Digitalization is gaining momentum as all industries are embracing new tools. Tasks like scheduling, administration, file sharing, and communication cannot go back anymore. Software has changed the face of the work as we know it and the trend is only going to expand.
While this is undoubtedly good news, the question remains: how to keep the human touch in the ever-expanding digitalized world?
The key lies in personalization, but appropriate training and fine-tuning practices are also necessary. Going with the flow is not a good idea; businesses simply need to hand-pick the tools they need and ignore the rest. Otherwise, they’ll sink into the pool of genericness and fail to stand out.
We’ll hereby take a look at the solutions that can make a positive impact on both businesses and employees.
Project Management Tools
Project management can use any help it can get and new tech developers know it all too well. That’s why numerous solutions are available — freeware, shareware, and paid versions. A little something for every business’ needs, apparently.
When picking the right options, businesses should consider customer- and shareholder preferences. Popular, easy-to-use solutions never go out of fashion and they easily integrate with other popular tools.
A typical mixture organizations use is a combination of project management-, communication-, and file management tools, as these help data centralization.
Additionally, focus on apps that enable guided management for remote teams as hybrid work models are getting more popular by the minute.
Performance Management Tools
Upholding organizational goals can be a daunting task. Thankfully, new tech comes to the rescue. Scilicet, performance management tools cover all five steps of the performance management cycle (planning, monitoring, development, rating, and rewarding) with ease.
In addition, these solutions streamline related processes but keep in mind that the quality of the processes is solely upon the leadership. There are many other management tools that leaders and HR teams can also make use of to simplify everyday practices. Think of PTO management, hourly tracking and employee benefits selections.
Conversational AI
Call center automation has made life easier for both customers and CSRs. The first get their answers more quickly, whereas the latter get more free time on their hands to dedicate to meaningful tasks.
Conversational AI is trending at the moment but, in truth, the technology has yet to reach its peak. The plethora of imperfections, however, doesn’t stop businesses from introducing their own chatbots and similar, in an attempt to keep up with the trends and automate generic queries.
There’s a catch here, though. Namely, many customers prefer talking to a living, breathing person as opposed to a machine. That’s why bypassing this moment is never a good idea. Chatbots should be presently used only to solve simple queries or provide the context for human discussions.
The same applies to field services. Crucial automation for field service teams can simplify complex processes and streamline communication across channels and departments, where Conversational AI has proven to be rather useful.
In the context of customer service, manual tasks can be further simplified by deploying VoIP protocols, IVR systems, and ACD systems. VoIP protocols enable voice communication and multimedia sessions over IP networks. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems allow customers to interact with a computer-operated phone system through the use of voice and DTMF tones input via a keypad. Automated Call Distribution (ACD) systems answer and distribute incoming calls to a specific group of terminals or agents.
Gamification and AR
Bread and circuses have never seemed to be more popular than in modern times. That’s where gamification fits in, gets to shine, and takes the spotlight.
With continual learning being the typical mantra of the modern workplace, gamification is a perfect addition to get employees into learning what they’d otherwise likely find boring or distracting.
As the term portends, gamification is the application of game elements in other contexts, notably eLearning. Meaningfulness, conditioning, and communication are its three main elements and its main focus — extrinsic motivation. Translated into simpler terms: external rewards.
Typical elements of gamification include points, badges, and leaderboards. Points identify progress, badges display achievements, and leaderboards are a sort of ranking system.
Additional elements may or may not include progress bars, incentives, rewards for the milestones achieved, a narrative, feedback, and interaction elements.
Additionally, businesses are increasingly relying on augmented reality (AR) learning. Augmented reality blends the real world with a computer-generated environment to interact with users. Typically, AR apps overlap with other technologies, which makes sharing an easy feat.
Recording and Filming
When selecting the right software for businesses that rely on recording and filming cameras, it’s essential to prioritize solutions that support high-quality video formats and seamless integration with editing tools. Look for software that offers cloud storage for easy access and collaboration across teams, especially for businesses in media or creative industries.
Automation features, such as scheduled recording or real-time footage analysis, can significantly improve efficiency. Also, ensure the software is compatible with your existing hardware and provides regular updates to keep pace with evolving technology. And finally, if you focus on a specific niche, such as recording football or other sports, then be sure the software will be reliable.
Where to Next?
With the rapid expansion of AI and attempts at artificial general intelligence (AGI) and quantum computing, businesses can only stay informed and adjust and readjust their strategies.
Developing training programs to stay on top of trends sounds like a splendid idea but things are developing too fast to cope.
Already there are job openings looking for AI writers, artists, and so on, while there’s a glaring gap in training solutions. Businesses would do well to develop their own courses and educate their workforce for whatever may come next.
