Here’s hoping that 2018 has been a year of prosperity and growth for you and your business! Looking back on the year that was, many business owners take time to evaluate performance: What processes and ideas have worked well? Which of those need some help? What are the areas of opportunity for the coming year?
Since we don’t all have a crystal ball to consult on concerns of the future, we look to emerging business trends to determine our course forward. Trends come and go, so every business needs to consider external factors that are going to affect their particular niche. That said, there are some business trends for 2019 that strike us as being important predictions to help you shape your plans for moving forward:
1.Technology is no substitute for the human element
Communications technology has become more efficient in recent times. With the advent of accessible AI, chatbots, and outsourced customer service, you may overlook the most important element of your success: your customers. They are human, after all.
Beyond the convenience and value that today’s technology delivers, we need to remain mindful that it cannot replace the human element. Companies that choose to augment their human-powered customer service with AI rather than replace it will be the ones who gain the most in customer loyalty and satisfaction.
2.Cybersecurity is more important than ever
As new data protection regulations come into effect, cybersecurity remains a hot topic. Looking beyond the standard protections, many companies will consider adding blockchain solutions to their security protocols. Blockchain is emerging as a way to address some of the most common issues in efficient data processing and decision making, but in the future, it will be even more pervasive as companies migrate their entire systems to it.
Looking into blockchain technology for logistics and accounting is a good start; it will not only give you the jump on what’s to come, but it will also give your customers the ultimate peace of mind and, it will help you easily comply with whatever changes in cybersecurity regulations are coming down the pike.
3.Employee happiness should be a priority
Statistically, about one-half of all employees would consider a job change if something better came along. The reasons they would leave range from boredom, lack of flexibility, the opportunity to work remotely, burnout, poor onboarding programs, and lack of growth or learning potential. Note that none of these reasons have anything to do with salary!
In a strong economy, employees tend to realize that they have options. If you are not making the best use of their skills and encouraging their potential, you may run the risk of losing them altogether.
Some key takeaways you can apply to your own company:
- Employee engagement is important. They want to know that they are valued and that what they do really matters.
- Work-life balance is important. Giving your employees the chance to actually have a life outside of work will help them be more engaged and productive at work.
- Remote working and flexible hours. Giving your employees the option to work from home at least one or two days a week is always appreciated. Besides keeping them happy, you’ll be taking cars off the road and replacing unproductive commute times with working hours.
Do you have any small business trend predictions for 2019? We’d love to hear about them! Reach out today and let us know what you think!