Most companies today have a robust technological infrastructure. It’s one area where a business shouldn’t skimp. And even if a company’s technological setup is more of an afterthought, it still needs to be taken care of. They’d still need the services of IT experts. However, the pandemic made it clear that tech is essential, and if a business is to survive, it should have a strong technological framework. If there’s anything that 2020 has taught us, it’s that the future is digital.
This means that businesses need people who will make sure that their tech is running smoothly. Companies wouldn’t invest in technology without an IT support team, would they? Tech breaking down is one of those times when you realize how much you rely on them. That’s why IT support is essential, and will continue to be—whole industries rely on those techs running smoothly.
With technological advancement, businesses would also need people who can run them. From 2015 to 2019, the number of business applications being used had increased by 68%. Businesses are becoming more digitally-enabled, and even more so in the coming years. And as investment in technology continues to increase, the gap between software and users would have to be bridged. Businesses need experts to help people adopt the technology.
In the TV show ‘The IT Crowd,’ which is about people who work in tech support, the first thing they ask people who call them for help (and this is also the show’s running gag) is, ‘Have you tried turning it off and on again?’ With the coming technological advances, people might need more support than that.
There are some technological advances that the pandemic had inadvertently fast-tracked, and it may be that the future of IT support lies with these advances. Below are those few technologies that IT experts would have to support in the future:
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Augmented Reality Shopping
Approximately 30% of items ordered online are sent back to retailers. But with augmented reality shopping, retailers believe that the cost of returns will be reduced. Customers will also be provided with an engaging and very convenient method of shopping via smartphones.
Augmented reality shopping makes it possible for clients to interact with products and various brands online. They can, for example, try on clothes that fit them, see which color looks good on them or add their own personal touch to the product virtually, without going to the physical store. This kind of immersive experience can give customers more complete and detailed information than the typical online shopping experience.
Augmented reality shopping is expected to be worth almost USD$8million by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 47%. By 2025, it would be worth more than a billion dollars. Competition among retailers will make technologies like this the standard in online shopping in the coming years.
However, this technology wouldn’t be possible for retailers to fully utilize without a team of IT experts to ensure that it’s running smoothly and without issues, whether software or hardware. The IT support staff themselves could even use AR tech in assisting clients in dealing with their own Augmented Shopping Reality tech.
The potential of this tech seems endless and its benefits numerous, and it means retailers will even be more dependent on technology. IT support companies like Ntiva that have the tech know-how to provide solutions to customers will be essential for businesses. The future of IT seems to be heading in the direction of Augmented Reality and similar techs.
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Human-free Retail Stores
The first staff-free convenience store opened in Shanghai, China in 2017, courtesy of Wheelys, a Swedish company. Since then, a number of retail stores are going cashier-less and checkout-free, including several branches of the retail giant Amazon. IoT devices (Internet of Things), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), computer vision as well as facial recognition systems enable brick and mortar stores to open with almost no human staff.
According to ReportLinker, by 2026, the Global Self-checkout Systems Market will reach USD$4.7 billion in 2026. With the pandemic, this is a win-win solution. But without an IT framework, technologies like these wouldn’t be possible.
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VR Kits
Virtual reality has gone beyond novelty and entertainment. It’s now a crucial tool for many industries, like education, construction, automotive, healthcare, and marketing. These industries will depend on their IT support staff or solution providers for a smoother integration of these techs into their operation.
What’s more, an IT support personnel can provide solutions to specific problems using one of these kits—via a headset, in virtual reality. Since the trend today is that jobs would be done remotely, IT support in the future would likely be done using VR headsets.
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Robot Power
Robotics until recently seemed more like expensive, high-tech gimmicks for large organizations. Often these robots served more as experimental prototypes that aren’t of much use for anything else—or else, they’re used for high-risk tasks, like remotely-operated bomb disposal units. But you can now find robots and other machines powered by artificial intelligence, like vacuum cleaners that do household chores—or robots that can explore other planets.
Robots with computer vision systems can be used by retail businesses for doing basic store tasks like pricing items, stocking shelves, or delivering products to customers. Robots like these might seem simple, but they run on software; a lot of computing power is involved. And as artificial intelligence advances, so would automation.
Future robots and automation will have more and more responsibilities; humans will be more dependent on them, especially if they’re maintained properly and their software and hardware are well taken care of. Guess who’ll do all that.
Conclusion
As technology continues its inexorable advance, industries and businesses will find uses for them and benefit from them. But they wouldn’t do much good without IT support. These trends in technology will be guided and nurtured by IT support. Technology’s advance is only possible with IT experts who can provide solutions to those who will use and benefit from the tech.
IT support providers will be likely ushering these industries as they paved the way for the full utilization of various technological advances. Robotics, automation, hypermodern retail stores, and virtual reality are only some of the tech advances mentioned here that would be needing IT support in the future.