Business and tech trends in 2017

The new year looks to bring with it a whole new range of business and technology trends. At Brennan IT we have close partnerships and relationships with both our clients and vendors and we keep a close ear to the ground. So without further ado, we bring you the business and technology trends that we will see the most of in 2017. 

1. Focus on training remote employees and mobility set to dominate

Startups and technology companies are leading the way in terms of hiring staff remotely, using platforms such as Skype and Zoom to interview prospective candidates. This extends to enabling successful candidates to work remotely once they are hired, as well as do on-the-job training, needing nothing more than an Internet connection and a secure, connected device.

2. Leveraging the sharing economy style of working/ adapting to digital transformation

Customer expectations are driving digital transformation. Customers now expect the same level of interaction from every company they engage with, not only the sharing economy giants like Uber and Airbnb. The new sharing economy will be increasingly customer-centric and businesses need to adapt, or risk losing their customer to another provider that shows customer-centricity.  

3. Cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure must keep pace

Security issues are rating as a higher business concern across all industries. Customers are also becoming more aware of the importance of choosing a trusted business provider who will keep their personal information safe and secure. This will prove to be a key differentiator, so organisations will face increased pressure to ensure they are equipped to deal with the latest cyber threats.

4. Increased organisational change management as part of technology adoption

As businesses continue their transformative paths through the addition of new technology, the role of organisational change management becomes more intrinsic. It will be of paramount importance that staff are ready and fully equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to take advantage of the new technological developments within their organisation, in order to maximize the value of those investments.

5. Customer journey mapping as a way to understand and anticipate customer needs and emotions.

Companies are waking up to the fact that getting the customer experience right is a critical component for the success of their business. Customer journey mapping can be a powerful way to improve customer experience and gain real insight into what customers want and to stay ahead of the curve.

6. Acceleration of the cloud market and hybrid cloud operations

The economies of scale that cloud infrastructure can offer to enterprises, will enable them to better provide for customers. We will also see the cloud market continue to accelerate, with more businesses moving their core applications to the cloud.

7. Growth of mesh app and service architecture and adaptive security architecture

The set of endpoints people use to access applications and information or interact with people, social communities, governments and businesses need to be managed, integrated and secured, and the market for bringing these various endpoints together and having them talk to each other is set to increase dramatically.

 

8. Destroying silos in business operations

Organisational silos will continue to be broken down, as the climate of collaboration and the technology to support it continues to flourish. This will be complemented by collaborative social tools, such as Facebook for Business.