According to the IDC, the total amount spent on digital transformation is expected to have reached $1.25 trillion across the globe this year, with an anticipated spend reaching $1.97 trillion by 2022.  Technology is changing rapidly, and businesses are reaping the rewards of the ever-evolving trends.  It is safe to say, as others have postulated, that we are now entering a “post-digital era.”

Accenture states that the allure of the post-digital telecommunications era for businesses is that it, “offers enterprises a tremendous opportunity to innovate and grow their business, along with an unprecedented and urgent mandate to focus on building trust and responsible innovation. Addressing the privacy, safety, ethics and governance that come along with this level of technology-enabled access is paramount.”

This trend extends not just to the consumer but also the employee.  Technology affects workers, regardless of their role in the organization.  From the front-line, entry-level employee to the c-suite, employees are leveraging the latest technologies and reinventing roles.  And the accepted way that we work. An Accenture survey found that “Up to 40% of companies experience talent shortages impacting the ability to adapt and innovate.”

Mobility in the workplace is the new standard

We’ve touched on this topic several times in our blogs recently.  With statistics showing increased efficiency, increased employee morale and productivity, an effective backup plan for disasters and weather-related incidents that can stop your employees from getting into the office, and many more.

The trend is so powerful that Stephane Kasriel, the CEO of Upwork that matches freelance professionals with businesses needing their services, is quoted as saying in their annual Future Workforce Report that “Companies that refuse to support a remote workforce risk losing their best people and turning away tomorrow’s top talent.”  With unemployment at a record low, the competition for talent is extremely challenging.  You don’t want to lose out on that potential employee in this post-digital telecommunications world because you are still operating under old, tired workplace strategies.

Implement mobility while maintaining brand consistency and employee privacy

User experience and brand consistency are paramount to get right when looking to implement a mobile strategy for your business.  Your employees need to know the solution will work when they need it to (and respect their work-life boundaries), and you need to know that your employees are presenting an appropriate “face” to your brand.  Mobile applications that work seamlessly with your Hosted PBX telecommunications solution make this possible, by enabling your employees to function as if they were in the office while away from the office. When assessing a mobile application solution, you need to consider three key points:

• Mobile devices – There are a wide range of operating systems and devices on the market, and if you are using a BYOD strategy when it comes to mobile devices, then you need to make sure the application will work across the board.
• Synchronization of Business Contacts  – Nothing is more frustrating than searching for the contact information for a customer.  Mobile applications that seamlessly sync between computers, desk phone, and mobile phones simplify the challenge in effective collaboration between traveling coworkers.
• Reliability – A business phone is only an asset when it is reliable.  Ensure the provider you are working with has effective business continuity and disaster recovery strategies in place, solutions like 4G failover in the event of a network outage, or geo-redundant servers with automatic failover to ensure a seamless transition from one data center to another.

Post-Digital Telecommunications Enables the Digital Nomad

Even if a remote work strategy is not right for your business, the reality is you will have traveling workers.  The digital nomad, typically a sales or marketing person, will still require secure, reliable, and convenient access to the telecommunications system and their business contacts.  By enabling instant access for your staff to the data and contacts they need to effectively make that sale or present that perfect brand image to the outside world, you can ensure that regardless of where your employees roam, they will be accessible and consistent.  How will you enter the post-digital age?  Contact us today to find out how.