Feature


media buying and programmatic advertising, corporations will now send out a job that needs to be completed with a detailed set of requirements to a wide database. Following a quick and competitive bidding process, similar to what one would find on eBay, the person equipped with the necessary skills and experience will secure the job. What is exciting, is the


implementation of blockchain technology that will remove the middleman and create open, clear communication throughout the process. As a globally distributed ledger, all historical jobs will be easily accessible, secure and accurate, with no opportunity for fabrication. This will ensure that only the most qualified workers will win contracts, and smart contracts based on the blockchain will guarantee payment for their services. Ultimately, the future of technology is a far cry from the existing model today.


Connected workforce


Remote working has now become the norm and a great asset for a company to offer its employees. However, there still remains the question of how does a manager track everyone’s progress when they’re dotted around the country, or even the world? The introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has ensured that employees across companies are connected, no matter where they are in the world. A strong workflow is the lifeblood of


every service organisation and without them, there’s no way businesses can effectively provide customers with a high standard of service. Many different industries can adopt workflow management systems, ranging from service engineers, property management, fleet management and maintenance to ensure planning, coordination, updates and monitoring of every element in the service delivery chain. Integrating this into the workforce, artificial intelligence and machine learning is able to learn from existing practises to see what staff are doing and can provide insights on how to effectively use them. In manufacturing for example, this


technology has created a strong pipeline starting at the first requirements from the client, moving to which builders and workers are needed, and if they’re working effectively and to the timeframe. All the necessary team members can view this pipeline and remain in a singular conversation, no matter where they are in the world.


Preventable downtime In an increasingly competitive market,


mistakes are seldom forgiven, but those that could have been preventable add even more salt to the wounds of all concerned. When a system experiences downtime, it can cost companies up to £18,000 every minute they aren’t functioning and cause serious damage to a businesses’ reputation. Current maintenance methods, where


machines are serviced once a month, or fixed once they have broken, are outdated and inefficient. Only now are businesses starting to understand the benefits that the data they’re sitting on can provide. Sensors attached to machinery can track and learn a machine’s normal activity, flagging any unusual behaviour that could signify something is about to break. The report highlights what has gone wrong, why it’s gone wrong and the best method to fix the issue, crucially before it happens. Having this report available before the machine breaks would allow businesses to call the correct engineer to fix the issue, resulting in saved time, cost and reputation. Furthermore, machine learning technology can remove the middle man, as the alerts raised by the sensors can notify the properly equipped engineer to attend the scene. This eliminates the opportunity for miscommunication and time wasting, so businesses can be sure that their machinery will always be in working condition. Damage limitation is incredibly important for companies that are sitting in an extremely competitive industry and need to make sure that they can provide the best customer service possible.


Interoperable industries


Many companies make the mistake of viewing their peers as enemies rather than as a tool for benefit. Previously, industries would work alone, building their own network and technology to keep ahead of their competitors. Regardless of the wasted time and money spent building this, it’s also incredibly inefficient – why would you create two copies of the same thing when you can adapt something that’s already been created? Working together with different industries can be extremely beneficial for business. A partnership between water


and insurance companies is a great example of how this new wave of business could operate. In the insurance industry, for


every £100,000 they generate in premiums, they pay out an estimated £85,000 in claims; with water damage accounting for a significant percentage. In turn, water companies are spending huge amounts of money on wasted time from engineers not


being able to source a leak or resolve a problem, especially in determining if the issue lies on the network side, or within a property. To tackle this, water monitors can be put


into the home to track the water activity, provide value in terms of consumption to the homeowners, and send regular reports to the water company to help them identify faults. These reports are incredibly detailed and can understand much more than an engineer could. For example, erosion leaks are incredibly hard to source and if left untouched can lead to significant damage to the customer’s home and consequently, very high insurance claims. The insurance companies can, with the


homeowner’s permission, also take a direct feed of this data. This can be used to protect both the homeowner against potential floods, and themselves against claims. Using these preventative measures, these


two disparate industries can utilise each other’s experience to create a better overall experience for each industry’s employees to solve and resolve a problem and subsequently, create a better experience for the customer. Ultimately, the future workforce will look


extremely efficient, profitable and effective. Decentralising the workforce, understanding how to use staff and machinery effectively, as well as working together with industries that are both similar and dissimilar to yours will help everyone achieve their business goals. It’s time that we use Carillion as an example of what not to do in business and how to harness technology to stay ahead of the game.


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