(This post originally appeared on Forbes)
Here are five things in technology that happened this past week and how they affect your business. Did you miss them?
1 — Too few cybersecurity professionals is a gigantic problem for 2019.
There is an unprecedented and desperate need for more cybersecurity pros in the tech industry to properly respond to the uptick in threats. Though seasoned cyber pros typically earn $95,000 annually, many job openings for them are unfilled. Between September 2017 and August 2018, U.S. employers posted nearly 314,000 jobs for cybersecurity pros, and there is now a gap of almost 3 million such jobs globally. Companies are trying to cope by relying more aggressively on AI and machine learning, but this is still at a relatively new stage and will only mitigate, not solve, the problem. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
This is a supply and demand problem and what happens to anything in short supply? Yup, the price goes up. Security and networking issues are only going to get worse in the coming years and it looks like we’re all going to be paying more for the professionals who help us.
2 — Collaboration software spending to hit $45B as team chat app demand booms.
According to a forecast by Synergy Research Group, spending on team chat applications will grow by 60% this year as demand for collaboration and unified communications (UC) software continues to boom. Overall, the market for collaboration software is forecast to grow 9% this year to more than $45 billion globally, propelled by several high-growth market areas in addition to team chat apps. These include Video as a service (VaaS) and Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS)—each of which should see 30% growth in 2019. (Source: Computer World)
Why this is important for your business:
I’m seeing this at my own clients – many are leveraging popular tools like Microsoft Teams and Slack to consolidate all of their chat, calls, texts, emails and videos in one place. This is a fast growing tech trend and one that your company should be exploring.
3 — WhatsApp Business app adds customer service features to its desktop and web apps.
Currently, Facebook’s WhatsApp Business app has grown to reach 5 million small business customers. Now, the company is making the app easier to use on both the desktop and the web by porting over several of the most popular features that were previously available only on mobile. These include tools to organize and filter chats, as well as to quickly reply to customer inquiries. The other two features now rolling out to web and desktop users are labels and chat list filters. (Source: Tech Crunch)
Why this is important for your business:
WhatsApp is hugely popular outside of the U.S. and is growing in popularity here. If you’ve got customers or people in your community who use this application, then these new features will be a great way to reach out and speed up communications – both for service and sales.
4 — This all-in-one tool optimizes your site’s security, speed, and SEO.
Google now offers a simple attachment app called Checkbot for Chrome—an all-in-one service that increases the functionality, speed, security, and visibility of websites. A 1-year Pro subscription costs just $29.99—a 70% savings off the regular price. Designed for both web developers and site managers, Checkbot makes it easy to optimize a website across multiple parameters. It checks everything from broken links to duplicate content and insecure forms—to ensure that sites adhere to more than 50 of the web’s current best practices and protocols. (Source: Venture Beat)
Why this is important for your business:
Designed for both web developers and site managers, Checkbot makes it easy to optimize a website across multiple parameters. It checks everything from broken links to duplicate content and insecure forms—to ensure that sites adhere to more than 50 of the web’s current best practices and protocols. Seems like a great tool for the person in your company who’s maintaining your site.
5 – Why angry consumers should head to Instagram when it is time to make a complaint.
A recent study shows that more than half of people who give feedback on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter) will log onto Facebook to comment on corporate pages, including complaining, giving praise, reporting a problem, or offering a suggestion. Unfortunately, those people faced the longest response wait times and the lowest response rates—with 72% expecting a response within 24 hours but only 68% getting one. On Instagram, however, 60% of users wanted a response from brands within 24 hours, and 78% got one. (Source: CNBC)
Why this is important for your business:
Your Instagram page isn’t just for posting videos and photos – it could be a resource for your customers to reach out for help. The demographic for this platform is younger and their desire for quick service is high. Smart businesses that consider Instagram as a customer service tool will find themselves building better relationships with their community.
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