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Communication Technology: Enabling Seamless Communication in the Digital Age

Communication technology is central to business success for businesses across different industry verticals. In today’s digital age, with the development of digital workplaces, seamless communication is critical to every aspect of the business. Real-time digital communication enhances productivity, enables better decision making and drives a great customer experience. Below we answer the question, “How has communication evolved over the years, and what impact is it having on a business?”.

communication technology

The Evolution of Communication Technology

To understand the importance of today’s communication technology, we need to understand its evolution.

In prehistoric times people communicated with fires, smoke signals, beacons etc. Then over the centuries, they moved on to postal systems, pigeon posts, mechanical telephones, optical telegraphs, electrical telegraphs, phonographs, wireless telegraphy, radio and so on.

In 1973, the first mobile phone was created, which was a significant development. This invention would ultimately transform communication forever. By 1996 mobile phones were being released with QWERTY keyboards. In 2007 the first iPhone was launched, and by 2010 most Android phones were touchscreen only.

Another significant development within this evolution was the launch of the Internet in the mid-1990s. This gave rise to new and innovative instant communication forms such as electronic mail, instant messaging, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone calls, two-way interactive video calls, discussion forums, blogs, and social networking.

From the internet came the launch of wearable technology, which began as a hands-free mobile headset but has evolved to include smartwatches, audio sunglasses etc. and has become an essential part of our everyday lives.

Another development is the next generation of Virtual Reality (VR) which was developed in 2016. This technology has made connecting with people at the same time and place, without travel limitations, much easier.

These communications technologies have changed how we work and how customers interact with businesses. They have provided instant communication, reduced time and location barriers and enhanced collaboration. This means that from a customer experience perspective, your customers can connect with you directly and share vital information to help with decision-making.

communication technology

Why Communication Technology is Critical for Business Success in the Digital Age

From the above, it is clear that the evolution of communication technology has been nothing short of innovative. Today’s communication technology can empower both businesses and customers and, in doing so, create a great customer experience. These technologies include video conferencing, instant messaging, project management software, chatbots etc., which can help streamline communication and improve productivity.

These kinds of communication technologies make this possible in the following ways: 

  • Personalise a customer’s experience – customers constantly interact with the business, especially if that business is utilising omnichannel communication. From these interactions, a business can learn more about the customer, their behaviours, needs and wants. With this insight, businesses can personalise experiences directly linked to their customer’s needs and wants.
  • Open-channel feedback drives innovation – communication technology allows for open and honest customer and employee feedback. This open communication system makes it easier to engage, discuss and collaborate on various business improvement opportunities. This engages employees and will assist in providing customers with a better customer experience.
  • Creating connected customer experiences – communication technologies such as chatbots or machine learning (ML) algorithms assist in creating fast and effective communication with customers, such as FAQs, personal recommendations, marketing messages, and custom content. This enhances the personalisation experience as well as streamlines interactions.
  • Reduce time and location barriers – communication technologies make remote work possible. With many businesses turning to remote work or hybrid working environments, employees must be able to communicate with each other. Businesses often turn to APN technology to ensure employee connectivity, collaboration and communication.
communication technology

The Future of Communication Technology: What’s Next for Digital Communication

There is no doubt that communication technology today significantly impacts businesses and their ability to improve communication, collaboration, engagement and customer experience. We now need to ask, “What is next for future communication technology?”.

As we move into the new era of digital workplaces and digital communication, several technologies are set to take centre stage. These include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

In terms of AI, the most significant benefit to a business is the ability to improve accessibility and efficiency. This is made possible through AI communication technologies such as innovative chatbots and virtual assistants. These technologies make it possible to provide instant responses to customers. AI-powered translation services are also set to change how businesses communicate with customers. Traditionally chatbots just automated tasks to guide customers.

AI chatbots, on the other hand, utilise machine learning (ML) to understand the intent and context of customers and, in doing so, provide a human touch to automation. This technology also aims to break down language barriers and enhance communication between individuals who do not speak the same language.

As AI technology continues to advance, it will become necessary for several industries such as healthcare, education and customer service. For example, AI chatbots can provide instant mental health support to patients via telemedicine and teletherapy services. AI in education will be used to personalise education models and structures based on the student’s unique ability, enabling individualised coursework and feedback.

IoT technology will play more of a role in advanced analytics. This technology assists in collecting valuable information related to customer behaviour and preferences. With these insights, businesses can better target their customer base, positively impacting customer experience and overall profitability. In this way, IoT will be referred to as a data machine, and businesses will need to invest in data analysis to take full advantage of the insights these new forms of data will provide. IoT is also set to increase productivity and efficiency through location tracking and making location-based services shameless.

Businesses can utilise this communication technology to track inventory, fulfil orders and provide customers with up-to-date communication regarding order tracking. Mobile device management technologies are also expected to extend to IoT remote management, which will be a complete game changer for businesses and employees.

Conclusion

From the above, it is clear that communication technologies are at the centre of a business’s success. These digital communication technologies allow businesses to connect with customers and provide a better customer experience. At the same time, these technologies facilitate collaboration and communication between employees, which enhances efficiency and productivity. You must now ask yourself, “Are you utilising this communication technology correctly?”.

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