Module 0-Introduction-Conducting business in the 4th industr

2. How technology affects business

2.1The way we communicate and share information

Whether we are in a traditional business or digital business communication is essential. No business will survive without communicating to their customers. The advantage of technology is that it makes it faster, easier and more efficient. However, as with anything, there are always advantages and disadvantages to this. Digital environments makes it easier for us to get information about our customers and use it to enhance customer experience. Communicating is effective when technology is used to obtain customer information to help us create personalised messages to our customers. Automated communicating using different channels helps to improve marketing productivity and reach customers. However, if this is done too much we could also lose customers and lose the human-touch. Think about how much you use your cellphone, smart table and computers to find information or to buy something. You can even use these devices to study and complete training programmes. These mobile devices are here to stay. If you have the right software you can manage every part of your organisation remotely. Everything from sales, content marketing, and customer relationships through back-end processes like shipping and invoicing are all at the click of a button.

2.2Mobile business environments

Customers are also using mobile devices more and more to interact with organisations to buy, sell, shop, find local businesses and share their retail experiences with friends, acquaintances, prospects and social media strangers every day. Technology has increased the way we all stay in touch. This could be having your co- workers and employees available via text or video chat at a moment’s notice or being able to send targeted email messages to pre-qualified customers when they are shopping at nearby businesses. Mobile technology has blended with communication software to create a real-time information system.

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