Technology is ubiquitous, and it's not going anywhere. For example, as the internal combustion engine begins its long, slow decline, and electric vehicles become more prevalent, the technology used in making and maintaining them will continue to grow. In such a world, businesses cannot afford to "stay in the past." They, too, must move forward while embracing new ways to use technology.

1. Better Security

People take their data security very seriously. In a world where identity theft is rampant, protecting that data is essential. You can improve both your customers' security and yours by adding extra layers of encryption. You can require two-factor authentication for employee logins to the system. There are also fingerprint scanners and retinal scanners. Research is currently promising regarding effective and accurate DNA scanners as well. Doing your due diligence regarding data security will create a sense of safety in your customers' minds and a feeling of being valued.

2. Inventory Management

Keeping track of inventory on a clipboard with a pencil is time-consuming and, in many cases, inaccurate. Sure, it makes sense to have a human touch running the department and checking things over, but having scanners and inventory software takes most of the drudgery out of "doing inventory." One flick of the scanner will catalog an item, the data from which can then be stored securely. Further, when a worker has the right clearance to research the items in the company's possession, then each item is easily accessible. That makes it far easier not only to keep track of but also to get it to the right customer when it's ordered.

This kind of inventory management also applies to tracking software. Companies that do deliveries can then track packages on the fly, ensure that they're on the right delivery vehicles, and confirm their arrival at the appropriate destination. Even companies that don't do delivery can keep track of things they've ordered that they're having delivered. That saves investigative time trying to find something that goes missing.

3. Flexibility

"But, we've always done it this way," doesn't fly anymore in a fast-paced and global marketplace. Laws change. Customer preferences change. People in target demographics get older and/or change their tastes. Age groups that liked one thing 10 years ago don't like that one thing anymore and like something completely different. Everything changes so much and so often that it's difficult to keep track. Having the right kind of software will simplify making these transitions.

Giving workers powerful tools to do their jobs empowers them to use their judgment to make changes that help the company. Staid processes result in staid business practices. And, these both will result in staid customer interactions. Customers are more educated and curious than they've ever been. They're also more "bunk-aware" than ever before. They'll know if you're trying to soft soap them. Therefore, it pays to have the right tools on hand to be able to make the necessary changes to appeal to these intelligent and discerning customers to help build brand loyalty.

4. Managing Big Data

Speaking of target demographics, trends, and the like, both your brand and your marketing strategy form the crux of what needs to be flexible. Take the example of a company making portable CD players in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Further, let's say that their target demographic was adults between 25 and 35. They'd have done the applicable research to design their portable CD players with the materials and functions that demographic preferred. At the turn of the 21st century, when MP3 players began to emerge, it wouldn't matter how nifty they made their portable CD players. The 25-35 demographic would likely prefer an MP3 player. Sure, the company might keep making CD players for their now older demographic, but they'd have to be flexible and branch out into the MP3 player market. When MP3 players went out of style, then they adjusted to make products for the next generation.

The point is, they have to base their marketing on the results of painstaking research of trends, consumer preferences, and improving technologies. That's where analyzing big data comes in. In the late 1980s, it might have been mail or telephone surveys. As technology expanded, it became passive as well as active research. Tracking cookies, analysis of webpages that people of a certain age visit, and even their use of social media are all part of what companies research these days.

Then, it's up to the company to mold its marketing strategy and brand presentation based upon all of the gleaned information. Only by combining flexibility and analytical prowess can a company prosper in today's world.