3 TRENDS FOR 2018

Understanding consumer’s behavior is one prime factors leading to a business’s success. In today’s world of constant, accelerating change, it is even more critical to stay updated on current trends happening on the market. Below are 3 trends that every business professional need to keep up with in 2018 according to Trend Watching:

1.      A-Commerce

Under the tremendous impacts of Artificial Intelligence and automation, consumer’s behavior are shifting towards the outsourcing of certain retail experiences. That means hunting, negotiating, perchasing and delivery management will all be automated. World leading retailers such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba are using automated warehouses, drones and AI route planning to minimize customer’s waiting time from order to delivery.

2.      Glass Box Wrecking Balls

In 2018, a business is a glass box. It means outsiders can now easily observe what’s going on in a company: the people, the processes and the values. Ignited by a heavily connected world, such transparency in business has greatly empowered those who have been mistreated my malign individuals and organizations. It is suggested that companies should establish a working environment that employees feel safe and respected to speak up against any wrongdoings.

3.      Virtual Companions
The relationship between people and their virtual entities has reached new heights in the year of 2018: from assistants to companions. Tech firm Gartner has revealed a shocking prediction that by 2020, the avarage person will have more conversations with bots than with their spouse. Since there is growing realization that social media is isolating people from the real world, tech companies have started to create highly functional chat-bots that have unique personalities to assist and befriend their customers.