes and applications.
It’s good that the industry has started using drones, automation, robotics, and pre-fabricated construction to continue operating during the pandemic. Even industrial construction firms have relied on digital and technological trends to construct and renovate plants, factories, and other industrial establishments. In the next few years, expect the construction industry to continue developing and using digital and technological resources.
4. Education Sector
There’s no denying how the pandemic has shaken the education sector. About 1.2 billion students have been out of the classroom since the COVID-19 outbreak. For this reason, it has led to the rise of online education, where both teachers and students have to adapt.
It’s great that the education sector has managed to cope with the pandemic situation using the internet and robust technology. They even started using immersive virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for enhanced learning experiences. Also, tech companies have started developing online courses, adaptive learning platforms, and online resources to help the industry.
5. Healthcare Industry
As the COVID-19 is a global health crisis, the health sector is the most impacted. The industry has the responsibility to take care of public health and save lives amidst the threat of the novel coronavirus. Sure, the worldwide COVID-19 cases and the continuous threats of coronavirus variants are alarming. But it doesn’t mean that the health industry isn’t doing enough to combat the virus spread and to roll out vaccinations.
Thanks to the rise of digital and technological innovations, the health sector has managed to stay afloat despite the challenges. For one, telehealth and telemedicine have become apparent during the pandemic. They perform virtual medical consultation, remote patient monitoring (RPM), digital medication orders, and even online filing of claim insurance. These are just a few digital and technological trends used in the health industry during the pandemic.
There’s no denying how various industries have adopted the use of digitalization and technology in business. These digital and technological trends have become a game-changer, whether in retail, construction, or health industries. That said, expect these trends to boom and grow, not only during this pandemic but even after the crisis. If you want your business to survive and thrive, take advantage of digitalization and modern technology.
