“Businesses will have nowhere to hide from the disrupting yet energising effects of technological change”


in the year 2000 – have given up on the idea of privacy,” he says. “They don’t mind sharing data or information as long as they get something out of it.” Cer- tainly, as millennials invade the travelling workforce we can expect a lot more sharing of data. They are also more likely to buy into the shared economy as highlighted by the rise of Airbnb or Uber.


NEW APPROACH If a travel buyer wants to be up with the latest technology coming their way, it is worth following what’s being adopted in the consumer world before its application to business travel and buyers becomes clear. People bring their everyday life or holiday habits, preferences and expec- tations to the business traveller space. So watching the consumer space is very important. Take virtual reality, originally consid-


ered a gaming technology. It is becoming more mainstream, and the applications for businesses are plentiful. Robotics


60 BBT JULY/AUGUST 2016


are certainly in this category, as are wearable technologies such as smart watches, which will become more sophisticated and geared towards the business sector. This technology, when combined with data on patterns of behaviour, could not only empower travellers but help them be more efficient, productive and happier. Smart clothes are potentially the future of wearables. This could allow insurance companies to monitor the health of travelling executives as they jet around the globe.


A report from the Economist Intel-


ligence Unit last year stated that “busi- nesses will have nowhere to hide from the disrupting yet energising effects of technological change.” What does this mean for you?


Don’t just think about the short-term gains that technology will bring – really do think ahead. Think exponentially, and how these disruptive technologies are going to impact your business in the long-term. Because the next phase of disruptive change is literally just around the corner.˜


Why can’t your brain keep up (and why you need to)?


I’VE BEEN THE SENIOR CONTENT EDITOR FOR TV PROGRAMME HORIZONS for five series now. It airs on BBC World News, the global and ad-funded arm of the Beeb. It is their only feature show focused on science and technology. We’ve featured over 400 companies in more than 40 countries, and Nobel Laureates, cutting-edge technologists and scientists. In that time I’ve


continued to write about managed travel. One of


the things I’ve learnt from this series is that the pace of change is moving at an ever-increasing rate nowadays. Our brains are rigged up to think linearly – 1, 2, 3, 4 – not exponentially –1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and so on. It explains why the largest changes don’t happen for some time. But when they do, our whole world can be turned upside down in an instant. So how does that affect me? Well, be rest assured that in the next decade many more disruptive


technologies will be knocking at your door, potentially disrupting how you conduct your business. As Ray Kurzweil, a computer scientist, inventor and futurist said to us in one programme: “We need to start thinking exponentially if we are to benefit from this growth.” So before the next disruptive technology tumbles into your lap, it is worth thinking not one step or two steps ahead, but many, many more...


Nick Easen BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM


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