Four Technology Trends for 2022 (and Four SOTI Solutions to Help You Take Advantage of Them)

Welcome to 2022!

The entire SOTI team wishes you all the best in the coming year.

The past few years have seen a dramatic acceleration in the development and adoption of mobile technology; driven primarily by the pandemic. Since the onset of COVID-19:

• 55% of organizations sped up their adoption of cloud computing
• 51% accelerated artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
• 42% accelerated the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology

Meanwhile, new technology such as contact tracing apps, gravity sensor wristbands that prevent people from touching their faces and robot dogs to help maintain social distancing were all borne out of necessity.

So, what new or established technology trends can you expect to see take off in 2022?

1) Digitization of Paper-Based Business Processes

When you think about all the new processes required to navigate working through the pandemic – completing screening questionnaires, putting in purchase orders to help employees work from home, etc. – it’s no surprise to learn that paper usage was expected to rise 3.9% in 2021.

That stat, combined with the fact that 46% of businesses waste time daily on paper-based processes, shows that paper processes are inefficient and not good for the environment either.

Part of it was driven out of necessity as organizations scrambled to adapt. But as COVID-19 eventually wanes, the post-pandemic business world will become paperless. That means:

• More apps: 85% of organizations implemented bring your own device (BYOD) policies during the pandemic and 87% of those businesses depend on their employees to access business apps on their devices. Enterprises must develop apps quickly, efficiently and affordably to keep workers productive.

• Digital workflows: By taking workflows digital in the form of automatically sending an email alert when an action is required, ensures expediency, accuracy and even accountability. As a bonus, eliminating paper processes can help businesses save $1,000 to $5,000 USD per month.

• Data collection: Digitizing data collection is more than just recording information. It also means sharing, analyzing and acting on data in meaningful ways. It also provides high data quality, which is vital when you consider that poor data costs businesses up to 12% of revenue.
  
  

2) Geofencing in the Supply Chain

Geofencing technology has been around for years and is a staple of Enterprise Mobility Management. As far back as 2017, the global geofencing market was expected to reach $2 billion USD by 2022. No doubt the pandemic has altered those projections.

In 2022, geofencing technology will play a more prominent role as it helps alleviate the ongoing supply chain crisis.

Transportation and logistics (T&L) organizations should have total visibility into where goods are within the supply chain, but only 6% of companies actually do. Geofencing technology can be used around warehouses, at ports, on specific roads, etc., to alert stakeholders when products are approaching. Geofencing in the supply chain also has other advantages:

• Automated actions: Geofences can initiate event-based actions (e.g. sending alerts when a truck leaves a dock and hits the road) to help with proactive planning and quicker dispatch to final destinations, such as a distribution warehouse or retail.

• Secure tracking: Asset management via tracing and tracking is more secure with a geofence as the technology can protect items on the move such as trucks and goods, and stationary items like warehouses or loading docks.

• Real-time updates: During the supply chain crisis, warehouses only have a 3.6% vacancy rate (it usually sits at 15%). Geofencing can be used to alert drivers when they are approaching a full warehouse and reroute them accordingly. ETAs can be updated automatically based on factors like vehicle speed, distance and necessary stop points, then shared with relevant stakeholders to ensure deliveries are kept on time.

Geofencing in the supply chain will also help the IoT technology and systems work together in an integrated way.

For example, when trucks transporting items which need to be kept at a certain temperature – such as ice cream – enter a geofenced area, a notification is sent to the warehouse indicating the shipment is on its way. Almost instantly, a notification is sent back to the driver instructing them on which dock to enter based on things like available storage capacity.

3) Diagnostic Intelligence

In business, there are two everlasting effects of the pandemic. One is the global shift to remote work as 70% of companies either have or will adopt a hybrid working model. The second is customers expect service to take place wherever and whenever it’s convenient for them as opposed to set hours in a specific location.

Even if employees are in the office part-time, employers need full-time visibility into what’s happening with their corporate devices. And when there’s an issue causing device or app downtime, both parties can’t wait until the device is back in the office to resolve it.

That’s why in 2022, diagnostic intelligence will play a giant role in maximizing device uptime and by extension, worker productivity.

The downtime of a high-priority app costs businesses $68,000 USD per hour, so waiting for the device to be physically in the hands of IT is not an option. The “diagnostic” part of diagnostic intelligence refers to identifying, troubleshooting and resolving issues remotely. That ranges from pulling rich device data to taking control of the mobile device to even whiteboarding and annotating on the screen.

The “intelligence” portion is about knowing how devices are performing in the field. Are device batteries failing to last full shifts, thus impacting worker productivity? Are non-essential apps leading to high data bills and low device memory and storage? Is poor cellular coverage resulting in dropped calls and missed alerts? This information is critical to know and since 85% of workers never report issues to IT, it’s up to the organization to proactively discover and remedy them.

4) IoT Management to Secure 3D Printers

Despite COVID-19, the global 3D printing market grew by 21% in 2020 for an estimated value of $12.6 billion USD. It almost feels as if a tipping point has been reached. Before the pandemic, 3D printers may have been viewed as a novelty device. Today, they are essential tools to help with manufacturing and, by extension, alleviate the pressures caused by the ongoing supply chain crisis.

As more 3D printers come online, the security risks they face also increase. Like any IoT device, 3D printers are vulnerable to attacks if they are connected to an unsecured network. However, there are two other threats which are unique to 3D printers and could pose big problems if not addressed:

• Compromised print files: 3D printers are used to manufacture everything from automotive parts to healthcare equipment and even drones. Print files must be exact to ensure the items being made work properly and are safe. Even the slightest deviation to a print file could have disastrous consequences.

• Creating illegal tools: Criminals have hacked into 3D printers to have them manufacture credit card skimmers, guns (which cannot be detected by metal detectors) and other weapons. After the prohibited item is printed, criminals may have to break into the facility where the 3D printer is located to go and get them.

In 2022, using IoT management technology to monitor and secure 3D printers is necessary, especially as the technology becomes more affordable for small businesses to utilize.

It’s 2022 – AND SOTI Can Help

This year is shaping up to be an exciting one as new technology emerges to help the world navigate the new normal.

And SOTI can help. The SOTI ONE Platform – featuring all the solutions listed in this blog – reduces the cost, complexity and downtime of your business-critical mobile operations. Because in today’s day and age, there’s simply no time for downtime.

To learn more:

• Contact us with any questions you have
• Request a free product demo and see the SOTI ONE Platform in action
• Try the SOTI ONE Platform free for 30 days and with no obligations