Three biz-tech trends to watch in 2016

These are what I think will be the three biggies:

Wearables

Remember the 2004 film Supersize me? If you think our current consumption of Apple Watches, Fitbits, Pebbls etc., is a healthy appetite for wearable tech, 2016 is going to leave you fuller than you’ve ever been before. Over the next four years, sales of wearables worldwide are predicted to reach a staggering 175 million, up almost eight-fold from last year – the UK is about to go supersize on wearable technology.
I think that we’ll see the wearables market expand in several ways. When it comes to the devices themselves, we are expecting a whole host of launches, many from non-tech companies like Tissot with its smart watches and Nike with its Accelerate shoes. These launches will increase both the access to and the appeal of wearables for UK consumers.
If you’re a B2B company and are wondering what this has to do with you, let me assure you that the boom in wearables won’t just be coming from consumers. A large portion of the expected growth will be driven by businesses. Wearables, in headset form, first came to life in the contact centre and have been a growing part of business life ever since. These days the use cases are boundless – especially in areas where early-adopter workers need hands-free access to information. For example remote healthcare workers in rural general hospitals could use communications-enabled wearables to video call specialist, surgical teams when operating on a patient. Or, police officers could be assisted by wearables while on traffic duty. Most people just think of wearables as being a new, exciting channel for customer engagement but actually, there are almost endless possibilities for the use of wearables in businesses.

Data Science

Regardless of any budget constraints you may have, I’m sure that at some point in 2016 you’ll want to call on the services of a data scientist. In fact I think that they’ll be so in demand by the end of the year that we’ll start to see a data science skills shortage. Why? Because of the power of Big Data. You may be sick to death of hearing about the potential of Big Data, but it really is changing the business landscape. Data science offers businesses a massive point of differentiation in terms of their ability to deliver the ideal customer experience. That’s why more and more companies are going to be putting resource behind dealing with the mountain of data they have at their fingertips. It’s also why in the long-term, I’m sure it’ll be the companies that employ big data statisticians that succeed and, as they realise this, everyone – yourself included – will want to work with a data scientist.

Seamless customer experience

Who Do You Really Use? 9 Hidden Digital Identities (and One That’s For Real Life)

Everyone’s got a “shadow self” in cyberspace

Think about it—how many accounts do you actually juggle? Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, even your tele‑presence feeds on Skype or FaceTime. Add to that dozens of retailer logins, subscription services, and corporate portals and you’re basically a roaming digital nomad. Those are the profiles that make up your online me. The in‑person me is still the same as ever, but you’re a man (or woman) who can switch hat‑styles from “retail shopper” to “tech enthusiast” in a heartbeat.

In 2024, brands are on a mission to merge your two worlds

Next year, we’re seeing a wave of bosses who want to see the entire consumer story—not just a snapshot of a single channel. Imagine a brand telling their next ad to you via an SMS when you walk into a brick‑and‑mortar shop, pulled straight from your online shopping history. Suddenly, the brand is not just guessing in the dark; they’re doing a full‑body alignment of “you” that takes as many steps from the web as left hands from cardboard.

Why the transition is still a work in progress

• Siloed systems keep data trapped in separate departments and devices.
• Legacy IT is like a clunky antique car that still runs on a shitty carburetor.
• Both cause a jump‑in‑the‑gap between how customers expect a seamless journey and what companies can actually deliver.

Targeted surprises that actually work

Picture this: you stroll into a high‑street shop and your phone buzzes with a “Hey, welcome back! Here’s a $10 coupon for your next purchase.” Based on what you’ve whacked in on e‑commerce sites, that offer feels personalized, not spammy. It’s tailored so well, you’re sure you’d have a week before you’d notice the old, generic “Hello” messages coming from the same brand.

Brands are learning to read the full patient history

It’s the genuine, end‑to‑end experience that everyone’s chasing: a single, comfy journey that knows every contact point, from the warm glow of a store to that cold but persistent “Hi‑there” email. That’s what your company will finally get true at this point—a single, two‑way conversation, no more guesswork.

Embrace the virtual fingerprint

So don’t worry: when brands finally merge the online and offline selves, you can relax. Pretty‑much your entire experience should feel so natural that you’ll forget whether you’re buying something on a website or in a shop. If that happens, you’ll be diving into the next-ever revolution of consumer service.