Trusted Partners

Worried about 2020? Don’t there’s going to be plenty to make you smile

Running a business in 2020 is going to present an interesting mix of challenges. With Brexit still to be resolved, not to mention other global issues such as climate change very much in the public mind. However, a review of looming trends also highlights the many opportunities that will be open to an innovative, energetic company. We approached four gurus on the subjects of the web, finance, innovation, and technology to find out what they thought 2020 would bring. This is what they said…

THE WEB TERRY KENDHAMMER, BUBBLE CREATIVE
Balancing many factors is going to be key with regard to websites in 2020, with the user being the focus for all design, copy, imagery, video, and animation, to mention but a few. Here’s how…

Simplified websites – Bold type, effective use of space, and micro-animations within an asymmetric layout, will all be ideal ways to focus on the user and control how they navigate through your site.

Voice activated engagement – With the popularity of Alexa and Siri etc. rapidly growing, new ways of utilising voice search beyond just commands at home, or creating texts and emails, are going to balloon in the coming months.

Mobile – Mobile users should always be one’s first consideration. Year on year mobile searches continue to rise on the web. It’s easier to scale up a design rather than down.

Animation and video – These will continue to be a great way to enhance user experience. People want to be stimulated and intrigued when visiting a site.

Content – Content will still play a huge role in engaging a user. However, how they interact with a website is going to become more important. People are looking for a personal experience not a generalised one.

FINANCE – JOHN STUBBS, JOHN E STUBBS CONSULTING LTD
With so much uncertainty still hanging around because of Brexit etc. we recommend that you focus on the 4 ‘C’s. This way you’ll be able to continue to make best use of your strengths whilst protecting against as of yet unknown challenges to come.

Cashless transactions; embrace them – The market is moving more and more to a cashless society. The proliferation of mobile banking, mobile pay and mobile apps is facilitating this. To ignore it could see you left behind.

Cybercrime; actively protect against it – Rising levels of cybercrime is making it a necessity for all businesses to take IT security and protection of data seriously. One hit can have a huge impact on a business.

Customer service; requires particular focus – The need for all businesses to become more customer centric will be ever more highlighted in 2020. Prioritise understanding what your target customers really want and make a point of encompassing what they value in your offering.

Consolidation in your market; expect it – We are likely to see more consolidation in all sectors as larger brands turn to work with smaller complimentary businesses.

INNOVATION – TRISTAN ALLEN, ROOM 44
Inevitably, pressure’s going to increase on companies to be more aware of their environmental footprint and social responsibilities. Recent IPCC statements that insist we must change behaviour by 2030 to avoid irreparable global damage are being largely ignored by corporations focusing on 2050 as their deadline for change. I therefore anticipate:

Greater consumer awareness of the issues – 2020 will see more direct action and improvements in retail behaviours and, importantly though, institutions will begin to see benefit in investing in ‘green’ alternatives to fossil fuels. This will mark a significant shift in institutional and equity investment attitudes and will pressure oil producers to shift their thinking from the growth strategies based on oil and gas extraction they currently have.

Digital will remain top dog when it comes to emerging technology – While facial recognition is being exploited by governments in a semi-subversive manner, including in the UK, growing public awareness will drive debate around what we are prepared to accept and where the law should curtail this activity.

Digital twinning will emerge further – As augmented reality develops, consumer-facing concepts will flourish like buying clothes online that fit well, or predicting what health risks we face and the outcomes of treatment.

Watch this space.

TECHNOLOGY – LIONEL NAIDOO, DRAGON INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Technology continues to play a major role for businesses, aiding operational efficiency, boosting productivity and enhancing the customer experience. So we reckon you should watch out for the following:

Fifth generation mobile networks, 5G – 5G promises greater speed, reliability and increased capacity. It has the potential to aid an explosion in IoT (Internet of Things) smart devices, and this means everything from fridges to cars could soon be connected. While we don’t yet know what the full benefit will be, the technology is revolutionary.

Hyper-automation – Most businesses use some form of automation to help streamline their systems and improve efficiency. Hyper-automation, however, takes things to a whole new level by using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to produce sophisticated, data-driven, real-time processes.

Empowered edge – As more and more smart devices come online, one thing we are likely to see is a growth in devolved processing. Basically, this means power will be moved closer to the user, and away from a centralised cloud server. The term ‘edge’ refers to the end device people are using. The result being that we will all enjoy a smoother, faster digital experience.

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