Tag Archive for: mobile

What Customer Experience Will Look Like In The Near Future

By Tikiela Mims

Customer experience has transformed radically since start of the 20th century. From the Industrial Age to the Information Age, we are now living in the Age of the Customer, and business leaders have no choice but to leverage new technologies to keep up with increasing consumer demands.

This tech has become the catalyst for improving the customer experience and changing customer expectations. To help you and your business, here is a look at the what the customer experience will look like in the near future.

Business Will Be Mobile-First

Because of the advances in technology, the use of mobile and smartphones is constantly on the rise in the workplace. This means all businesses must treat mobile as the primary mode for customer engagement – both now and in the times to come. How convenient is it to order items from your mobile device from Amazon, Apple and others?

According to Gene Alvarez, managing vice president at Gartner, “By 2020, 40% of sales organizations will rely primarily on mobile digital technology for their sales force automation initiatives.”

So, if you haven’t yet adopted a mobile-first mentality, now is the time. It could be as simple as eliminating wait times for your customers by sending out emails instantly when they input a new order, or generate a new invoice. This can be done with Commercient’s IoT Pulse, which connects your ERP to over 815 apps. Supported ERP’s include QuickBooks, SYSPRO, Sage products, NetSuite and others. You can also connect with Gmail, MailChimp, marketing apps, CRM systems, invoicing software, and much more.

If your sales team needs key customer data, invoices and history, inventory, serial numbers, and more, from over 85 supported ERPs, be sure to check out Commercient SYNC, the #1 data integration platform for sales. Your sales team will be able to see this information from within your CRM, without needing to access your accounting system.

The Use Of IoT Will Increase

Not only will business be mobile first, but also the use of IoT (Internet of Things) will increase in the near future. Gartner believes that the number of IoT devices installed worldwide will hit 20 billion by the year 2020. It’s because IoT technologies can significantly improve business processes and automate daily tasks.

Tools like IoT Pulse allow you to collect detailed data about how individual customers use your products and gain insight about them, which in turn enables you to design products and create campaigns that increase conversions. See how IoT Pulse works, and keep in step with what the future will bring.

AI Will Dominate

The future will deliver customer relationships that take place without human interaction, according to Gartner. This will make the customer experience quicker, smoother and more consistent. In fact, robots will take care of basic customer care, while humans will remain indispensable for more advanced forms of advice that need a human touch.

Already we see AI at work in programs like Google Maps and Spotify, ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft, and smart personal assistants like Siri and Alexa. And the developments in AI technology are expected to continue to grow over the coming years, with many non-technical organizations choosing AI and machine learning as their main focus.

As AI-enabled technologies can help you learn more about your customers, it will enable your marketing team to create messages for each stage of the customer lifecycle, thus improving customer satisfaction. It’s a trend you don’t want to miss out on.

Are you ready to improve your customer experience with our integration apps Commercient SYNC and IoT Pulse? Please contact us today!

IoT Pulse connect ERP to the Internet

Back to the Future: Key Technology Trends that Will Change Small Business

Are you and your company ready for the future? As technology is constantly evolving, so is the way that small and mid-sized businesses operate. Thus, to be successful, SMBs need to be constantly aware, staying on top of the latest technology trends. Here are a few technology trends that every SMB should implement.

 

Cloud Computing

Nowadays, small businesses are becoming more and more comfortable with putting information and data into the cloud. According to a Microsoft Infographic, 9.6 million U.S. SMBs are currently using cloud-based services, and 98% of them say that it’s is a critical factor in their success. Co-founder of the research firm SMB Group, Laurie McGabe, says, “There are a host of technologies available in 2016 that are giving small and SMBs the applications and devices they need to level the playing field against larger companies.” She also states cloud computing is one such technology. Forbes concludes that the growth in the use of cloud-based services will be due to the benefits they provide. As McGabe puts it, “Reduced upfront investments in hardware and software, quick access to application updates and new capabilities that help them serve customers better and contribute to market growth.” 

 

Going mobile

Nowadays who doesn’t use an iPhone, Android, or other smartphones to gain access to the Internet? Acces to the internet through a desktop computer is slowly becoming obsolete. As more and more people are accessing the Internet through their smartphones while on the go, SMBs  need to ensure their websites and applications are mobile-friendly. According to a new survey by B2B research company Clutch, about 50% of small businesses should have a mobile application this year, and most their online traffic will be through mobile access. Viktor Marhonic, the CEO of the app builder Shoutem, says, “Three years ago, a small business might see 10 percent of its total traffic coming from mobile, but right now it’s closer to 70 percent. Within the next couple of years, a shift to a mobile app or a mobile-friendly site will become obvious.”

 

Remote Working

In the past, it was hard for small businesses to accommodate remote workforces, but with the introduction of innovative technologies like Zoom and Slack, SMBs have been able to make the most of an offsite workforce while significantly increasing the amount of work that is done. A Virgin Media Business survey predicts that by 2022, 60% of office-based workers will work regularly from home. According to Xero.com, “There’s a financial gain behind working remotely: the U.S. alone could stand to save more than $700 billion if those who had jobs suited to remote work could do so. As asynchronous communication through email and chat services becomes ubiquitous, remote workers can batch their tasks and use the long uninterrupted times to get more work done.” In addition, not having to maintain an office space can offer significant savings to small business owners. A Stanford University study stated that remote workers also report a higher job satisfaction, log more hours, and log less sick days than their in-office counterparts. They study also noted that remote working can save a company $2000 per year per employee.

As a leading provider of CRM and ERP integration apps, Commercient is on top of all these technology trends. Contact us today.