What to Expect in 2015: Business Technology Trends

[Former Member]

2014 saw the rise of 3D printing, continued enterprise/personal cloud integration, and industrialized crowdsourcing.   Words such as gamification, millenials and cloud computing dulled as they became mainstream technology terminology; however, the trends fueling these milestones show no signs of slowing down. There's no doubt 2015 is shaping up to be an even more innovative year.

Here's our business technology whiteboard that profiles what you can expect in the year to come:

Mobile

First up is mobile. By 2020, it is estimated that 80% of adults on earth will have a smartphone. Buyers today and increasingly going forward will be connected via mobile devices. Sales teams and marketers must have the ability to capture customers from anywhere at any time.   Gartner has predicted a shift in focus from devices to how the user and device interact in different environments and contexts.  These user interactions will be seamless and better integrated into overall viewing experiences (think sponsored posts).  As more and more business is conducted on the go, look for most software companies to begin developing not just mobile sites but native apps in 2015.

Big Data

The second big trend is the continued importance of big data. Although it isn’t entirely new, we’re seeing more and more companies adopting actionable intelligence. Organizations can transform existing processes and achieve real results that contribute to the bottom line.  We’re seeing this consistently across the board in almost every industry from CPG manufacturers to churches.  In 2015 we expect data mining and understanding to get easier.  We’re seeing more and better big data tools becoming available every day.  Alongside big data, smart machines are also expected to capture advanced analytics in both hardware and software (example – Amazon Echo, IBM Watson).

Socials

Marketers need to be aware that their buyers are increasingly relying on social media to connect with those that can inform them and with those whom they can share ideas. These ideas are one of the two core pillars of a content marketing strategy: publication and distribution. The distribution end, social media, is pivotal to content’s success.  Also beware, the anti-advertising movement is upon us with companies such as Ello promising ad/company free experiences. 

There are also quite a few pieces of hardware that will change the business technology landscape: Apple Watch will impact corporate BYOD policies and securities.  NFC will also impact the way companies communicate with employees (key fobs will be replaced down the line).  Although it may not be technology in the modern sense, look for the rise of standing desks to alter the average workspace in the coming year. 

As you can see, business technology is headed for big things in 2015. It's important for companies to adapt quickly and efficiently to the latest trends.