Just a few more days and we'll already be in 2019. The oliebollen with raisins and powdered sugar still need to be picked up, and that festive bottle of champagne needs to be put in the fridge too. Then we can finally toast to the new year for real. Hopefully, you reflect on the plans for 2019.
The year 2019 will be even more successful than 2018. Do you want to know which business trends will play a bigger role in the coming year? In this blog, we tell you which three trends you really shouldn't miss in the coming year.
1. Augmented Reality in the workplace
Augmented Reality first became mainstream through the success of Pokémon Go. Several generations walked around hypnotized with their phones in their hands.
Augmented Reality is already being used in professions requiring the performance of complex and manual tasks. Consider, for example, a Porsche car mechanic wearing safety glasses with Augmented Reality.
When he needs help, he requests support from an external expert through his modern glasses. This technology is also being extensively tested in the medical world.
Augmented Reality will also have a major impact on the workplace in the coming year. It won't be long before employees in the office use holographic screens to type emails.
Or how about creating virtual 3D models in the air? The American company Meta develops these products, and they expect that their products will be used increasingly often in the workplace.
This is not a distant prospect; it will play an important role in your industry as well. Consider how you can apply Augmented Reality within your company.
Can it be used in the design process, for example? Or can you apply it to customer service? Think outside the box and consider how this augmented reality can help you.
2.Voice search is increasing
Voice recognition technology has improved, and as a result, more and more spoken search queries are being performed. Due to its speed and ease of use, voice search is becoming increasingly popular. We can speak faster than we can type. You see devices with voice search in homes more and more often.
For example, you can quickly check the weather forecast using a voice search query or play a party playlist on Spotify with your voice. In 2019, the number of voice search queries will increase even further. This impacts SEO, as users are increasingly searching for long-tail keywords.
Therefore, ensure that the information on your website answers questions your customers have. Questions such as “what,” “who,” “where,” and “why” are becoming increasingly important due to voice search. One way to answer these questions is by posting an FAQ page.
What questions does your target audience often ask you? Write down these questions and answers, and then ask your employees. This is how you get off to a good start with voice search.
3. Working remotely
The physical workplace will change even further in the coming year. The number of traffic jams will increase even more in the coming years. Companies will look for solutions themselves. One of those solutions is that more and more employees will work remotely.
This is already being done in many companies, and this number will increase even further. As a result, employees spend less time commuting. Another advantage of remote working is that employees work more productively.
They are not constantly interrupted by colleagues and can work uninterrupted. Using technical tools such as videos and chats, employees share information and collaborate with one another. A win-win situation!
How can you (further) implement remote working in your company? Discuss this with the HR department, management, and other colleagues. Think in terms of possibilities, not difficulties!
Business Improvement
With the above business trends you are ready for 2019. Are your employees, strategies, current corporate culture and processes in balance? After all, the market in which you operate is changing at a rapid pace. Of Business Improvement we take your business to a higher level.