Ask anyone what has changed since the advent of COVID-19, and you will hear a variety of answers. “I’m working from home now.” “My children are doing eLearning.” “I visit my doctor via Zoom.” The COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscapes for many industries. The common thread in all these transformations, however, is the expanded role technology and IT support play in the resulting new normal.
Consider the changes in these sectors.
Business
The sudden arrival of the COVID lockdown forced businesses to pivot rapidly to remote work options for as many employees as possible. Remote workforces brought IT to the fore to support the resulting increased complexity of data and network security issues. No longer able to assist employees with issues in person, Helpdesk technicians needed to provide swift and effective support remotely.
Education
Children studied side by side with their remote-working parents. Universities scrambled to provide e-learning options for their students unable to return to in-person classrooms. Millions of individuals on a wide variety of educational platforms prompted IT engineers to address new security and privacy issues and gave rise to a greater demand for Helpdesk services.
Healthcare
COVID-19 forced the technology industry to develop secure, reliable, and professional systems to virtually connect physicians with their patients. Telemedicine platforms, previously emerging technology, scaled rapidly to meet the burgeoning demand and become commonplace. Studies found tech-savvy patients tended to put greater trust in doctors who used technology in their practices.
Manufacturing
Manufacturers pivoted, too. Supply chain issues prompted the need for more localized factories. Businesses turned increasingly to automation to address workforce shortages. COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of new technologies such as Artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and remote production monitoring to adapt to the new landscape.
Retail
COVID-19 lockdowns and fears of contamination accelerated the existing rise in Ecommerce. According to Digital Commerce 360, online retail sales rose 39% in 2020 (year over year), and the early 2021 statistics predicted a continued rise in online shopping revenues. Increased demand also prompted advances in technology to support new payment methods such as e-wallets and incorporated AI to enhance decision-making in the shopping experience. Restaurants adopted new technologies to allow patrons to place orders and to reduce the need for wait staff.
Across the board the COVID-19 pandemic either initiated or accelerated the adoption of new technologies and rapidly increased their use. The inflated demand for these new technologies brought its own issues regarding cybersecurity, reliability, privacy, and scale. The advent of vaccines and treatments have made COVID-19 less daunting, but the resulting changed landscape will remain the new normal, creating a greater demand for professional IT support.
