As a business owner, you don’t necessarily have to be tech-savvy (exact definitions vary among people), but you do have to have a working knowledge of technology. Fortunately, we live in a digital world where a lot of the same technology used in a business is also used in everyday life. Still, technology is constantly changing, both in daily life and in business, and it can be hard to keep up with these changes. Nevertheless, you must be aware of the latest tech trends as they relate to business, and here are five.

#1: Tech-Assisted Shopping

Also known as online shopping, tech-assisted shopping has become increasingly popular over the last two years, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though much of the world shut down during that time, daily tasks such as grocery shopping still had to be done. Fortunately, many retailers were able to incorporate online shopping and contactless delivery or pickup that remained in compliance with CDC guidelines.

Even though the world Is almost completely back to normal, many retailers have not strayed away from this tech-assisted shopping. Whether it’s fear of another pandemic or the convenience it provides for their customers, it’s a smart move to give your customers the option of shopping online as this doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

#2: Social Media and Influencer Marketing

Another phenomenon that happened during the pandemic was an increase in the use of social media, resulting in more social media influencers. These influencers have a large following, and even before the pandemic companies were reaching out to them to try and promote their products. With influencer marketing, you’ll typically pay an influencer a set amount every time they promote your products, which will then drive traffic to your website and hopefully result in more sales. However, you’ll want to work with influencers who don’t cause controversy, because they can quickly fail out of favor with their audience— and so will your company in most cases.

#3: Remote Onboarding

One final phenomenon to mention that has resulted from the pandemic is the increase in remote workers as many people were forced to work from home. While some loathed the experience and couldn’t wait to get back into the office, others found that they enjoyed this setup more and have continued to work remotely. Some workers (and businesses) even prefer a hybrid working model, where work can be done both in-office and online.

Here is where remote onboarding comes in. Traditional onboarding allows workers to learn their responsibilities and the company culture in person, but remote onboarding gives the same experience to employees who may prefer to work from home or live in a different location.

#4: Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

ERP is a software system that integrates different business functions to streamline processes. The software itself is a way of automating certain business tasks so that they don’t have to be done by hand, but ERP takes it to the next level by bringing all of these different functions into one place. Virtually every task in your business is connected in some way, so having a software system that integrates everything for you allows for your mundane business tasks to be completed quickly and correctly, increasing overall efficiency. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be tech-savvy, JD Edwards CNC is easy to understand and implement.

#5: Cybersecurity

Because more and more businesses are adopting an online or hybrid model of running a business, there’s also an increased focus on cybersecurity. Cybersecurity aims to protect the information shared between interconnected devices from cyber criminals and others with unauthorized access to certain data and other information. As a business, you hold a great amount of sensitive information— about your business, employees, and even your customers/clients. Information such as this getting into the wrong hands can cause more than just a financial loss for your company, which is why it’s important to make sure you have top-notch cybersecurity.

As a business owner, you should embrace these new tech trends as they can open you up to more business opportunities, including reaching more people and increasing your sales. At the very least, embracing these new trends can keep you from going out of business. No one likes a business that appears to be stuck in the past (unless that’s the selling point of your brand identity), as customers/clients appreciate the convenience and all of these tech trends provide convenience for your consumers, your employees, and you.