It’s hard to remember a time before smartphones were in our lives. Often taken for granted, virtually every person on the street now walks around with a supercomputer in their pocket; each one loaded with more technology than the shuttle that took Neil Armstrong and co. to the moon.
While most of us would consider the smartphone to have revolutionized our home and social lives, businesses have also greatly enjoyed the benefits as well. Here’s a look at the ways the smartphone has helped the world of commerce and industry.
A Mini-Office
One of the main features mentioned when discussing the impacts of smart technology on business is the now global interconnectivity enterprises enjoy. Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud technology, the modern workplace can be accessed from virtually anywhere in the world, with employees able to work to full productivity without even stepping foot in the office.
Smartphones are a beacon for smart technology influence in business. Via your phone, you have access to a full scope of working tools. From the comfort of your home, you can call, e-mail, video-call, research, design, invoice and plenty more, meaning, as long as you have an internet connection, the office can be anywhere you want it to be.
These sorts of advances offer obvious benefits to businesses, who can rest easy knowing their staff are more engaged and productive thanks to more flexible working.
A Culture of Convenience
There’s no denying the culture of convenience we now live in. Much of everyday life is significantly easier than it used to be thanks to advances in technology, in particular, the smartphone.
You can now regularly order items for same-day delivery at the touch of a button, get directions to anywhere in the world via a built-in sat-nav, and communicate messages instantly across any number of platforms.
Where does this tie into improving business? Little things like quicker and easier journeys, not being late to meetings and better networking capabilities can all make a massive difference in the business world. While the culture of convenience is primarily a social benefit, it helps us in our work as well.
Smarter Marketing
Smartphones are a dream device for marketers. Considering the number of time users spend on their phones, and in particular, on social media, businesses have access to a 24/7 marketing tool attached to their customers, offering marketing opportunities every time someone opens their phone to check their notifications. Another great option is Apifonica voice.
With well over half of site visits now carried out from mobile devices, the smartphone presents the most important vehicle for marketing strategies based on collating consumer data.
Utilizing advances in AI technology, businesses are able to create more accurate customer profiles than ever before. Even the simple phone call itself is still of massive use, with call tracking software able to identify consumer behaviors every time a business receives a call.
What does this all mean? Better targeted marketing reduced campaign spending and an overall improved customer experience. To big business, that is potentially worth millions.
Whilst the smartphone sits as part of the larger smart technology revolution, there’s no denying that it plays a huge factor in how our working behaviors have changed in the last ten years. With plenty more to come from smart tech, it’ll be interesting to see the continued evolution of the humble phone’s impact on our lives.