Technology is encroaching on every aspect of modern life, like it or not. Nowadays, merchants and corporations are leveraging the power of the internet and a host of high-tech processes to ramp up sales, efficiency, safety, profits, and market share. The continued digitization of everything marches on. Owners are using apps, AI (artificial intelligence), software, advanced programs, products, and management techniques to make their organizations more competitive in every aspect of operations.
In addition to the complete revamping of the real estate sector, tech trends are transforming fleet management in numerous ways, changing the way professional firms serve clients, making video meetings the go-to way to conduct group conversations, turning the brokerage profession into an automated service sector, simplifying the way consumers purchase cars, and delivering major savings to companies that choose to go paperless. Learn more about how technology is changing the way businesses operate.
New-Age Real Estate Services
Shopping for a home is not what it used to be, and that’s a good thing. Gone are the days when people had to travel all over town just to see a few homes that might meet their minimum requirements. Thanks to innovative real estate marketing companies, the internet, and high-definition video recording, today’s real estate agents can show hundreds of properties at any time of the day or night. The process involves online shoppers choosing a set of criteria, like maximum price, number of bedrooms, etc.
Then, they only view properties that meet those requirements. But the viewing is done online via a virtual walk-through process. It’s an efficient way to rule out and rule in specific properties on your shortlist. Agents who conduct in-person showings are usually dealing with potential buyers who have already placed a particular house on their preferred list, have viewed it via video, and are familiar with its main features. For agents, the change has meant more time in the office working on promotion and less time ushering clients through properties.
Fleet Management Tech Tools
Transport fleet managers get plenty of bang for the buck out of tech upgrades and systems, particularly GPS (a global positioning system). For supervisors who already know how GPS works, the savings and efficiency of the technology are no big surprise. In fact, GPS systems employed fleet-wide go a long way toward making drivers much safer on the road and saving money for companies at the same time. Owners, managers, and fleet supervisors should get all the facts about GPS so they can reach higher levels of efficiency and resolve day-to-day problems that arise in the ordinary course of business.
Overseeing a vehicle fleet is no easy task. In addition to driver safety, scheduling, and routing, managers must keep track of every shipment in real-time. That means having access to a fully computerized system that reports the precise locations of all trucks around the clock. GPS technology has been around for many years, but today’s business owners are discovering new ways to leverage the power of its enhanced reach and precision. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to install GPS systems in every fleet vehicle and enjoy the benefits immediately.
Virtual Professional Firms
Advances in video conferencing, chat apps, document transfer, and encryption have spawned a growth phase in virtual firms. Now popular among CPAs (certified public accountants), lawyers, and consulting engineers, the organizations do not use physical office space but do all the same jobs their traditional counterparts did. Principals and owners operate the firms from their homes or remote locations on the run, while primary employees or contract workers tend to be home-based or use small, rented office space if they wish. But overall, all services are delivered to clients via a secure computer connection. Virtual firm owners still meet with clients in person on occasion but only when necessary.
Online Car Buying
The COVID pandemic pushed the bulk of car buying to an online format, at least for the early stages of the process. But coupled with a distaste for visiting dealerships, consumers are increasingly using hired brokers to help them find and buy their cars without ever visiting a dealership or seeing a showroom. All shopping is done online. Brokers arrange to have vehicles delivered directly to potential buyers’ homes for test-drive purposes. All paperwork and financial transactions are done online or over the telephone. When everything is complete, the chosen car is dropped off by a delivery agent at the buyer’s preferred location.
Paperless Offices
The paperless office has been a dream of business owners for decades. The computer revolution made it almost a reality, but document storage was always a problem, at least until the past decade. New protocols and cloud-based storage technology have made it possible for almost any professional firm to go paperless, and thousands of law firms, accountants, consultants, and others are enjoying the high-security, low-cost, and tidy look of paperless office spaces. Many government agencies are currently in the process of digitizing all their work processes.