Thanks to the internet, trends in today’s world are quick to be propagated. Once that new gadget, cat video, or outfit goes viral, it’s seen by millions of people worldwide.
However, while seemingly harmless, these trends can have farther-reaching effects on daily life than what most generally realize, especially when it comes to technology and business trends. After all, a trending song on TikTok might not win a permanent spot in the future of social media platforms, but some trends do indeed change the course of life as we know it. Much like the trend to cell phones changed communication with friends, family, coworkers, and even teachers, every time a new technology comes out and catches on, it changes some aspects of modern business.
Sometimes those trends produce more efficient, better ways of doing business. Other times, they switch up the target audience so much that marketing, product design, and more have to be reconsidered and revised. Some businesses just can’t handle that kind of pressure.
Take the invention and growing popularity of credit and debit cards. A cash-free, buy-it-now lifestyle has led most companies to update their technology and offer pay-with-card options. Can you even think of a business that couldn’t take your card? They’re few and very far between! But, only a few decades ago, no one took cards. The trend didn’t end, though, with mainstream acceptance of cards. Now, not only is the option to use a card considered normal, but virtual card-free pay and virtual money are all trending and are changing how we pay and how businesses do business.
Some companies are grasping onto that trend and opportunity, and others are slowly sinking into irrelevance because they can’t keep up with what’s popular. Were cards a beneficial trend or a hurtful trend? It depends entirely on who you ask, but most people would likely consider it to be a very positive change.
Another example is phones. At first, the only option for a business to communicate with customers was through word of mouth. Eventually, landlines were trending, and with time and technological advances, working from home and virtual meetings with participants around the globe have become commonplace.
Technology has made communication so easy (and more accessible every day). Now, it’s widespread knowledge that the best way to attract customers is to stay in contact via social media because most are constantly absorbed in the world of their cell phones. Those who choose not to ride the wave of more technology trends in 2022 may be alright for now but will likely fall behind those companies that choose to use technology to their benefit.
