The pandemic has made life more difficult for many people. There have been lockdowns left and right and people found themselves unable to do the things they used to. But while that has been true, things wouldn’t be where they are right now if not for technology.
The pandemic has managed to become a ‘blessing in disguise’ for some tech trends that are already existing but haven’t been widely used. For instance, web hosting services for businesses have become more streamlined and the process easier to understand. Businesses are also able to easily transition online right now, thanks to a sudden abundance of customers who preferred to go online.
These technologies have since become a partner to the authorities who are working beyond their limits to stifle the spread of the virus. Since this is looking more and more like the future right now, here are a few tech trends to expect as the virus dies down.
Online Shopping with Robotic Delivery
It was in late 2002 that the SARS outbreak occurred. Back then, business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) online marketplaces were in their earliest forms. Because of that outbreak, however, people began to flock to online stores.
COVID-19 happened only 18 years later. In this age, online shopping has already evolved to cover a lot of products. There are even innovations like robotic delivery systems — products being delivered by drones over long distances.
In a time when contactless deliveries should be the norm, online shops are starting to thrive. While robotic delivery systems aren’t widespread yet, those who can are already offering it as an option. This will only help move commerce further.
Digital Payments Becoming More Widespread
The fear of the virus has caused people to look for other payment delivery systems as well. Coronavirus droplets can hang for a while in the air when sneezed out, like cold virus droplets. That’s why people have opted for electronic deliveries and cashless payments.
These can be made in different forms: you can use debit payments to source the cash directly from your bank accounts, credit cards for payments you can pay later, or use e-wallets that are already pre-loaded with credits.
Digital payments are great for businesses found online, but even brick-and-mortar shops have begun to include these payment options to make their establishments more inclusive. It’s also an encouraging form of payment during the COVID-19 scare.
Advanced Systems for Learning and Businesses
There are educational and business systems in place that are already advanced enough through improvement. In the case of school systems, they are already using different augmentations. Virtual and augmented reality (AR) tech have been incorporated in these in their services.
There are more changes and improvements in these systems, but they are being improved, so they can be applied to different developments. Most of them will have to adjust to cultural changes, but each industry will eventually ask for these, owing to the difference in their needs.
Stronger Security Online
As more and more functions go from actual to online applications, the platform becomes prone to attacks from outside forces. There are people who see it as an opportunity to become thieves without doing most of the work. That’s about to change as more security comes online that becomes better and better.
While recruitment of better staff and training those who are already hired help, each attack might weaken the system. This is also seen as a learning experience for those with bad ideas in their mind. What companies should do is step up their cybersecurity while training employees. Frequently backed-up data should also be their priority.
Health Consultations Going Online
One thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has helped improve is the services that can be done through telecommuting. Where there’s teleshopping, you can also get consultations for your health through telecommuting. Telehealth is one such service that has sprung during the pandemic.
Most doctors can already do telehealth consultations, but it still requires a certain degree of tech literacy to understand and operate. There’s also a good internet connection doctors should consider. Some countries already have this in place, while others are still trying to get to it. Eventually, post-pandemic consultations might happen this way.
As the COVID-19 pandemic eases in its spread, there are more and more new transactions and ways of communication we’re going to see. It’s just an after-effect of an event that’s changing the course of our history. We’re going to have to ride along with it, improve, and make our processes fit the world after the COVID-19 pandemic dies down.
