It seems as if there is always a new game-changing development in technology. The hype surrounding innovations like self-driving cars, augmented reality and artificial intelligence makes it seem as though everyone is onboard with these developments. However, for every business implementing new technology, there are hundreds or even thousands who haven’t even started to do the research. The marketing, banking, and retail industries have clearly embraced big data, and they are using it to offer the types of services modern consumers are demanding. However, there are still some industries which lag somewhat behind or which haven’t fully embraced all the benefits that technology provides.
Education – Personalized and Convenient Learning
Most developments in technology can be used in the educational sector in some way. Arguably though, the greatest benefits can be found in targeting educational programs to the needs of individual learners. Online education developed in response to the difficulties some people have in attending brick-and-mortar colleges. They may have family commitments, limited funds, transportation problems or other personal issues. There is scope for online education to be expanded even further, so people anywhere in the world have greater access to instruction.
However, even students in the classroom can benefit from personalized instruction. Those who are visual learners would glean more from being immersed in a VR experience than they would from a textbook. Teachers can also use digital simulations and models to explain complex phenomena. Learners are exposed to video and other visual content every day, so it makes sense to incorporate these features into educational experiences.
Conducting assessments online can also help educators to identify challenges students may be facing. Unlike paper tests, digital platforms allow them to see how long each student spent on each question. Ordinarily, teachers would only know which questions the students got right or wrong. Getting even more information on how students take tests would enable educators to zoom in on areas which prove to be difficult.
Healthcare – More Accurate Diagnoses and More Intensive Data Mining
It is likely that the use of artificial intelligence in the healthcare industry will grow rapidly over the next few years. Already, significant investments are being made. Some healthcare providers have moved from paper records to electronic record management systems, but there is scope for them to do even more. Governments, hospitals, and doctors’ offices have decades of data on patients’ symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes. It would be almost impossible for them to manually mine this data for patterns and connections. The wider availability and application of artificial intelligence can produce actionable information to improve the healthcare services offered to patients.
AI can also help significantly with the diagnosis of illnesses. Early diagnosis leads to better outcomes for patients and cost savings to governments, insurance companies, and individuals. No matter how skilled healthcare professionals are, there are things which they may be incapable of picking up. AI technology developed by Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital was found to be more accurate at predicting heart disease than cardiologists. The widespread use of AI would, therefore, go a long way in helping doctors to better diagnose and treat illnesses across specialties.
Construction – Detailed Visualization and Centralized Management
The construction industry was initially one of the slowest to embrace technological developments. However, things have started to change, and as technology evolves, construction should follow suit. Technology can improve safety and efficiency, reduce costs and lead to better-built structures. Construction used to be about pen and paper, but tech has made it possible for transformations in both on-the-job tasks and business management.
Virtual reality and augmented reality can help workers and building owners to get 3D and 4D experiences of projects under construction. They can then collect data from the environment and make adjustments as needed. Apps like MeasureKit make it easy to measure distances and achieve level surfaces using a phone or iPad.
ometimes a single app can assist across multiple areas. Take FieldPulse, for example. This hub helps contractors to:
- Manage and allocate human resources
- Create estimates and invoices
- Track employees time and location
- Collect online or on-the-spot payments
Centralized management reduces delays and errors, makes payment collection easier and reduces costs. It is expected that more construction companies will turn to digital solutions over time.
Customer Service – Video Chats and Bots for Speedy Assistance
Customer service is key to any business but it is especially important to those in competitive industries. When a customer doesn’t get a timely response from one business, they are almost guaranteed to go elsewhere. The business which provides fast and helpful responses to queries has an obvious competitive advantage. Technological advances can be used to anticipate what consumers want, adapt business processes to serve them, and ultimately make the business more efficient.
Many companies already use Facebook Messenger or live chat services on their websites to communicate with customers and prospects. However, text communication doesn’t convey tone well. Enter face-to-face video chats. Video is increasingly in demand, and there is no reason why it shouldn’t be incorporated into customer service. It allows for more personalized support and better relationships between businesses and those they serve.
Bots can also be used to serve and support customers when people can’t be there. Many operations can’t afford to have customer service staff on-call for 24 hours each day. Therefore, bots can answer common questions and assist with troubleshooting during off-peak hours. In the future, bots can be also be programmed to handle complex queries which involve teaching or training.
The technological revolution is well underway, and industries continue to be disrupted. Ride-sharing apps have disrupted transportation, Amazon continues to push the boundaries of retail, and digital payments have reduced the need to walk with cash. Despite, these advances, many of the technological solutions which are now gain ground can do a lot to boost many other industries. Mobile apps augmented and virtual reality, bots, and video can really lead to new frontiers in construction, education, healthcare, and customer service.
– By MARIE ERHART
