The digital world is always changing, with new technologies, new apps and new behaviours seeming to pop up near constantly.
In 2020 we saw some major shake ups in how businesses and consumers used the internet, particularly with the dramatic shift to working from home and the rise of video conferencing.
Hopefully 2021 won’t be quite so dramatic, but there are still plenty of new developments for businesses to keep their eyes on. Here are our top picks for small business tech trends in the Philippines.
Internet of Things
Gone are the days when you could only connect to the internet via a desktop computer – now people are logging on from their phones, their cars, and even their fridge! As smart devices and appliances become more common in the home and in the workplace, we have seen a much broader approach for businesses to adapt to interconnected and integrated digital platforms.
In particular, the Internet of Things (IoT) is allowing small businesses to run much more effectively and efficiently by collecting, analysing and actioning data collected from a wide ranged of connected devices throughout their work environments.
Ecommerce and digital payments
Ecommerce has become more important than ever over the last couple years, with 2020 being a particularly big year for online shopping due to lockdowns around the world. The rollout of 5G networks and the adoption of secure online payment and banking services will likely see this trend continue well into 2021.
This trend has been boosted recently by the completion of the E-PESO project, which supported 11 local government units in the Philippines in opening online and mobile payment platforms for property taxes, building and business permits, as well as other fees and charges.
We will be exploring the future of the fin-tech industry in further detail very soon, so stay tuned for our next articles.
Cloud computing
As more and more business activities shift to digital spaces, the need to store and access data has grown astronomically. Almost every business in the Philippines will need to utilise some cloud-based systems already, whether it’s as simple as email or collaboration tools, but in order to continue to compete many businesses will need to expand their cloud options.
Cloud computing offers businesses many advantages, from cost-savings compared to physical storage, better data security, increased flexibility, and greater mobility for employees. By allowing access to corporate data and business activities via the internet, you can ensure your team is always securely connected and able to be productive at all times.
AI Data Analytics
Tech giants like Apple, Amazon and Google have been investing millions of dollars in Artifical Intelligence (AI), but even small businesses can harness the competitive advantages of AI with minimal investment.
AI-powered software can handle amounts of data that would require hundreds of actual humans to track and analyse, providing insights and solutions to large-scale problems by identifying trends in huge data samples.
AI can also be used to improve customer services, providing prompt support via chatbots and virtual assistants while still maintaining a personalised experience based on user data.
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