SDL, the intelligent language and content company, today announces its ‘Predictions for 2021’, with insights from across its industry experts, looking at the increasing demand for trust, agility and intelligence from global brands in 2021.
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2020 has been dominated by just one story – Covid-19. Very few people foresaw the significant disruption and distress the pandemic and the response to it would cause to all our lives. Economies have been hit hard, and while some businesses have thrived, many have stumbled, and some have sadly fallen
For these predictions, we asked our industry experts across SDL to provide insights into what they believe will be the prevailing trends during 2021. They looked specifically at how brands can adopt a closer and more trustworthy relationship with their stakeholders through the use of more agile technology and content that is deployed intelligently across any format to customers wherever they are in the world.
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The Trust trend
1. The truth is out there… and truth will matter even more than it did before the pandemic
2021 will continue to see a tide of disinformation, but efforts to combat it will increasingly be made by organizations and individuals alike. A skeptical public will be more wary and will examine claims with greater scrutiny. This will not just be limited to areas such as politics and health – brands too must be above board and beyond reproach in all that they do. Honesty really will be the best policy. Consumers will continue to move more of their life online, but beset with sophisticated scams and dodgy dealers, trust in who you are dealing with online will assume ever greater importance.
2.Rogue algorithms – clarity over the human designed decision chain
The use of automation and AI will increase in 2021 as companies look to cut costs and be more efficient in how they operate. However, the pitfalls of the ‘rogue algorithm’ and the decision-making process, will draw increased scrutiny – as evidenced during 2020 with the UK school exam results, and multiple examples where rogue algorithms have generated biased results. Consumers will increasingly demand to see greater transparency and justification of automated decision making to make sure it is fair and non-discriminatory. Technology helps – but it should not always be the sole authority and decision maker. In 2021, businesses must be transparent and prepared to provide answers about their algorithms.
3.Easy access for all
With companies more conscious than ever of their responsibilities to society, technology and AI will help drive greater accessibility in the digital world. Investments in AI make content and online shopping more open and available to all. But it is not exclusively focused on retailers. Healthcare, accessibility is mandated by law and spans not just deaf, blind and other physical impairments, but includes Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Any U.S. organizations that provide healthcare and receive federal funding (Medicare, Medicaid) must be compliant with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). Increasing AI across accessibility channels will position a brand as a leader, enabling quicker-to-market processes to happen and faster regulatory compliance. As 2021 rolls on this is expected to grow significantly
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